Van insurance advice

[bidspotterkilledit2017rip]

I make my living selling on Ebay (well less than dole money actually if I average it out) after being made made redundant 18 months ago, I also sell on car boot sales and at steam rallies etc. I have hit a brick wall trying to insure a van I have just bought due to a "grey area " regarding my profession, I am registered with HMRC as "self employed general dealer". This as a profession does not appear on insurance companies "pre filled" forms either online or on the phone so they assume "scrap dealer" which is a very high risk occupation as far as insurance goes. I do not deal, buy or sell scrap and I am not gypsy, traveller, romany etc. I just buy second hand goods to sell on Ebay and rallies etc. Can anyone suggest a better "profession" to "declare" to the insurance companies as I am being turned town point bank or quoted ridiculous prices for a van which is only worth a couple of grand. I have also tried to insure it as a "DIY motorhome conversion" with specialist companies as it has a bed and cooker in it (for 3 or 4 day rallies) but as soon as I say "business use" and "self employed" I once again get a point blank refusal. Open to any suggestions as I am at the point of jacking it all in and going back on the dole...

[xtf70]

What is your main area of selling? It might be worth trying along those lines

I had similar problems a few years ago when I declared my profession as 'dealer' as I was selling stamps and postcards - eventually we settled on 'philatelist' which has a nice professional ring to it and more importantly appears on their list of approved occupations

[sir_arthur_strebe-grebling]

Instead of going directly to the companies, talk to an insurance broker. A good independent broker should be able to find an insurance company that will meet your needs.

[bidspotterkilledit2017rip]

I mainly buy and sell government surplus electrical and electronics, nuts and bolts and hardware and tools etc.agricultural bygones, architectural antiques, absolutely anything .

[bidspotterkilledit2017rip]

Tried several brokers including so called specialists like Adrian Flux as well as the Co-op and the NFU just seem to keep going round in circles with them. Crazy unrealistic quotes or mostly won't quote at all.

[lhasa.two]

For insurance purposes you are a "Sole Trader" (Self employed) and you would want van insurance as a "Commercial Trader". Try that and see where it gets you but do it online if you can't find a decent broker to help you. 

[cee-dee]

A friend has a Renault Luton type box van and he went with Adrian Flux. All looked well, Certificate of insurance arrived, a few days later another letter arrived demanding a shed load extra for "business use collecting and delivering goods". Now why would anyone want such a van if it wasn't to be used for that?

Tried to cancel, they wanted over £100 to cancel. He eventually went with Aviva.

[bidspotterkilledit2017rip]

Flux are OK for Kit cars on limited mileage policies (or DIY campers), BUT you can't use your NCD so you just lose it after a few years. I did try them but they flatly refused to insure a "converted van" for business use. I think the only option open to me is risk not telling them its got a bed and cooker in it and just insure it as a panel van which is the description of it on the V5C even though it has windows in the back (was a patient transfer ambulance with seats and a wheelchair lift).

[tommy.irene]

Try Market Trader and join the market traders fedration and get cheap van insurance....

[tommy.irene]

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[the-ginger-ninja]

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@tommy.irene wrote:

Try Market Trader and join the market traders fedration and get cheap van insurance....

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They also do public liability and employer's liability insurance at  good rates 

[bidspotterkilledit2017rip]

I am already a NMTF member as I needed the public liability insurance for rallies etc. Hadn't thought of them for van insurance, I'll look into it.

[tommy.irene]

Tell them you want third party fire and theft and the goods you carry are junk and not worth much...that should get you cheap insurance..