Other car insurance not covering a Transit van?
Other car insurance not covering a Transit van?
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Discussion

gmaz

Original Poster:

5,390 posts

239 months

Saturday 15th June 2024
quotequote all
I have 3rd party cover for other cars included on my fully comp policy, but I need to drive a camper-converted transit very occasionally. Admiral say I'm not covered for that, only for cars.

Any idea why that would be and if it is commonplace?

gmaz

Original Poster:

5,390 posts

239 months

Saturday 15th June 2024
quotequote all
EmailAddress said:
Because it's not a car.
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?

mmm-five

12,357 posts

313 months

Saturday 15th June 2024
quotequote all
gmaz said:
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
Ask your insurer, as they're the only party to have a definitive (or not) answer.

TwigtheWonderkid

49,056 posts

179 months

Saturday 15th June 2024
quotequote all
gmaz said:
EmailAddress said:
Because it's not a car.
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
No, DOC normally wouldn't allow you to drive a van, any van. Nor an articulated lorry, a motorbike, etc. It's normally only for cars.

Mr Tidy

31,436 posts

156 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
No, DOC normally wouldn't allow you to drive a van, any van. Nor an articulated lorry, a motorbike, etc. It's normally only for cars.
DOC cover isn't always provided these days, and never covers motorbikes - although it always used to (probably before Twig joined the industry).

I wouldn't want to drive anything owned by someone else on DOC cover unless it was an old banger.

I am alright Jack

4,285 posts

172 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
gmaz said:
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
Admittedly I'm a bit out of touch with the van world these days but I can't actually think of any car derived vans. There used to be the Astra and Fiesta vans etc but are there any these days?

normalbloke

8,868 posts

248 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
I am alright Jack said:
gmaz said:
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
Admittedly I'm a bit out of touch with the van world these days but I can't actually think of any car derived vans. There used to be the Astra and Fiesta vans etc but are there any these days?
Landrover Defender,Shogun,Jimny plus others.

CanAm

13,975 posts

301 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
DOC cover isn't always provided these days, and never covers motorbikes - although it always used to (probably before Twig joined the industry).

I wouldn't want to drive anything owned by someone else on DOC cover unless it was an old banger.
I know someone who drove his friend's XJ220 for a weekend on DOC cover! Rather him than me.

TwigtheWonderkid

49,056 posts

179 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
DOC cover isn't always provided these days, and never covers motorbikes - although it always used to (probably before Twig joined the industry).

I wouldn't want to drive anything owned by someone else on DOC cover unless it was an old banger.
I never joined the industry.

Dingu

4,893 posts

59 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
gmaz said:
EmailAddress said:
Because it's not a car.
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
In a place which means DOC doesn’t cover it on your policy, as they have advised.
I’ll wager they won’t cover it on a car policy and that’s the line.

TwigtheWonderkid

49,056 posts

179 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
Dingu said:
gmaz said:
EmailAddress said:
Because it's not a car.
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
In a place which means DOC doesn’t cover it on your policy, as they have advised.
I’ll wager they won’t cover it on a car policy and that’s the line.
Exactly.

"my policy will only allow me to drive other cars. Where do you draw the line?

Errr......at cars. You can drive an F40 on your DOC, but not a Fiesta van.

RazerSauber

2,901 posts

89 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
gmaz said:
EmailAddress said:
Because it's not a car.
Where is the line drawn? I'm licensed to drive it. Does that mean I can't drive a car-based van?
I'm imagining it goes something along the lines of what has different speed limits on NSL roads. Vans are restricted slightly, as are HGV's. Obviously, a motorbike requires a totally different skill set to a car so wouldn't be covered. 100% speak to your insurance regarding what would and wouldn't be covered though.

Byker28i

91,598 posts

246 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
If it's only occaisionally then use one of those temp day/week policy apps?

vikingaero

13,274 posts

198 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
If you need to drive the camper based transit "very occasionally" then why not be put on the owners policy? If DOC for the camper was available it will be third party (unless you have a Hiscox/Chubb/high net worth policy) and being a named driver will be fully comp.

I am alright Jack

4,285 posts

172 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
Landrover Defender,Shogun,Jimny plus others.
Yeah fair enough although I was thinking more along the lines of something a little more normal like something a courier may use,

SkodaIan

1,013 posts

114 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
I am alright Jack said:
Yeah fair enough although I was thinking more along the lines of something a little more normal like something a courier may use,
You can also get a "Commercial" variant of the Corolla Estate, which is barely distinguishable from the car version until you open the back doors and realise there aren't any seats there! From the few signwritten ones I've seen, it seems to be the spiritual successor to the Astravan, at least in terms of how it is driven on the motorway!!

J4CKO

46,835 posts

229 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
This is the worst understood and vague area of car insurance, my policy says I am covered to drive other peoples cars, but it says nothing about that vehicle having its own insurance policy but everyone says it should be, but my policy doesnt say that so how do they enforce it, they could say its only valid on a Tuesday if its not written down.

Also, had one that said "In emergencies", is that we have run out of milk or taking a kid to casualty ?

rpguk

4,515 posts

313 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
SkodaIan said:
You can also get a "Commercial" variant of the Corolla Estate, which is barely distinguishable from the car version until you open the back doors and realise there aren't any seats there! From the few signwritten ones I've seen, it seems to be the spiritual successor to the Astravan, at least in terms of how it is driven on the motorway!!
Never heard of one of those and having looked them up, wouldn't have known if I'd passed one. What an odd vehicle. I could see the use for someone in IT who has to lug a few servers about or something and wants something discreet.

Not sure I'm convinced about the forklift access (pic from the toyota website)


Limpet

6,623 posts

190 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
It's a commercial vehicle, which a lot of car insurers get nervous about.

I remember when my dad bought a Mitsubishi L200 Warrior, his existing insurer wouldn't touch it. Even though it was very much a "car" derivative of a commercial vehicle (5 seats, leather, loads of toys etc), and he only wanted SD&P cover, it was still fundamentally a commercial vehicle. The same will apply to anything derived from a Transit, whatever its intended use.

He had all manner of fun getting into the tip with it as well, but that's a whole other story.

Davie

6,216 posts

244 months

Monday 17th June 2024
quotequote all
gmaz said:
Admiral say I'm not covered for that, only for cars.

Any idea why that would be and if it is commonplace?
I was about to post "Have you asked the insurer?" but seems you did. And they said it's because it's not a car. And it's likely they get asked that a lot.