Insurance Paranoia

[narrative_escapes]

I suspect driven by the fact I've never owned something almost 25% of the value of my house this is driving me nuts.

So, I can't seem to get insurance down under £400 and I've tried a few. Ironically, the one with the most stuff (recovery, a year of new for old - which I'm querying as everyone else drops their new for old statements once it's converted - even the only other owner is the converter).

Some questions: -

1. What insurance do people use for professionally converted T6 camper vans (i.e not me)?
2. How valid have you found the new for old statements as they're all dropping it when I'm not the first registered owner (which is not the case when buying many professionally converted)?
3. Even when they give market value (my main concern - losing the van and a wad of cash if something catastrophic happens early) is it the market value of a T6 converted camper or just a T6?

I am querying all these things but I suspect there is a body of knowledge here.

Owning this vehicle will be fun eventually Hahah.

Thanks in advance.

 

[narrative_escapes]

Found some links on here - investigation. Any advise still appreciated.

 

[Nigel W]

Interesting......when I first got mine years ago I took out motor home insurance not ‘van’ insurance.
I rang both Saga and Comfort and because mine is by a known converter (Bilbo) it was on their approved list so they were happy to insure.
Ever since I have just renewed with Saga at a premium of about half of what you mention. Mind you with a very limited annual mileage.
This doesn’t help self converters but you did say yours is a professional conversion so they may be on the list?
Hope I have understood your question correctly.

 

[narrative_escapes]

It is professionally converted (Denby - anyone with negative experiences don't pile in and ruin my current happiness! I'm sure we find negatives with them all). It's camper van insurance companies I am ringing, not van. The one I am favouring at the moment is Safeguard who have Denby conversions as a dropdown on their website (though I rang them) so it may be it's just so seamless it's all in hand. I am going to ask a few more questions as they've become closer to being a finalist. Hahah!

One problem is my area is D in a range of A-F I believe, so not great but not fantastic.

Even the camper van ones, like the camping and caravan club, drop the new for old when it's not a camper van out of the factory. And a few others I spotted the most be the first registered owner clause on their websites (which of course you rarely are when buying a professional conversion off the forcourt even when it only has under 100 delivery mileage).

Even on the Comfort cover their new for old has this little tagline: ** You will receive new for old cover on your vehicle as long as you are the first registered owner and keeper, the vehicle is 3 years old or younger or within its 15,000 miles. Whatever comes first.

You're quite often not the first registered owner in a professional conversion scenario.

 

[Eli]

I also use Comfort insurance, just called them to inform I have air suspension and new alloys and they said thanks for letting us know..........there is no increase in premium , Result

 

[narrative_escapes]

That is something I should probably bring up with Safeguard - I didn't mention the van has alloys, I just assumed it was covered in the purchase price.

If you make a claim on that comfort insurance how are they decided the value of the van - I assume it's market value at the point of claim?

 

[Loz]

The caravan and Motorhome club are now recognising MPV as a vehicle type for a campervan so it might be worth giving them a try.

 

[The_Lad]

Try A plan they seem to specialise in different forms of conversion, as a broker im sure they could help or at least recommend someone

 

[Salty Spuds]

Just Kampers & Adrian Flux (all the same company) do agreed value policies. TBH £400 doesn’t sound bad. There’s a certain irony in that you’re trying to get it as cheap as possible, but then worrying about the level of cover

 

[narrative_escapes]

Just Kampers & Adrian Flux (all the same company) so agreed value policies. TBH £400 doesn’t sound bad. There’s a certain irony in that you’re trying to get it as cheap as possible, but then worrying about the level of cover

It's not so much trying to get it as cheap as possible but paying for something not worth the money.

Such as insurances remove the old for new period because it didn't come out the factory as a camper van but the price being the same.

 

[narrative_escapes]

The caravan and Motorhome club are now recognising MPV as a vehicle type for a campervan so it might be worth giving them a try.

They remove their 2 year new for old period which is fa fantastic it only effectively works for motor homes and VW Oceans and the like bought from factory as camper vans.

Not that the price goes down like when they do that.

 

[narrative_escapes]

Just Kampers & Adrian Flux (all the same company) so agreed value policies. TBH £400 doesn’t sound bad. There’s a certain irony in that you’re trying to get it as cheap as possible, but then worrying about the level of cover

I will try those. Also need to research agreed value - as in what I will need to support the agreed value since I didn't convert it.

 

[narrative_escapes]

Wrong Adrian Flux. Very interesting. They seemed to think they good do agreed value for two years.

I did query how they got to that agreed value. It went from 'just send some photos' of the outside and the inside since it's being effectively bought new. Then I asked too many questions and said since I've not converted it myself and it was done by a professional company surely they have mark-up on these things and the true cost would be different (I assume camper van conversions have ludricous mark-ups like kitchens..hahah). Then it changed to getting it independently evaluated which to me turns into a process where I can't predict what that option would come back with. And at that point it would seem I'd already have the insurance.

Always another pain point - converted camper vans, little minefields everywhere.