TVAR for tradespeople
You come back to the van and the side door is open. Racking empty. And the insurer wants serial numbers, receipts and clear photos by Friday. TVAR keeps your ownership evidence recorded in advance — so a tool-theft report starts with organised records, not a blank page.
Already using TVAR for courier work? Add trades as a second work type in your account — your existing records stay exactly as they are.
The trade side of TVAR follows the order you build and run your kit.
Step 1
Record the van, pickup, signwriting, locks, alarm and where it is usually parked.
Step 2
Add power tools, hand tools, ladders, testers, materials — whatever you rely on.
Step 3
Photograph each item, capture the serial or model plate, and store the receipt.
Step 4
Break-in, van theft, site theft or tool loss — captured step by step with a crime reference.
Step 5
One structured document for police, your insurer, broker or the site agent.
Why TVAR matters
In 2024, Direct Line Business analysis of police Freedom of Information data recorded 25,525 reported tool thefts, of which 12,414 (49%) were thefts from vehicles.
£39.95m
Estimated value of tools stolen in 2024
Direct Line Business calculated this from the reported cases using an average stolen-tool value of £1,565.02.
25,525
Tool-theft cases reported to UK police in 2024
From Freedom of Information responses; 29 of 45 forces supplied usable data, so the true total is likely higher.
Every 21 min
Average interval between reported tool thefts in 2024
Roughly 70 reported thefts a day across the forces that responded.
12,414 (49%)
2024 cases that were thefts from vehicles
Just under half of all reported tool thefts involved a vehicle.
TVAR helps you prepare an organised record before it is needed: make and model, serial numbers, photographs, receipts and other ownership evidence, van and security details, and the incident information police and insurers ask for. It does not prevent theft, recover tools or decide claims — it means your account of what was yours was written down in advance.
Crime-prevention and claims guidance points the same way: Surrey Police advises recording serial numbers, photographs and receipts or documents to help prove ownership, and Federation of Master Builders guidance says proof of purchase is key to a claim, recommending an equipment list with serial numbers and photos.
Figures relate to the 2024 calendar year and come from Direct Line Business' annual tool-theft report, based on Freedom of Information responses from 29 of 45 UK police forces. Because not every force responded, and many thefts go unreported, these are a partial picture rather than a national total. TVAR is not affiliated with, endorsed by or approved by Direct Line, any police force, insurer or trade body.
Everything is designed for one hand on a phone, on site, in the rain. The "I've been robbed" button is on the trade home screen, and the wizard asks for what police and insurers ask for — in that order.
No. TVAR is an evidence and record-keeping tool. It doesn't prevent theft — it makes sure you can show what you owned, how it was stored and what happened.
That's always the insurer's decision. TVAR organises the evidence they and the police normally ask for; it doesn't determine cover, excess or claim eligibility.
Yes. You can set both work types on your account and switch between the Trade and Courier sides.
Only you. Records are tied to your account, and you can export or delete your data from the Account page.
We are careful not to promise things we cannot control. TVAR does not prevent theft, guarantee recovery, or guarantee that an insurer will accept a claim. No police force, insurer or trade body endorses TVAR unless we name them explicitly.