UKC

Has anyone done a DIY campervan conversion and kept it registered as a panel van (as opposed to re-register it as a campervan)?

As a result, have you told your insurance company about the changes?

Just trying to work out the best way to go about a van conversion.

Thank you for any help!

In reply to Joshua Willett:

Hi. if you tell the insurance company you will have great problems insuring it. We had a home completed campervan and the hoops to jump through were time consuming (corgi cert for gas installation, conformity cert for hook up, engineering report for work and fire retardant properties and any likely effect on handling)and very expensive given the cost of the van and insurance. You will struggle to find an insurance company willing to take it on. Good luck (you'll need it). We have since sold that van and now have a nice basic van which we throw our stuff in and insurance of only £180 and not £600+.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

I've got a mate at work who's in the middle of doing this (the conversion, not the insuring) - I'll pick his brains tomorrow and see if he's looked into this.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

We're with Adrian Flux for our home conversion. Only a few quid dearer than LV were when it was stil a panel van.

Most mainstream insurers won't touch it when you tell them you're using it as a camper but its still registered as a panel van.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

Try a specialist insurer.
A-plan, Brentacre, adrian flux, Greenlight. Give them all a call and play them off against each other.
A normal commercial policy won't cover you for modifications I am with A-plan and I just let them know bit by bit as I am converting my van and they add it to the policy for no extra charge.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

My personal understanding of things is as follows:

As long as any cooking apparatus or water feed is not "hardwired" into the van (i.e. they can be taken in and out with minimal effort or fuss) then the van remains a panel van and not a camper. If not hardwired, then you can always claim you cook outside. Although if you burn your van down cooking you may need an interesting alternative story...

Someone may be along soon to dispute this, but it's what I have done and insurance has seemed happy with it so far.

Check out photos for reference:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152165576325865.1073741859.7386...

Cheers,
Gordon

In reply to Joshua Willett:

I own a self converted T5. It is registered as a motor caravan with the DVLA. Very easy process and very worthwhile. See here- http://www.campervanlife.com/building/legal

Not sure why one or two of the above had had to jump through hoops (corgi cert...really?!). I'm now insured through HIC for £300 fully comp with an agreed value of £16,000 (means you won't just get the value of the base van if you claim). Pretty cheap for a 30 year old!

I used Shield Insurance while converting as they will insure you for three months on the basis you get it DVLA registered in that time. A friend has also been through all this with a Transit with no issue.

In reply to Joshua Willett:
I'm in the process of looking at buying a van I phoned a couple of insurance companies the basics of the story is if you don't want the hassle of jumping through hoops etc make sure everything that you install bed, kitchen etc is not fastened to the van frame and that you can remove them without altering the van etc.

My plan is to insulate the van and ply line it etc. The kitchen unit and bed will be built in modular format so that they can be lifted in and out of the van whenever I need them. That way I can insure the van as my every day vehicle, have a camper conversion in the back but not change the van from its original panel configuration. It also gives me the flexibility to use the van as a load carrier as I have the option of removing the camper parts.

One possible way around the electric hook up aspect is to install a split charge relay and install leisure batteries (gives you a few days worth of basic electrics). Depending on the van the batteries can be installed under front seats etc.

In reply to Alan M:

I understand that you're doing that to keep the load carrying ability.

Doing it for insurance reasons though creates extra work when specialist insurers will cover you for only a few extra quid.

In reply to Joshua Willett:
I am converting a van, but due to the size of the bed and a few other things it won't be possible to register it with the DVLA as a camper van. I spoke to standard insurers and specialist insurers explaining this. The standard insurers said they could not insure the van. I have now had it insured as a day van, done through a company specialising in camper type insurance.

It has cost be twice as much as a panel van insurance policy, but given the way insurers act, I would not want to have any problems if anything happens. I am also fitting things modular, but the issue is that if the van is stolen or comes a cropper when out as a camper. Imagine having to pay out for all the interior fit again and new windows again, or worse still the insurers won't pay out as its not a panel van. This is why I spoke to the standard panel van insurers first to find out the score.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

We did exactly the same a few years ago, and the specialist insurers wern't interested and those that did quote cost an absolute fortune.

We ended up insuring through NFU Mutual, who gave a very good quote based on photos I sent them of the conversion - very basic; gas burner (removable) fold out sleeping platforms / benches some storage, carpeting and insulation.

Give them a shout and see what they say. One key point is that the gas cylinders etc are not "fixed", i.e. they are secured but removable easily, as is the burner / grill.

NFU's whole attitude was great, after getting short shrift with other insurer. When I explained the mods, they laughed and said that compared to some farm vehicles they are asked to insure those mods were nothing.....

We have had to claim with them after a crash as well and again, their customer service and assistance at the time was superb. Including sorting out a replacement vehicle on a Sunday night on Skye so that we could get ourselves home.

Cheers,

Stuart

In reply to StuDoig:

I was hoping to go down the NFU route too, as the last camper was done through them. The person I spoke to though wanted engineers reports on the alterations! I gave up trying to explain.

Hopefully will give them a try next year when by then everything is in and complete and plenty of photos might do the trick instead.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

I used shield total insurance, look them up.
I found them very helpful, totally un fazed by self build conversions and they quoted me less than another quote for standard panel van insurance (which evaporated when I told them what the van was).

My vans insured now and I've yet to fit the requisite fixed table, but it's still a 'van with windows' on the V5.

In reply to pwo:

"if you tell the insurance company you will have great problems insuring it."

Whereas if you don't tell them you have a policy that is at best invalid and is at worst outright fraud for which you could be prosecuted.

You need to talk to a broker for a tailored policy.

Neil

In reply to Joshua Willett:

Thanks for all the replies, some really useful information. Specialist insurance seems like the way to go.

In reply to Joshua Willett:

Just seen this thread - not read through so you may have all this info and may be sorted by now but just incase... I insured my T4 through HIC with Equity Red Star. Insured as a camper even though I just have a butchered Ikea futon in the back and a Jetboil. I can do anything I like to the inside as long as I let them know. I can;t modify the engine but I get unlimited mileage and 90 days European breakdown cover (useful on 3 occasions now!). They are really good people to deal with too if there's ever a problem/claim - I needed this after someone drove their caravan into me last year in Chamonix!

Hope this helps too.