Hi all
I'm looking to buy a Renault Master minibus and convert it into the day van.
I will remove all but 6 seats, and then add dining table and seats, beds, cooker, sink and fridge from a caravan.
Could someone please advise which are the best insurance companies to get quotes from and what are the important thing I should point out to them when getting a quote or cover?
Any more advise would be greatly appreciated.
Just to point out, I would like to be able to travel with 6 people and then 4 stay in the van and 2 in a tent.
Many thanks, Marc.
Just my, very limited, "experience" on insurance...
A couple of years back, I looked at getting a minibus for use as a general dayvan/camping-van.
But when chasing up what the insurance implications were, we found that initially it was going to be far from straight forwards..
When looking for cover(even to just to get it home), many wouldn't insure minibuses and those that would, were either a) very expensive or b) wouldn't insure above X amount of *seats.
(*when I told 'em I would unbolt the "excess" seats, they then said that it'd no longer be "standard"- and it'd be different to what would be stated on the V5c - and therefore they wouldn't cover it anyway...).
I'm not saying it will be "uninsurable" but just be prepared for some degree of faff..
So, if it could be delivered or driven back by someone with the appropriate insurance, all the better.
Obviously once it's home you can "modify" it, get the V5c altered (be it to "windowed van" (?) or "motor caravan") and them get it insured accordingly
Somewhere on the Dvla website there is a 'definition' of a campervan. Perhaps somebody can link to it? If you can convert van to conform with this definition then it can be changed from a minibus to a campervan & insurance should be easier & cheaper. I think thats how it works. I'm sure somebody who has home converted a van to campervan can confirm this?
Marc'..If looking to seat 6 for travelling (4 in the back, on existing belted seats?), sleep 4 inside AND, Quote: " ..add dining table and seats, beds, cooker, sink and fridge from a caravan: ", then presumably it's going to need to be coachbuilt midi-coach/mobility bus size..?
But if it's just a "van" you're looking at, could you not manage with just 2 sleeping inside and just use a quick erect awning and/or pop up tents? As for the kitchen-cooker-sink lark, rather than fiddling things to fit existing caravan cupboards(which you'll have to mess about with anyway), could you not just adapt/knock-up a lift out/detachable cupboard unit, that although could be used on-board at a push, is really better sited in an awning?
(it probably wouldn't meet dvla's "motor caravan" criteria...but as you're looking at a "Day van" , do you really want it to be fully fitted out with furniture?...)
Thank you to you all for your advise.
There's quite a bit for me to consider, so I'm sure it will be much help.
The advantage of using caravan for donor parts is that they go for around £350 on eBay with most of what I need included and then I can sell other parts for around £200.
Other than my wife and I, the other 2 in the van/bus would be my 2 kids (a 2 and half years old and a 10 month old), so maybe a couple of these could be good for them (see link).
Also, here's an example of a van that has been converted with the DVLA, although I'd be looking to put a bit more effort in - DayVanOnEbay - CaravanOnEbay - KidsBeds
(It thought it'd be a bit "snug" sleeping 4 adults! )
I understand the reasoning behind using a donor-caravan but it's just that, as you were talking "Dayvan" and were also needing to be retain 3-4 belted seats in the back, whereabouts are you going to be able to mount all this "furniture"?
The transverse-rear double bed,with storage beneath(like that ebay van), is "currently" my preferred layout for a van but if you're looking to also retain (remount?) two pairs of the belted bus seats, I think that there will be very little room left to mount a caravan kitchen-cooker-sink-fridge cupboard arrangement.
That was my reasoning behind posting those links to smaller and simpler "removable" cupboard designs.
Maybe I'm just getting side tracked by the "Dayvan" element..?
(Years ago, some friends of ours started stripping a caravan and although it looked a tidy unit, with everything supposedly working, when properly checked the appliances turned out to be all but scrap and the cupboards split/fell to bits and needed so much rebuilding and altering, they may as well have made them from scratch )
If hell bent on using second-hand caravan stuff, rather than a complete van, I'd maybe look at a caravan breakers and just buy the few bits you actually need?..
That way, you're not spending your time stripping it down, nor are you knee deep in scrap!
Quote: Originally posted by Billy x on 10/3/2015
Somewhere on the Dvla website there is a 'definition' of a campervan. Perhaps somebody can link to it? If you can convert van to conform with this definition then it can be changed from a minibus to a campervan & insurance should be easier & cheaper. I think thats how it works. I'm sure somebody who has home converted a van to campervan can confirm this?
Do you mean this?
" "Motor caravan" means a special purposes passenger car constructed to include living accommodation which contains at least the following equipment:
seats and table,
sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats,
cooking facilities, and
storage facilities.
This equipment shall be rigidly fixed to the living compartment; however, the table may be designed to be easily removable.
The interpretation applied to this definition is as follows
Seats and a Table
Are required to be an integral part of the living accommodation area, and mounted independently of other items.
The table must be capable of being mounted directly to the vehicle floor and /or side wall.
The table mounting arrangement must be secured as a permanent feature, (bolted, riveted, screwed or welded), although the table may be detachable.
Permanently secured seating must be available for use at the table.
The seats must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and/or side wall.
The seats must be secured as a permanent feature, (bolted riveted, screwed or welded).
Sleeping Accommodation
Must be an integral part of the living accommodation area.
Either beds or a bed converted from seats (to form a mattress base)
Secured as a permanent feature, with base structures bolted, riveted, screwed or welded to the vehicle floor and / or side wall, (unless the sleeping accommodation is provided as a provision over the driver’s cab compartment.
Cooking Facilities
That are an integral part of the vehicle living accommodation and is mounted independently of other items.
That are secured to the vehicle floor and / or side wall.
Secured as a permanent feature, (bolted, riveted, screwed, or welded.
The cooking facility must consist of a minimum of a two ring cooking facility or a microwave in either case having a fuel/power source.
If the cooking facility is fuelled by gas having a remote fuel supply, the fuel supply pipe must be permanently secured to the vehicle structure.
If the cooking facility is fuelled by gas having a remote fuel supply, the fuel reservoir must be secured in a storage cupboard or the reservoir secured to the vehicle structure.
Storage Facilities
Storage facilities must be provided by a cupboard or locker.
The facility must be an integral part of the vehicle living accommodation, ie mounted independently of other items, unless incorporated below seat/sleeping accommodation or the cooking facility.
The storage facility must be a permanent feature, (bolted, riveted, screwed or welded).
The storage facility must be secured directly to the vehicle floor and / or side wall, unless a storage provision is provided over the driver’s cab compartment"
taken from this archived (so possibly outdated?} DfT page.
I think the definition did come about because of the amount of old VW 'vans' being imported into UK from Germany & also due to secondhand imports from Japan, Bongos etc. Most of these were being registered as campervans when plenty were actually multi seat people carriers. This link may assist op as well. Another link that might be worth reading.
Hi all
Just to give you an update, I have got a quote from Shield, and full comp including commuting, European cover, legal cover and key cover, it will be £220 per year.
Quite staggering bearing in mind that for a 1 litre Corsa I would pay £600 per year.
we have done the same as you Renault master 16 seat mini bus turned into a day van but we have had to retain the chair lift on our as my sister is in a wheel chair.
As a mini bus the insurance was £650 as day/camper it came down to £220.
we also used caravan parts from a van we dismantled
ours sleeps 2 with fridge & cooker
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Day Van advise for Insurance +
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