Insuring a Hiace on a private policy, help please!

Idbatterim

hey lads, this is a nightmare, ringing around everywhere and they wont insure a hi ace on a private policy, does anyone know of a company that does? Thanks!

TrailerBob

Just get a commercial policy. Most cover social domestic and pleasure use as standard. It's totally unrelated to the tax system. You can tax the van privately by changing the category on the form and sending it to Shannon.

colm_mcm

Worth a shot

https://www.travelers.ie/about-us/contact-us.aspx

Ubbquittious

Insure my van should give you commercial & siddup policy

_Kaiser_

As a point of interest, why is it so hard to insure a van privately anyway?

bazz26

Because of their commercial vehicle classification. Insurance companies have their own vehicle classifications too. It's a bit like trying to get a commercial insurance policy on your car which is classed as a passenger vehicle.

CiniO

I don't even understand why there is a separation to commercial and private policies.
In the end of the day, it's only people driving all those vehicles so chances of accident are the same.

Eggs For Dinner

The main rating factor for a commercial policy is the use it is put to. If you don't have a dedicated business purpose to put a vehicle to, the scope is too wide and they won't quote you. An example being "man with a van" use is a huge loss maker for claims.

All commercial policies only grant cover for "use in connection with the business described in the schedule and social domestic and pleasure purposes". Just because you have a commercial policy does not mean you can use it for anything.

There is also the risk that a commercial vehicle may be used to transport passengers without appropriate seating, such as bringing kids to a football match

beveragelady

I have had a van insured as a private vehicle for a number of years. I've been with FBD in the past and I'm currently insured with Allianz. It can be done!

Eggs For Dinner

beveragelady wrote:

I have had a van insured as a private vehicle for a number of years. I've been with FBD in the past and I'm currently insured with Allianz. It can be done!

It can be done and if you get a policy and there are no problems, they'll stick with you. It's just there are so many issues with doing it, most insurers will stay away.

dr.fuzzenstein

I tried to insure a van privately. Rang every single insurance company, each one gave me the same answer. Absolutely no way will we insure your fcuking van at any price or under any circumstances.
Asked to be sent a letter of refusal so I could go the declined cases route. Was told not to be so cheeky and it doesn't apply in this case anyway.
Rang a few van insurance companies and asked them to insure my van for private use. Answer: Absolutely no fcuking way will we insure a van for private use only.
Rang back whilst wearing a hat and false moustache and asked to insure a van to ferry some goods around commercially and some private use. Answer: Absolutely no fcuking way will we insure a van to carry any goods ever.
Put on a different wig and false beard and rang back with my finest pirate accent. Would they insure a van for me to go to different companies to carry out IT work carrying nothing more than my toolcase and some light private use? Why yes, we'd be delighted to insure your van for a modest fee!
I didn't even read the documents since I am absolutely certain they were worded in such a way that the policy was invalid anyway the second I actually sat in the van with the mere intention of driving it, let alone back to Germany.

So the answer is:
Legally and officially and everything above board, my experience is that there is absolutely no way whatso-bloody-ever to insure a commercial vehicle for purely private use.
Speaking in a whisper behind the back of my hand, yes it is possible but you have to lie through your bloody teeth and tell the insurance company a tale that is at least 10 stories tall and the resulting policy will be of no practical value whatsoever.

Insurance companies do not want private individuals to drive commercials, end of. And they will make it as difficult and restrictive as possible to the tune where they can invalidate your policy if you fart sideways or have the audacity to actually use your van.
I just needed my policy for novelty purposes and to get out of the country. The van was "scrapped"* and a German vehicle bought and properly insured since that is actually possible in Germany.

*scrapped

it turns out that you cannot "scrap" an Irish car abroad since it has to go through an official Irish recycling plant. So you either file away the registration document in the deepest drawer, or "sell" it to Mr Pink E. Pork at 25 Something Street, Terminfeckin.
But that is for a different forum...

additionally:

Whilst ringing around to get a good quote in Germany from any company that would accept my Irish no-claims, I asked for the laugh if it would be possible to insure a 2005 Ford Transit Connect commercial van. Answer was "why certainly, of course we insure those, why do you ask?" from every company.
And the price was pretty much on par with my car too.

Eggs For Dinner

You put an awful lot of effort in to saying that insurers will quote you on a commercial policy if you have a genuine business purpose to use it

beveragelady

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

So the answer is:
Legally and officially and everything above board, my experience is that there is absolutely no way whatso-bloody-ever to insure a commercial vehicle for purely private use.

I have been insuring a van privately since Jan 2011, renewed every year with no problem. I have been honest in my application, I have made no claims that I use it for anything other than driving myself around and carting dogs around. There must be some other factors at play in your case.

basskebab

Same experience as beveragelady. I had a commercial van insured privately for a couple of years through Sheridan Insurances. I needed it for moving some big dogs around, they were fine with this.