Caravanwise Insurance whats going on

[Coly]

We took out Campervan insurance last week with Caravanwise Insurance to insure our T6 van.

We clearly explained that it will be taking us a year or more to complete the conversion.

This week the policy details came through and 'panic' as it says we must be registered with the DVLA as a campervan within 90 days.

I phoned Caravanwise and they say if I fit a bed within 90 days they will re-categorise the van as a day van and then I will be insured for 12 months.

Can anyone explain what is going on?

 

[Ayjay]

Sorry to have bad news but unless they change their current rules, the DVLA are very unlikely to re-categortise your van as a Motor Caravan (their words for a campervan) until you have a high top roof (NOT a pop top ) fitted to it (and other stuff!). There is a long thread on the whole sorry saga elsewhere here on T6F and you might want to read up on it:

V5 Documentation - DVLA Rule Change for Motor Caravan Reregistration June 2019

Hi, a little help required re the V5. I have recently received my V5 from the DVLA for my T6 which was converted to a campervan by a local company. He sent the docs off with photos etc as per changes to the use etc of the vehicle and the returned V5 in my name just states the Van as a VAN/SIDE...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Coly]

I knew there could be problems with classification but I didn't know about the problems with insurance.

It is the lack of insurance that worries me.

 

[The Bear78]

Are they saying that they will accept a bed as proof of your intentions or do they also expect the van to be recatagorised by the DVLA? If its the former then not too bad.

 

[Coly]

They are saying from the insurance point of view it will be recategorized as a day van if it has a bed.
Obviously this is not as big a problem as the DVLA but it was never mentioned or in policy document before we took out the insurance.
I am also a bit baffled why a day van needs a bed!

 

[YellowHound]

14 day cooling off period?

 

[VanDamMan]

We took out Campervan insurance last week with Caravanwise Insurance to insure our T6 van.

We clearly explained that it will be taking us a year or more to complete the conversion.

This week the policy details came through and 'panic' as it says we must be registered with the DVLA as a campervan within 90 days.

I phoned Caravanwise and they say if I fit a bed within 90 days they will re-categorise the van as a day van and then I will be insured for 12 months.

Can anyone explain what is going on?

Hi .. as far as I am aware insurance companies will only insure on what your vehicle is at the time of insurance and you may update the insurance company with changes as they happen...really until you’ve fully converted the vehicle it’s still just a van ( perhaps with a few mods ) if they miss understood your requirements I’d pull out and go to a specialist insurer that allows changes until full conversion is complete... I’ve used A plan specialist van insurance ( but mines a kombi day van with bed ) either way you don’t want to be pushed to buy a bed just to satisfy the insurer ..shop around

 

[Coly]

I have cancelled policy with Caravanwise.
A-Plan insurance have given me a good quote but it is with Markerstudy and the reviews on Trustpilot for 388 is 1.3 star
That is pretty dire.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

[VanDamMan]

I have cancelled policy with Caravanwise.
A-Plan insurance have given me a good quote but it is with Markerstudy and the reviews on Trustpilot for 388 is 1.3 star
That is pretty dire.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Hi most brokers will do most of the leg work required to settle any claims ...if your really not sure ask A plan for an alternative but the price may change...I found by laying out my needs and wanted an insurer with a good record It paid off...some times the cheapest can have good and bad points but yet again some of the big insurers are just as bad...Good luck

 

[VanDamMan]

Sorry not good at linking stuff but....

if you type .. insurance companies.. in the search bar it will perhaps give you some help

 

[YellowHound]

I have cancelled policy with Caravanwise.
A-Plan insurance have given me a good quote but it is with Markerstudy and the reviews on Trustpilot for 388 is 1.3 star
That is pretty dire.
Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Have you tried Brentacre? They have been very good for me and accommodating of an evolving van build.

 

[Coly]

Brentacre was one of the first I tried. I asked for written confirmation and he asked me why. I explained and he said he would send it to me. He must have thought he put the phone down because he said 'f...ing people'. I said pardon and the line went dead. I never got the quote or any response from messenger. Not sure what to think. Perhaps he was having a bad day!

 

[ThreeBridgeT6]

Brentacre was one of the first I tried. I asked for written confirmation and he asked me why. I explained and he said he would send it to me. He must have thought he put the phone down because he said 'f...ing people'. I said pardon and the line went dead. I never got the quote or any response from messenger. Not sure what to think. Perhaps he was having a bad day!

I spoke with Brentacre today as I'm looking to insure my newly converted van in the next couple of weeks. I've pushed the boat out with a new T6 LWB T30 204 DSG and have gone for a Three Bridge Campers full bells and whistles job. All in (van and conversion), my outlay is slightly north of £80k, so I said I wanted an agreed value policy based on this figure. The muppet I spoke to (in their Swansea office) told me I couldn't have a value that high 'because I could buy a new California for less and they'd only provide cover at that level...' Really? If I wanted a California I'd have bloody bought one, but I wanted something better, not to mention individual. I thought Brentacre were supposed to be specialist in the camper van conversion field - I even said this to him - but it seems their only specialism is rudeness and incompetence!

 

[Noddy996]

Hi @Coly. I have just been looking to renew my campervan insurance, and was really impressed with Lifesure and Safeguard, both of whom specialise in campervans, and understand all the mods that we do! Well worth a try.

 

[Coly]

At the moment I am tempted to go with Adrian Flux but I will try the two you recommend.

 

[rod_vw]

90 days is not unusual as a limit for insurance during conversion although I have had at least one company that gave me until the renewal date. Sorry I can't remember which company that was.

As said above there is no possibility of getting a T6 body type changed to 'Motor Caravan' unless maybe you fit a high roof and make the vehicle look distinctly like a camper that fits the DVLA criterion. I've not been in that situation yet as the last one that I converted was before the DVLA changed their requirements.

 

[Keeff]

If you go to Brentacre ask if you can use a Vw approved repairer as they make you use one of theirs or pay the extra so warranty will be affected.

 

[Bashers]

Try Comfort Motorhome Insurance, they’re either a branch of or underwritten by Aviva. We had no problem insuring our camper van even though it’s still an LGV in the eyes of the DVLA. Think I paid less than £400 fully comp too.

 

[DXX]

Have you tried Brentacre? They have been very good for me and accommodating of an evolving van build.

Brentacre use Markerstudy, I was with them for 2 years, never claimed but Markerstudy don’t have good reviews.
I had a temporary Which Magazine membership, NFU Mutual were the top rated motor insurance company at the time.

 

[Coly]

Thanks everyone for your help. The van is a high top and we have had windows and skylight fitted so hopefully the dvla won't be a problem. However that is a long way off.
It seems that most of the insurance companies get very low ratings. You do wonder what our so called watch dogs/ regulators do.