The majority of van insurance companies use five categories within which they place vans as the starting point for calculating the insurance group.

Car-derived vans: These are vans that look like common cars and drive just like them, though the back windows are filled in with metal instead of glass and the rear seats have been replaced with a flat area to carry loads. The Vauxhall Astravan and the Ford Fiesta van are examples of car-derived vans. 

Micro vans: The smallest type of van that isn't derived from a car, micro vans are generally used to carry small deliveries. The Citroen Nemo and Peugeot Blipper are counted as micro vans. 

Small/light vans: Whilst from the front these vans look similar to a car, the rear will often have hinged double doors and a raised roof. A common small van is the Volkswagen Caddy.

Medium/panel vans: Panel vans are popular due to their easily accessible doors and large load capacity. The Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter are common panel vans. 

Large vans: Capable of carrying very large loads, these vans will often have a double-axle at the back supporting four rear wheels. The Luton van, often used by independent removals firms, is a typical large van.

There are factors other than size which dictate the price of van insurance quotes, including the size of the engine and whether it is petrol or diesel, whether the van is manual or automatic and the level of security system installed.