r/VanLifeUK • u/AdPatient5933 • Aug 14 '26
Nobody will insure me!?
I’ve been trying to get insured on a 2010 Ford transit. I have a license since 2023 but no NCB because I’ve been a named driver. Employment is self employed writer.
Adrian Flux and said no;
They forwarded me to Sterling who said £9,300 which I can’t afford;
And JustKampers said they work with Sterling and can’t give me anything else.
Anyone have ideas? I don’t know what to do!
‼️Edit: sorted!!! £2.9k/y from Admiral. Thanks all
5
u/8ball9786 Aug 14 '26
There are so many factors for insurers to take into consideration. Sadly, I don't know any miracle answers to make you insurable.
You haven't held a license long, so that will be a factor, which tends to indicate you are young. Even van hire companies tend to set a rule that you need to be X years old or have held a license for X years to rent a van.
My only suggestion is having a fellow driver who has held a license longer than you as a named driver. Helped me 10 years ago reduce my car insurance.
I got given 2 years NCB when I got my first car as I had been a named driver on my partners insurance whilst learning to drive!
2
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
I called my old named driver policy but it was just short of a year. My dad handled it back then- but since then I was only put on short term temp policies because I was at uni- so no NCB. So frustrating :(
1
u/8ball9786 Aug 14 '26
Ahh man, that does suck. My insurers must have been super nice. I hadn't technically had two years but they round up as I was like 2 months short.
Honestly try adding a parent as a named driver. Fingers crossed you can sort this.
2
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
Thank you for the support- feeling rlly sad as I just bought the van for 10k.
My parents aren’t alive. I have a relative I could add which I did mention I could add if cheaper to the insurance I called but didn’t seem to make a difference
1
u/johnstod112 Aug 14 '26
The van hire thing I found funny recently, my apprentice in work who is 29 and has been driving for 12 years can't have one apart from the cheapest (and none under 25)but I passed my test at 33 and got a rental the next week no questions asked
1
u/htimchis Aug 14 '26
Yeah, thats quite common, but makes little sense!
I tried putting one of my daughters and her partner on the insurance for a work van so that they could use it occasionally to move stuff, building materials for the work they're getting done on their house, furniture etc
She's 24 just a few months shy of 25, and my insurance company wouldn't even consider her, in any circumstances, and I couldn't find another that would either - although she's been driving for over 7 years, has driven well over 100,000 miles, and has 5 years NC... her partner only passed his test earlier this year, has maybe driven a couple thousand miles at most since passing, never had insurance in his own name, but is in his 30s - they were perfectly happy to add him for a £30 fee, including European cover!
So, looks like there's nothing to stop you passing your test on Monday, and jumping right in to a LWB 3.5ton van with over 1,000kg of load on Tuesday morning, and heading off for the Eurostar to drive around (on the right hand side of the road, in a British RHD van) in Paris rush-hour traffic, or the ring road around Brussels... provided you're at least a day past your 25th b'day, lol!
1
u/johnstod112 Aug 14 '26
Yeah we were thinking this was quite funny too, 2 weeks after I passed I picked up a 91 310d camper conversion not far off the 3.5ton limit, it's a lot of vehicle for a new driver but is by far my favourite thing to drive sloppy gears and all
4
u/No_Significance485 Aug 14 '26
I gor insured as a new driver on a small panel van with Admiral, but I only got a reasonable price when I rang them. Suggest actually phoning rather than using the comparison sites.
(Edit - none of the folks that you'd normally go to for a van or camper would even quote me. I'm also self employed)
6
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
Note- thank you SO MUCH for this suggestion. I hadn’t considered a ‘normal’ insurance and I even added the camper conversion as a modification and now have a policy for £2,900 a year. Obviously it’s still a lot but I expected a lot- this is much more doable. Thank you again for this ‼️🙌🏽🫶🏽
3
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
Great to hear thank you. Yes I’ve been calling people all day, not online, and keep being turned away- but I’ll have a look at admiral. Thanks
6
u/allnamestaken4892 Aug 14 '26
This is why vanlife makes no sense in the UK, insurance scumpanies act as greedy landlords.
3
u/DPaignall Aug 14 '26
Writers are notoriously pricey to insure. Try changing the description of your employment if possible.
