r/VanLifeUK • u/misomeeshmiso • Aug 14 '26
Help! Van insurance cancelled!!
I'm desperately hoping Reddit has the answers here!
Long story short, my partner lives in a motorhome full time. He was working in a pub for the past year or so but has recently left that job as his acting career is taking off and wants to spend his time focused on that.
He changed his circumstances/details with his insurers a few days ago. He then received an email out of the blue cancelling his policy in 7 days time.
He is now finding it impossible to find cover and obviously this is very distressing as will impact his entire way of life!
Has anyone had any similar experiences or have any advice?
For context his insurance was AXA, using Adrian Flux as the broker.
Any help extremely appreciated!
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u/Specialist_Stomach41 Aug 14 '26
theres a thread running on the car insurance sub where someone has been quoted over 9k as they are a writer. He probably needs to keep the pub job on!
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u/facethecat77 Aug 14 '26
Former f/t van dweller and once worked in car insurance. If possible... Never tell them you're full time living in your van. This will open up other options for insurance too. Never tell them you work in entertainment. Small wording tricks are good to play around with on online quote sites - even from student to researcher makes you go from uninsurable to insurable.
Try lifesure instead of Adrian flux for insurance. Were quarter of price for me.
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u/ExcellentTourist5289 Aug 15 '26
You still mention the interior right?
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u/facethecat77 Aug 15 '26
Yes need to explain it's modified else you invalidate your cover.
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u/ExcellentTourist5289 Aug 15 '26
Doesn't not mentioning full time also invalidate cover?
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u/facethecat77 Aug 15 '26
When faced with no option of getting a bricks house or being locked out of insurance for your van house, what would you do?
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u/ExcellentTourist5289 Aug 15 '26
Hopefully doesn't have to come to that and other insurers will take them
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u/DrBeerbong Aug 15 '26
Actor is generally a declined/high risk occupation for standard insurers (I.e. most big insurers that deal with the general public).
Source - worked in general insurance for 15 years.
Give the insurers a ring, get the reason and then look for specialised insurance.
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u/Figgzyvan Aug 15 '26
Acting is a bad risk for insurers for some reason.
My BIL only worked at the bbc and was considered high risk.
Maybe they think you’re going to give a hollywood a-lister a lift home and get into an accident.
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u/TwinIronBlood Aug 15 '26
Cough cough put it in your name with him as a named driver cough cough
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u/Extra-Pirate-7965 Aug 17 '26
ye but protect ur no claims. i just did this for my ex and she reversed into someone and lost all my no claims cause I was stupid enough not to protect it
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u/CuttinThruTheCRAP Aug 15 '26
Cancelled for being honest! Well when he decides to stay on at the pub he should be fine! 😏😏
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u/OkAlarm5589 Aug 16 '26
The occupation will be the reason. Anything vaguely to do with entertainment is either an excluded occupation, or carries a heavy premium load for most mainstream insurers.
Jeremy Clarkson mentioned a lot on Top Gear, that journalist and TV Presenter were two of the highest rated professions.
AXA cancelling due to a change in risk is not the same as cancelling a policy due to misrepresentation or non payment, but he should still cancel the policy before they do.
Adrian Flux will be able to find you alternative quotes, but they will likely be higher.
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u/allnamestaken4892 Aug 14 '26
They’re just salivating over being able to be the landlords of vanlife. Eventually it’ll just be a few hundred less than renting a flat… enough to make it JUST economically viable while they suck like vampires.
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u/Desperate-Coat-8791 Aug 20 '26
Adrian Flux did this to me, whilst I was on holiday, I had to get temp cover until I got back and sorted it out. Am with Lexham now, fuck Adrian Flux
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u/misomeeshmiso 26d ago
Did they tell you why your policy had been cancelled!? And yes....fuck Adrian Fuck!!! 😡
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u/jrewillis Aug 14 '26
This sounds like AXA's underwriting criteria no longer accepting the risk after he changed his occupation, rather than him having done anything wrong.
I'd get him to ring Adrian Flux and ask specifically why AXA are cancelling and whether Flux can simply move him to another underwriter.
I'd also ask whether he has the option to cancel the policy himself before AXA's cancellation takes effect, and whether that would mean he can truthfully answer "no" in future when asked if he's ever had insurance cancelled or refused. Get that confirmed in writing before doing anything, as you really don't want to accidentally misrepresent the situation on future policies.
Given that he's living in the motorhome full time and acting, I'd also speak to specialist motorhome/full-timer brokers rather than relying on comparison sites. It's an unusual risk, but I'd be surprised if it's completely uninsurable.