Insurance Cover for a Motorhome Used to live in Whilst Away From Home Working

[SueBaz]

I knew it was a mistake taking the offer of a (whisper it )...... job - but I didn't realise it might impact on our motorhoming

Firm I worked for some years ago offered me a shirt piece of work which has now become full time - but it's in West London some way from home in Kent. Obvious answer take trusty Burstner and stay in it on a campsite during the week (warden, secure gate etc)
Fine and dandy til I came to renew. Always been with Frank Pickles who were brilliant but have now pulled out of motorhome insurance. Phoned Comfort and AIB, very helpful and polite but obviously have to apply insurance company criteria and I didn't get much joy. Bottom line I'm told now is I need a full timer policy but I can't have one on a van built before 2006 (ours is 2002). I might live with buying a full timer policy but if I could afford a new motorhome I probably wouldn't be working again!!!!

So, can anyone suggest a company that might be able to provide insurance for us? All suggestions gratefully received

Have Fun

Barry and Sue

 

[TheCaller]

Worth giving the NFU Mutual a call. They tend to offer business use by default - a farmer is never off duty!

Try your local office, or ring the Louth branch, because they have always had a bit of a specialisation in motorhome insurance.

NFU Mutual main site (find your local branch)
Louth Branch
01507 389313

My PVC is my only vehicle & I use it for everything, including business use. While I don't do whole weeks at a time visiting customers, I certainly do a few days now & then.

I am covered for social, domestic & pleasure, commuting, voluntary use & business use.
Exclusions are commercial travelling, racing etc, hire & reward, motor trade & paid driving instruction.

 

[Lenny HB]

Don't get the full timing bit you still have a home you return to whenever.
Comforts policy now includes personal business use as standard I would have thought that would have covered you.

 

[SUGGY]

Hello suebaz from sunny morocco .....

sorry could not resist it mate you should be here with us .

try safegaurd insurance it is in leeds, unlimited miles , 365 days away free green card for moricco , been good for us ,

all the best to sue . GnR

 

[SueBaz]

Thanks The Caller, Lennyhb and Suggy.

All now sorted with NFU, really helpful and well priced at £324 fully comp inc Eurocover albeit, with the fuss earlier, I've rethought what we're doing and kept it very domestic. Hadn't thought of NFU although having now been jogged I seem to remember someone told me about them ages ago (memory loss is nothing to do with age though!!)
Again thanks for the prompt responses, really appreciated

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheCaller]

Glad you're sorted. Was that with your local branch?

For your original proposed use, I would have thought you might need commuting, but not full business use. Maybe not even that, as you are going to a campsite. If you then commute from the campsite to work by public transport, domestic & pleasure probably covers it.

 

[Puddleduck]

Glad you're sorted. Was that with your local branch?

For your original proposed use, I would have thought you might need commuting, but not full business use. Maybe not even that, as you are going to a campsite. If you then commute from the campsite to work by public transport, domestic & pleasure probably covers it.

Pretty sure it won't ... having just been in contact with our insurers after the storm damage to our van one of the questions was about when it was last used and why..... for us it was a short weekend away. She specifically asked if we were working that weekend or if it was a holiday. Holiday... good she said as if it had been used as a base when you were working the insurance would have been invalid. They look for any excuse to wriggle out of paying of course.

We will try NFU next time, thanks for the heads up.

 

[bobandjanie]

Does that mean that all the people that work on campsites have full timers insurance.

Glad you are now sorted. Bob and Janie.

 

[TheCaller]

Pretty sure it won't ...

I think it might depend on the insurer. NFU have a good record for being reasonable. I've never needed to ask the question, because I need full business cover anyway. But it would be a good question to ask them at the outset - and then ask for the answer to be emailed to you. Another advantage of the NFU is that you are dealing with an agent, not a broker, so you can attach somewhat greater credence to what you are told by them (although you still need to read the policy document).

You could well be right - it's probably still commuting even if you only do part of the journey & you stop & have a sleep before doing the last bit by public transport. The only purpose of going to the campsite was to get (eventually) to your place of work.

 

[Puddleduck]

I'll have business insurance next time as Martin will have retired and I will want to take my micro business with us

It doesn't apply for the current year as we've been weekending and when away during the week have had a temp in to do the basics.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Emmit]

Glad you've got sorted out. However I have to disagree with the Ins. Co (Yes I know they hold the whip hand) on their definition of the word commute.
The definition I have is to travel some distance from one's home to a place of work on a regular basis.
I would argue that the day BEFORE you work, to travel to a place that is NOT your place of work ie. the camp site, is NOT commuting.
Different story the following day if you should use the vehicle to actually get to work but that would not be the same.

 

[SueBaz]

All
My problem from the outset was telling Comfort, who it seems are the broker arm of Arriva, that when in London I would be in the van Monday to Friday but, for reasons to do with work, it might be left at the campsite empty for a few days during in the week when travelling elsewhere. I don't think it fitted very neatly in the risk criteria; it isn't business use but it could be construed as short term storage or, as taking it London would be a regular event, the postcode for residence isn't reflecting location of the vehicle for risk purposes and so on.
Bottom line is I wasn't getting very far with anyone and as we wanted to use the van this weekend and we are off to Wales in March etc etc we settled for 'standard' use and cover. I'll plan my weeks away a bit better and let the company stick me in a hotel!

Oh - as for using it this weekend - Friday night on the M2 the clutch started slipping!. Think setting it alight 3 times on our Morrocco excursion last year and laying it up this winter has done it no good at all..........
.......Bertha now on blocks with the gearbox about to come out....

Thanks All for your time and thoughts - at least with the NFU we've found a good replacement for Frank Pickles!

Have Fun

Barry and Sue