Low Roof VW Camper Insurance

Lee303

Hi,

I need a policy for a low roof VW camper with +25 drivers on it (As per what Dolmen offer but I'm told they don't do low roofs)

It's a proper conversion, been a camper for years etc and insured as such.

Anyone else got a similar policy?

Ta

spaceHopper

Take good photos and email dolmen then follow up with a call, make it clear that it's a camper and not a dodge to get cheap insurance / tax

A lot of people end up going to the motor caravan club of ireland for low top insurance.

You could also try carol nash and stuarts insurance

Shoog

Carol Nash do not do Irish camper insurance. Low roof will rule you out of the main brokers, really forget it. Motorcaravan club is probably your only option but be careful as the president is a prickly characters and is as likely to ban you as offer help.

Shoog

traco

I - noob here just researching info and saw this thread which I never expected to be an issue. Rather than start a new thread I thought I'd aske here.

Does this somewhat vague "low roof" apply to transit customs and VW T5/6 etc that were diy conversions or does it apply to the likes of the California and Transits professionllay converted, high roof and pop tops? A California is out of my budget but I do like the Auto Campers Transits and particularly their practical design - https://www.auto-campers.co.uk/camper-range/

So would all Auto-Campers be more of a hassle to insureor would it just be the low roof one?

Shoog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117837074#Comment_117837074

It is my experience that there are three options for low roof campers:

-use the Motor Caravan Club of Ireland with all that entails.

-if its a vintage camper use the IVETA members insurance, which is limited to holiday travel in Ireland and the British Isles

-buy a professionally converted fully certificated camper and hawk it round the regular insurance brokers, they are far more likely to accept it than a self converted camper even though it breaks their self invented low roof ban.

The final option, which we are about to embark on, is to put a high roof or lift roof on yourself.

As far as I am concerned its criminal (literally) that they are allowed to get away with this bullshit.

Shoog

traco

Thanks Shoog - guess it would be wise to clarify before buying something then. I'm used to it with cars but didn't expect the roof "height" to be an issue.

iwillhtfu

Is it registered as a camper? I thought there was a minimum requirement on standing height. It sound like someone done a job on a van and sold it as a camper which is happening a lot at the minute particularly with VW.

Camper club seems to be the best bet or else look into pop top costs and registering as a camper.

Shoog

There is no legal requirement in Ireland to have a minimum roof height in a camper. There used to be but it was thrown out when it was considered prejudicial to low roof campers registered in the rest of the EU. Since the Insurance industry is a law unto itself they simply carried on insisting on this illegal requirement. Nice folks that they are.

If considering adding a pop top or a high roof, a pop top will cost at least twice as much as a high roof and in most ways a high roof will be a better option in terms of storage and usable space. If you are handy you can get a VW high roof for a grand.

Whatever you do don't buy a low roof camper and find that you cannot use it because no one will insure it. Sort out your insurance before you buy. Also beware of "partially converted" vehicles which are still registered as commercials - you will find that these are the fools who did the conversion before considering their insurance options and are now trying to shift their costly mistake onto another fool.

Shoog

traco

Thanks Shoog,

have a look at those I posted in the link, it would be a new or used one that I am considering, probably new as I could get it ex vat and pay vat and VRT here on registration. Given the work done on them by the company they may be exempt from duty as the expense of the conversion may move them in to the "made in UK bracket thing or whatever it is. I dodn't even know what the duty on a camper is or if its significant. But I reckon 55-60k would get a new one landed and compared to some of the used prices I am seeing for similar here I reckon new is a better option especially if long distance stuff was planned. Mind you its still not cheap.

I like the idea of the Transit custom, undecided on roof yet but they are tidy and easy to drive. The pop top adds 4k to the low roof and 2k to the high roof, but is a high roof custom still considered a "low roof" van. Its low to me as I have a LWB High Roof Transit in work and aside from being aware of bridges and car parks etc its fine but you do need to be aware of the size. The custom being lower and smaller would be more car / SUV type and herslf would be more inclined to drive it. Its also handier to park if hotels were opted for on some nights. Anyway thats all OT.

I take it there doesn't seem to be any discretion here or consistency with the insuerers and a new professionlly done "low roof" with camper on the log book is as much an insurance liability as one done by DIY?

If I get a chance I might call Dolmen and Stuarts and see what they say, of course they will probaly want a reg number or something.

Shoog

The official definition of high roof is min. 1.8M internal height.

It is my gut feeling that all the brokers are very anti-DIY campers and will make you jump through multiple hoops to get their insurance, I think if you present a camper converted by a recognized conversion company then magic door of welcome will open - but thats just my gut feeling.

Shoog