Can anyone tell me how to get insurance on a van camper that was custom converted? Mine is actually a truck camper I built out the back to be a camper area.
Any suggestions on who to call for insurance tha is affordable, that would be great?
Thanks
Greetings!
In my experience, unless a camper is built by a reputable company and RVIA certified, insurance companies won’t cover the additions. Renters or homeowners insurance MIGHT cover your personal belongings.
I just have liability insurance on my rig to keep it legal, but my real, fail safe insurance policy is an emergency fund large enough to repair or replace everything I own, along with enough to get me back on my feet. No waiting or wondering, I’m covered.
Cheers!
"Be the reason someone smiles today!" ~ Van_Dweller
Who is your liability policy with?
I have found progressive, Roamly and good Sam will insure van campers. Roamly says they will do DYI Camper vans. Progressive is a maybe? Good Sam is also a maybe.
Who is your liability policy thru? That’s all I need but need it for a truck camper DYI.
Just curious, how does that conversation go with the insurance companies? Are you telling them that you’ve invested 10,20 $30,000. In a vehicle and therefore your policy should cover the additional value? And if so are they validating the value of these additions based on your interpretation or an appraiser/claims representative? I assume also that you’re buying up the policy and your premiums increased as to the normal value of a van/camper plus whatever upgrades?
In standard insurance policies, modifications to a vehicle are rated with an adendum to the policy. In the case of a van Camper, it would have to be rebuilt titles as a class B motorhome, in Texas. So I don’t think an addendum is required. They did state they would want to see pictures of the modifications. I imagine they probably know what it costs to modify a van to be a van camper. Since it is very common these days. Most insurance policies work off of a stated value, then insure you for that amount. If the amount seems excessive, they may ask for an appraisal or proof of your claims, via pictures or receipts. For a custom conversion, an appraisel would likely not be sufficient as you likely have something that is unique and therefore a fair value Can not be stated by appraisal. Then they may ask for receipts of your stated amount does not match what other vehicles of the same type are valued at.
Who did you get liability insurance with on your custom conversion van?
Van dweller had liability insurance. I have full coverage insurance on my van. It was purchased brand new a couple years ago. But as a cargo van. But obviously I’ve put a lot of time into the van build and some money… Just not sure how much I’m concerned with an upgrade. But I was mainly just curious how the process worked.
Who did you get your full coverage insurance with?
Did you have to change the title to reflect it was now a motorhome? Which state did you register the vehicle?
You should be careful in expecting that normal van insurance is going to cover your converted van. Once it’s altered and or modified into a living space the insurance company could refuse to pay out and you’d be on the hook regardless. Basically you are using the vehicle for something other than the intended purpose. Just food for thought and that is likely dependent by state. In SC it is definitely that way and most times they won’t even insure a commercial vehicle for personal use due to the less stringent safety requirements to that of a passenger vehicle. Ours is insured as a travel trailer through state farm. They seemed to be the only ones that would insure it.
If you’re going to be full time have you thought about changing state of residence for a bit in order to make the process easier?
I have thought about that. “Changing residency states.” Not to make it easier but I just have considered moving to another state like colorado or South Carolina California. But I’m really wanting to build a house and van camper full time is really more of a back up plan if I am unable to find somewhere to build in a reasonable amount of time. It would be more of a forced choice, as I thus far have not been able to find a lot to build.
It’s actually pretty easy in Texas. You just re title the van as a motorhome, which is pretty easy a coupe forms and have it weighed, then get motorhome insurance. That’s the hard part but it’s hard for me to get auto insurance too. So not much difference on the insurance end. I doubt another state would be much easier as the regulations are insurance company imposed and not state imposed. So they would be the same in all states. They either insure a DYI can Camper or they don’t.
Actually that’s not entirely true. The insurance company can not regulate your use of the vehicle unless specifically prohibited in the policy. This is a free country, well… for most anyways. For instance, if the policy states that you can’t use it for Uber, then they could refuse. There is no policy that is legally able to prohibit you from camping in your truck van or car. Regardless of how you converted it, if they agreed to cover it, then they have to pay. Provided you disclosed all the changes and declared a primary use for the vehicle. Primary use makes a difference as well. Temporary use and primary have different laws and regulations. Yes, if you primarily are going to use the vehicle on a permenant basis for living, I would definitely get a policy that specifically covers that. As they can decline to pay out.
Now this is providing the Insurance company and people involved are actually obeying the law. Which most of the time they do not, in my experience. Like when my policy canceled because I converted it to an RV. Then, they wouldn’t provide an RV policy because it wasn’t an RV. Cant have it both ways, if you obey the law. It’s an RV or it isn’t. If you cancel based on it’s an RV then you can’t refuse to insure because you have already recognized it as an RV, on record. I sent pictures to my insurance company of the changes I made and let them classify it as they wanted. That way I’m covered.
A little insurance info for you, insurance companies have covered parils and primary use. If you use your vehicle primarily for work, they want you to insure it that way. If you use it primarily for a living quarters they want you to insure it that way. A paril is a cause of the loss. Storm, accident, theft, terrorism or war (which is not covered on most policies), flood etc etc. So there is more to an insurance policy than you think and you have to check your declarations page if you are not sure if you are covered or not. They do not cover everything, you are absolutely correct about that and if you change the use, you should notify them right away. They can deny you base on primary use change or non covered usage of the vehicle, like ice fishing.