Full Time Insurance (1 Viewer)

Nigel&Debbie

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Where do people get Full Time Insurance from?

I know this has been discussed before, but here is my experience today (so far).

To avoid ambiguity, here are my circumstances. I am intending later this year to live full time in my van travelling around UK and Europe. I will be renting out my house via an agent and I intend to use mother in laws house as C/o address for DVLA purposes etc. I will not be living there.

Presently insured with Comfort. Asked them today about full time insurance – answer = no problem but triple the annual quotation. On being asked about contents insurance, told that only camping equipment was covered and a polite young lady told me to get to get holiday insurance to cover things like computer, ipad phones, clothing and money etc. When asked would they sell me holiday insurance when I don’t have a proper address (other than a correspondence address in UK) I was told I wouldn’t qualify for their holiday insurance !!!!:LOL:

Contacted AIB, and to be fair I am still waiting reply from underwriter. However I was told that I would have to register on the electoral register at my C/o address in the UK to get insurance. I pointed out that it was a criminal offence to do so, and that their requirement to do so also amounted to such. After a lot of consulting with the underwriter, they have conceded that I cannot register at my C/o address and they are happy for me to register as an overseas voter at my current address, and use my c/o address for a postal vote (this is 100% legal way of doing it). Its now been 6 hrs since establishing this position but still no reply from underwriter re premium etc!

SAGA = definitely no full time cover.

Safeguard = definitely no full time cover.

Is there anywhere else I can try for full time insurance? How do people cover their contents against theft/fire.

Please don’t reply with answers along the lines “If you only tell them this they will sell you cover etc”. as I do not want to risk being in the position of not being covered in the event of having to make a claim.

Thanks in advance for any replies
 
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Nigel&Debbie

Nigel&Debbie

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Update:

Quote from AIB is £80 more expensive than Comfort although with the same company (Aviva). Same conditions re contents - camping equipment only. The helpful Laura at AIB did initially suggest holiday insurance for contents cover but in the end had to conceed not possible and was unble to offer any resolution re contents cover.

What do other full timers do? Do you travel without contents insurance?

Is there actually such a thing as Full Time Insurance?
 
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Nigel&Debbie

Nigel&Debbie

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Update 2:

Spent 48 minutes on telephone with Caravan & Camping Club Insurance today, and have the absurd offer of cover based on exactly as above for 12 months at £311.00 c/w £3500 contents cover (£200 excess and max £300 on single item). The daft bit is that they will only cover me for the first 12 months and I will have tofind insurance elsewhere in the future as I won't have a UK permantent residence at time of renewal o_O.

It took 30 mins of holding for an explanation for this conditional offer, only to be told it was made at the undrwriters discretion!

There must be somebody out there in a similar position, or is everyone being economical with the truth when it comes to getting full time insurance / travelling without contents insurance?

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Jun 30, 2011
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Everyone I know, including us, used a relatives/friends address for post and insurance etc and told the insurance we were living there. We stayed at our relatives for a few days/weeks a year in between travelling.

Otherwise you get your eyes ripped out so you are either economical with the truth or you get shafted, you can't have both, nobody is going to insure you for a sensible amount we found if you tell them you are full timing.

Really though we were staying with relatives and just travelling a lot, nothing wrong with that.

Paul.
 
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Everyone I know, including us, used a relatives/friends address for post and insurance etc and told the insurance we were living there. We stayed at our relatives for a few days/weeks a year in between travelling.

Otherwise you get your eyes ripped out so you are either economical with the truth or you get shafted, you can't have both, nobody is going to insure you for a sensible amount we found if you tell them you are full timing.

Really though we were staying with relatives and just travelling a lot, nothing wrong with that.

Paul.
The trouble with that is that if you are economical with the truth and the insurers find out (they have their ways), or even suspect, then you will be shafted and you may end up with a criminal conviction, although the evidence would need to be very strong for the latter.
 