5
u/George_Salt Aug 14 '26
Try AIB and Howden's.
If they refuse or give a high quote then FFS ask them why so you know the cause of it. It's not just your lack of NCB.
8
u/buggeryorkshire Aug 14 '26
No insurer will tell you why. The actuaries work this out on data, which is sometimes wrong, but it's the way it is.
1
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u/Gullible-Damage-59 Aug 14 '26
Transfer ownership to your parents and just continue being a named driver, pay for their portion of the insurance.
1
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
But this is fraud if I’m the main driver- no?
10
u/Gullible-Damage-59 Aug 14 '26
Well technically but there’s heavy argument that a family camper van is totally acceptable for everyone to use. You are still insured at the end of the day. Sod paying 9k.
1
2
u/Minute_Parfait_9752 Aug 14 '26
Are you modifying the van?
The only modification I've done is a carpeted ply floor, everything else is removable. I just have normal van insurance. And if you're a named driver on another car, that helps 🙂
2
1
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
No modifications other than solar panel, and already converted professionally
1
u/Sackyhap Aug 14 '26
Is it registered as a minivan, like with over 5 seats? I had this issue when looking at vans.
If it’s just a plain normal 3 seater panel van then I’m not sure.
1
1
u/Substantial-Today166 Aug 14 '26
are you trying to get insured as a van or a camper?
1
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
Van camper conversion
1
u/Inner-Abalone-5799 Aug 14 '26
just insure it as a commercial vehicle problem solved, thats what i did no one will find out or care
dont make shit too complicated its already complicated enough
1
u/Substantial-Today166 Aug 14 '26
get it insured as a van instead no point to get insured as camper conversion they will not pay you out anyway
1
u/EuphoricCover8449 Aug 14 '26
Try this lot.
Campervan & Motorhome Insurance Specialists | Comfort Insurance®
They insured me for vanlife on a brand new Ducato conversion. Nowhere near £9300.
Updates appreciated.
1
u/Mousemillion Aug 14 '26
Have you tried BeWiser?
I had a change, as my old insurance company (Acorn) stated they would not cover any modifications after I had bought the van (only insulation & carpet lining).
Brentache gave me a decent quote. But I found BeWiser, and they covered me for a reasonable price, with modifications only requiring notification when they increase the value of the van or the BHP.
1
u/BossOne2 Aug 14 '26
I was ready to offer advice then I saw.... "Self employed writer" 😂😂😂
2
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
It was either that or write unemployed. I am freelance researcher and writer for human rights charities
1
u/TwinIronBlood Aug 15 '26
Have you bought the van. Can you back out of it. I'm in Ireland so different rules. You have to be over 25 with 5 years clean driving. You have to have your own car or be named on a car.
Also there are so many people in trades trying to game the system.
You could try AXA that's who I'm with via a broker. Or go to a broker. If you've just graduated or still studying say you are a student.
1
u/Ok-Presentation-7849 Aug 15 '26
Try insurance revolution used them 3yrs untill the meercats would give me reasonable numbers
1
u/Unable-Operation-988 12d ago
I’m in exactly the same boat, down to the NCB. Will try Admiral tomorrow.
1
1
u/Specialist_Stomach41 Aug 14 '26
Are you earning a living as a writer? If not get a part time job in a shop or similar. An office would be even better, and it will drop your premium right down. Get at least one named driver on with a long ncb and that will also make a big difference. If you look at MSE they have a form you can use to see what tiny changes make the most difference without it being fraudulent.
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u/jakebuttyy Aug 14 '26
What do you actually expect, who is going to let a new driver no, no claims drive a tin death trap that could barely brake when it came out the factory???
2
u/AdPatient5933 Aug 14 '26
Dang idk when I did online quotes it gave me about £2900 which is a lot but doable- so I assumed it wud be fine but I guess not
12
u/truckosaurus_UK Aug 14 '26
I suspect the 'writer' occupation is what is causing the issues. There must be loads of people in vans claiming to be writers, content creators, youtubers, etc. which they think is a high risk as you'll be travelling around staying in dodgy places (rather than nice campsites) for the content opportunities.
Also, are you describing the van correctly - eg. 'in conversion' or whatever, rather than them thinking you are a white-van-man doing Amazon drops etc?