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Insuring private van

  • 06-08-2009 7:11am
    #1
    Zumpel
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 42 ✭


    So I bought a second hand van (03 Opel Combo 1.7) that was registered as a commercial
    and since I don't have a business had it changed to private.

    So its registered as private and I'm off to the insurance folks with all the paperwork. Turns out they will only ensure the car as a commercial.

    They're telling me that as soon as the car doesn't have windows and seats in the back
    it's a commercial and that's that, even if I have the paperwork indicating that it is registered as private.

    Does anyone know if that's true, or are the insurance peeps just too lazy to
    read up on a situation that is not run off the mill ?

    I mean, I dont use the yoke for commercial purposes and basically bought it because
    it was the only way I could afford a larger diesel machine for my blessed daily commute ?


Comments

  • #2
    CoDy1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,637 ✭✭✭CoDy1


    This seems to be the case with most insurance companies execpt Quinn I think.

    Why don't you insure it on a commercial vehicle policy anyway? Commercial stands for the class of vehicle not what you intend to do with it. Commercial policies can be cheaper for this reason.


  • #3
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    CoDy1 wrote: »
    This seems to be the case with most insurance companies execpt Quinn I think.

    Why don't you insure it on a commercial vehicle policy anyway? Commercial stands for the class of vehicle not what you intend to do with it. Commercial policies can be cheaper for this reason.
    Most if not all commercial policies won't give you the privilage of open driving with anything else other than whats written on the policy.


  • #4
    Mr Benevolent
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,456 ✭✭✭✭Mr Benevolent


    Makes sense. The insurance company just assumes that anyone who drives a van is using it to transport stuff commercially and anyone who says they aren't is basically lying. I'm not accusing you of lying OP but you can see their point. How much did you spend anyway? You can get a half-decent diesel nowadays for almost no money as long as you're not worried about power.

    Might be able to swap it with someone?


  • #5
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 25,041 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Zumpel wrote: »
    Does anyone know if that's true, or are the insurance peeps just too lazy to
    read up on a situation that is not run off the mill ?
    I was in the same situation about 10 years ago. I eventually got insurance via a broker but it was very expensive. It's not worth the hassle - get a diesel car.
    CoDy1 wrote: »
    Why don't you insure it on a commercial vehicle policy anyway? Commercial stands for the class of vehicle not what you intend to do with it. Commercial policies can be cheaper for this reason.
    If I recall correctly, they will only insure and tax a vehicle commercially if a VAT number and line of business is provided. Wouldn't commercial insurance be more expensive anyway?


  • #6
    the_syco
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,316 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Back in the 80's and early 90's, the insurance scam was to get one of those vans, and tie in a few bucket seats in the back.

    I'd say it's due to this, that the insurance companies are only insuring the car-vans as commercial, so people will be using the back for stuff, as opposed to people.


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  • #7
    artic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 116 ✭✭artic


    Zumpel wrote: »
    So I bought a second hand van (03 Opel Combo 1.7) that was registered as a commercial
    and since I don't have a business had it changed to private.

    So its registered as private and I'm off to the insurance folks with all the paperwork. Turns out they will only ensure the car as a commercial.

    They're telling me that as soon as the car doesn't have windows and seats in the back
    it's a commercial and that's that, even if I have the paperwork indicating that it is registered as private.

    Does anyone know if that's true, or are the insurance peeps just too lazy to
    read up on a situation that is not run off the mill ?

    I mean, I dont use the yoke for commercial purposes and basically bought it because
    it was the only way I could afford a larger diesel machine for my blessed daily commute ?


    Go to any toll plaza and you will pay the commercial rate! The booth can read your number plate and tell you are in a commercial.


  • #8
    dsane1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 413 ✭✭dsane1


    What about not being allowed to use a commercial vehicle for private use ? I read a thread on here about it ,can't remember exactly .
    I think it said your not allowed to use a commercially insured/taxed vehicle unless your going to or coming from work ,but i'm not sure .


  • #9
    Keith C
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,121 ✭✭✭Keith C


    Zumpel wrote: »
    So I bought a second hand van (03 Opel Combo 1.7) that was registered as a commercial
    and since I don't have a business had it changed to private.

    So its registered as private and I'm off to the insurance folks with all the paperwork. Turns out they will only ensure the car as a commercial.

    They're telling me that as soon as the car doesn't have windows and seats in the back
    it's a commercial and that's that, even if I have the paperwork indicating that it is registered as private.

    Does anyone know if that's true, or are the insurance peeps just too lazy to
    read up on a situation that is not run off the mill ?

    I mean, I dont use the yoke for commercial purposes and basically bought it because
    it was the only way I could afford a larger diesel machine for my blessed daily commute ?

    Your going to have a problem taxing it too. your insurance cert will have to be the same as the registration i.e private or commercial not both.


  • #10
    dsane1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 413 ✭✭dsane1


    I don't see why the op is "not allowed" to tax and insure a van privately . Why not ?


  • #11
    galwaytt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,823 ✭✭✭✭galwaytt


    Confab wrote: »
    Makes sense. The insurance company just assumes that anyone who drives a van is using it to transport stuff commercially and anyone who says they aren't is basically lying. I'm not accusing you of lying OP but you can see their point.

    I thought about doing this 10+ yrs ago, and got a weird response. I told the ins co I wanted to buy a van and use it privately. Lady in ins co said 'no way, José', and that I HAD to use it commercially. I remember saying, but I don't want to lie, I only want to use it to carry a jetski at the week-end. In which case, lady tells me, now that we know that's what you're carrying......we won't cover you at all. :confused: WTF ??
    artic wrote: »
    Go to any toll plaza and you will pay the commercial rate! The booth can read your number plate and tell you are in a commercial.
    True !! :D
    Keith C wrote: »
    Your going to have a problem taxing it too. your insurance cert will have to be the same as the registration i.e private or commercial not both.
    Your insuarance cert doesn't stipulate private or commercial - just a reg no. That's all the Co Co look for. What stipulates the tax class is the Vehicle database in Shannon, nothing to do with insurance.
    dsane1 wrote: »
    I don't see why the op is "not allowed" to tax and insure a van privately . Why not ?
    No, frankly, neither do I ! You know in all those films, where they have a pickup for 'running errands', at the weekends, maybe left at the 'lake house' ? Wouldn't happen here - the insurance co's would see to that !! Oh no, they'd much prefer to see you risk life and limb with a poxy trailer that'll zoom off and kill someone......

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  • #12
    farva
    Closed Accounts Posts: 298 ✭✭farva


    You can insure a van privately... well you could up until a year ago for definate. I had a commercial Pajero insured under a private policy for 2 years. But the trouble that I found was that there are only 2 companies in the country that will do it for you - Quinn and FBD. I never had any issues with road tax or DOE's and I was using the jeep for private use for 4 and a half years


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