BreweryDave

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Right - here is a definitive answer, from someone who does it, and does it 'legally' and has done so for a few years:cool:

First of all though - to 'define' Fulltiming in insurance terms, it means you live in your van, and do not own or rent or rent out any other property and do not 'live' with friends or family etc. You are not on the electoral role etc. The only address you have is a c/o or mailing address.
We have one of these through my-uk-mail.co.uk and the mail is forwarded to wherever I want it to be for convenience at any given time.
A stipulation for the FT Policy is that the vehicle (V5 logbook) and your driving licence must be 'registered' at the same address. This is taken care of at the c/o address. We have all of our documents and bank accounts etc registered there.
We are not telling 'lies' by using a freinds address, and saying we live there etc. 'cos we don't - we live in the van - we have nothing else(y)

The ONLY insurance company that offer a Full Timing Policy (as defined above) are AVIVA.
Both AIB and Comfort are brokers, and both can obtain the same FT Aviva Policy.
It will cost you about 3 times a 'normal' policy.
I guess that's supply and demand for you. They have you by the balls - pay it, or don't pay it and risk not being covered.
The policy has £3k contents insurance.
We also have 'holiday' and mobile phone insurance with a bank account. Arguably - they are different to the vehicle insurance - and is registered at our c/o address. The holiday insurance could (with a bit of poetic licence!) cover us whenever and wherever! I have made a claim on the phone insurance recently with no issues.

The AVIVA Policy includes UK/European breakdown and recovery, and unrestricted 365 days cover in all EU countries as well as 120 days green card cover for morroco and the like. The only stipulation is that the vehicle is UK legal, taxed and MOT'd. So, yes - you are covered for being on the continent permanently as long as the vehicle stays UK legal (which will necessitate at least 1 trip to the UK for an MOT if over 3 years old)

It doesn't cover any accomodation if you have an accident and can't live in the van - its just basically a 'normal' but very comprehensive motor policy, and allows you to live in your van 24/7/365 all over europe with no issues.
It's not cheap (mine is about £800 for a 13 year old 25k van!) but its legal and there can't (hopefully!) be any non-disclosure issues in the event of a claim and investigation.

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CWH

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It wasn't my question & I'm only thinking in broad terms about becoming FT, but would want to be all legal and honest, so it's great to have such a detailed answer @BreweryDave . Thank you (y)(y)(y)
 

Easyliving

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We were fulltiming for about a year but my wife wanted to move back into a house so that was the end of that little adventure :(

When it comes to insurance you could tell a few porkies and save a lot of money but do you really want all that worry? We paid £850 (2012 price) to insure our new van for a year. It says on the Comfort paperwork that they can ask for utility bills or check the electoral register if you claim to be 'living' at an address to save money.

Our bank, DVLA etc didn't bat an eyelid when I told them we didn't have a permanent address - used son's address for communication.

Its a great life fulltiming but I think its best to be honest and save any hassle.

Paul
 

maz

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I've been fulltiming for well over 3 years. I bite the bullet and pay Comfort just over £700 a year for 'proper' fulltime insurance.

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Nigel&Debbie

Nigel&Debbie

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The policy has £3k contents insurance.

Hi @BreweryDave If you check the small print, the contents cover of £3000 is for camping equipment only and does not cover personal effects /property. This is confirmed by both AIB and Comfort, hence my question.

I have over the last few days tried to get personal effects/property cover via a holiday type insurance product to no avail. Both AIB and Comfort are unable to assist with this cover either due to being full time.

Just seems absolutley rediculous that you get fleeced 3 times the amount of a normal cover but get nothing extra.
 

BreweryDave

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@Nigel&Debbie - you're not wrong!

It is a rip off but one where we have no choice really!
I'd obviously lose some expensive camping equipment if it came to it;)
That said - we don't really have anything of great value - tv's and laptop, clothes and booze, all are easily replaceable if push came to shove! It's more having the peace of mind that at least the main asset - the van - your home - is covered(y)
 

BreweryDave

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This'll make you laugh/cry/sit down/ jump up and down/scream/etc!!!

I just got a quote from Comfort for my (proposed) new van - a brand new Dethleffs Globetrotter with a book value of £130k and with top alarm/immobiliser/tracker etc and full time.
The standard Aviva FT policy.
Restricted mileage (6000) £3256o_O
Unlimited mileage £4746 :eek:

....might have to have a serious rethink - nearly 5K per year insurance is taking the pee to a whole new level!!!:unsure:
 

pappajohn

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A thought !!!!

How do the travelling community get insured ? Gypsy's, fairground showmen etc.

Please dont start the usual....they dont bother, they have to be insured or they would be stopped and impounded daily with NPR cameras everywhere and on police vehicles.
 

CWH

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How do the travelling community get insured ?
I'm assuming that on the whole they'd have road tax and at least third party insurance, but maybe not contents? Smaller communities often look after their own, I wonder if this is how they'd manage?

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Nigel&Debbie

Nigel&Debbie

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A thought !!!!

How do the travelling community get insured ? Gypsy's, fairground showmen etc.

Please dont start the usual....they dont bother, they have to be insured or they would be stopped and impounded daily with NPR cameras everywhere and on police vehicles.


They travelling community register, tax, insure their vehicles for road traffic act purposes at a family address. Their insurance is normally the minimum required (3rd party ony) so they are not particulary bothered if insurance company get funny in the event of a claim (insurance company would have to settle 3rd party businesss). They do not worry about any other type of insurance i.e. personal property etc.
 

mjltigger

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What about something like protect your bubble or similar to insure items that have value but aren't considered camping equipment?
 
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What about something like protect your bubble or similar to insure items that have value but aren't considered camping equipment?

I've looked into this before and protect your bubble have this exclusion for gadgets
  • We expect you to take reasonable precautions to keep your gadget safe from theft, loss or damage. We will not pay for any loss or damage to gadgets that may happen if you leave them unattended outside your home – this means if they are not in your sight at all times and out of your arm's length reach.
So ok if it's physically nicked from you but not if it's nicked from your van while unattended - I suspect that they wouldn't accept your van as being your home - it's not something I followed up on with them as the gadget loss cover is not applicable to tvs, laptops, MacBooks anyway.

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John & Joan

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NFU used to do Full Timing Cover but quit because they claimed to many were making high value claims in their first year of insurance.

We are FT with Comfort. 1992 Hymer S700 (value about £10,000) We were quoted £1400 this year after 6 years with them. When I complained they dropped the quote. WE find the quotes go up by about £100 each renewal.

This is a case of being between a rock and a hard place. Comfort, AIB, MHFacts all are through AVIVA. All Motor Caravan insurance with AVIVA goes through the Comfort Office according to the AVIVA website.

There is no other company offering TRUE Full timing insurance. I have asked.

The Breakdown cover is excellent. Waiting in Spain at present to be picked up and taken to a garage on Monday morning. No Servo assist on brakes and engine stop failure. I diagnose exhauster pump failure. Nice man at RAC Commercial asked if we were OK for the delay and I agreed. Garages closed at weekend.
 
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Interesting discussion, since our Comfort Insurance is up for renewal next month £732 for Hymer Exsis i578 (guesstimate value £40K), using my son's address for mail, bank etc. breakdown is separate through ADAC.

Only stuff of value in the van is 'electrical' & we have alarm & tracker fitted-Comfort say discount given for that.

Asked about NCD statement 'cos we have found a place to buy here in France & need that to insure the French car we will buy. They were a bit funny-cost £20 & said we could only have it if we ended the policy 'you can only have NCD for 1 vehicle'.

Roger
 

narrowboatjaks

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Just be careful with your insurance, we just broke down a hour past Calais,( see insurance help newbie)
We came home to narrowboat , mh is still in France awaing repatriation, if we had been full timers which one day we would like to we would have been homeless. Mh is going to take up to 10_14 days to get back, then a big repair, you need to consider you probably get what you pay for in a emergency situation. 4 weeks of hotel bills with 2 dogs would soon mount up:unsure:

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Dafydd

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I wonder what my situation would be called in "officialese"...
As far as I'll be concerned I will be full-time living in my van but... perhaps I can be "officially" classified otherwise and thus (legally) avoid the kind of horror-quote you describe below.

I would very much appreciate your opinion BreweryDave: my circumstances: I'm more or less sold up here in Ireland, just waiting for the sale completion. In the meantime I have moved to my sister's house in Wales, my bank & driving licence are now registered there, I am on the electoral roll there (and voted in the GE), the council tax has been adjusted to show that I'm living there (my sister previously had a discount for living alone as she's widowed).
I am buying an expensive new van and will fit alarm & dashcam and I'm going to do a MH driving course (with the Caravan Club iirc).
The way I look at it is that there are two kinds of reality: "official" and in practice... and two kinds of language: "I am a permanent resident at this address" & "I live in my van". They may look like contradictions but I think (and hope) that legally they are not

Having read some of your posts on the subject I am now thinking that the words "full timing" need not pass my lips when seeking insurance. I will simply be asking for 365 cover because I am planning for the possibility of "very long holidays"... what do you think? If I say to them "I live at this address" I won't be lying, I just won't be there very much (1 month a year I expect)... I think I can legitimately (legally) claim to be living at my sister's house

This'll make you laugh/cry/sit down/ jump up and down/scream/etc!!!

I just got a quote from Comfort for my (proposed) new van - a brand new Dethleffs Globetrotter with a book value of £130k and with top alarm/immobiliser/tracker etc and full time.
The standard Aviva FT policy.
Restricted mileage (6000) £3256o_O
Unlimited mileage £4746 :eek:

....might have to have a serious rethink - nearly 5K per year insurance is taking the pee to a whole new level!!!:unsure:
 
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BreweryDave

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@Dafydd - IMO, you are correct! A standard policy should suffice in your circumstances. My circumstances (and that of many FT) is that I had no address at all (except a care of), did not posess bricks and mortar, had nothing else, and lived (resided) in the van, not on the voters, nothing registered anywhere other than my c/o mailing address. I didn't want to lie and use my folks address etc etc!

A freind of mine is FT, he owns a house which he has rented out for the past 6 years, but has never stayed there! He lives FT in his van, and has told the insurance brokers this, and he doesn't have to pay the FT 'loading' as he has an official and genuine address - as do you by the sounds of it!

Don't please take me at my word, just tell your insurance company the situation and let them guide you - that way you have been honest and should get the right cover. After all, tell a few fibs and try to make a claim and see them get out of it - not worth the paper its written on !!!
 

CWH

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tell your insurance company the situation and let them guide you - that way you have been honest and should get the right cover
Couldn't agree more, on ANY insurance.
IMHO, the few (OK, maybe few hundred) quid saved by doing anything else, compared with the price of the motorhome, just isn't worth risking the loss of your lifestyle.

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Jean-luc

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We're getting close to FT, a five month and three month holiday in the same year. We had two claims on the five month holiday, one a damaged awning and the other damage to the van itself neither caused any bother with the insurance company.
One of the issues with full timing is residency. Is it not a requirement that a person must be resident in some country or other for thing like income tax, voting rights, public health services and other stuff related to welfare.

There was a discussion on MHF some years ago about a person trying to import an RV from the states without paying import duties etc. the hoops he was put through my HM Revenue & Customs to prove his non-residency in the UK were quite horrendous.
The couple had toured the US for over two years in the vehicle before bringing it 'home'.
 

newtovanlife1

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i am also looking to go into full time next year and also will have no address to use so i guess i know now thanks to your post who to ring now about getting the correct insurance as i have been worried about this too, also my driving licence will also need an address and not sure what i can do about that will have to speak to dvla i guess

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