Cali Beach Insurance - Direct Line

[Ma77sc]

Hi all,

My first post on here with the impending purchase of a Cali Beach 114 BMT so hello. I was hoping it'd be a bit more positive but I've embarked on the insurance nightmare and have a question regarding Directline. Hopefully the tone will improve to the discussing the fun stuff soon.

It's well documented on here (and by calling DL) that their insurance (as a car) does not cover the camper-specific fittings a full fat Cali SE has, i.e. the kitchen components. Given that I'm buying a Beach without any of this, can anyone suggest any reasons why DL insurance would present a problem (given that it has few of the mileage and usage restrictions associated with dedicated campervan insurance - I need class 1 business). They've reassured me cover does include the pop-up roof and folding seats/bed and I can take a chance on the chairs and table with home/contents cover for the things I put in it.

A-plan, CCC, Comfort, Scenic and Safeguard won't quote me for a Beach with Class 1 business use. I'm waiting on NFU and Admiral, Elephant, Privilege etc showed up on the aggregators presumably with similar limitations to DL.

Thanks all - some brilliant advice and guidance on here and looking forward to joining the club!!

Matt

 

[James]

Hi all,

My first post on here with the impending purchase of a Cali Beach 114 BMT so hello. I was hoping it'd be a bit more positive but I've embarked on the insurance nightmare and have a question regarding Directline. Hopefully the tone will improve to the discussing the fun stuff soon.

It's well documented on here (and by calling DL) that their insurance (as a car) does not cover the camper-specific fittings a full fat Cali SE has, i.e. the kitchen components. Given that I'm buying a Beach without any of this, can anyone suggest any reasons why DL insurance would present a problem (given that it has few of the mileage and usage restrictions associated with dedicated campervan insurance - I need class 1 business). They've reassured me cover does include the pop-up roof and folding seats/bed and I can take a chance on the chairs and table with home/contents cover for the things I put in it.

A-plan, CCC, Comfort, Scenic and Safeguard won't quote me for a Beach with Class 1 business use. I'm waiting on NFU and Admiral, Elephant, Privilege etc showed up on the aggregators presumably with similar limitations to DL.

Thanks all - some brilliant advice and guidance on here and looking forward to joining the club!!

Matt

Hi Matt

Not sure what advice I can give you, when I insured my Beach it wasn't even coming up on the databases. I did recently have a look at insurance but I only got some online quotes. I use my Beach for personal and business use and it is insured as such. You can't get the benefit of camper insurance because despite the V5 stating it is, because it doesn't have a kitchen, the DVLA say you can't.

I went through Adrian Flux and then I eventually I insured with Highway, which was what I had my VW Vanagon insured with. Having had the recent horror of a non fault accident, I can report that they were really good. My Beach is insured as a VW converted transporter. I had awful trouble trying to get it insured and this is how it was eventually done. As a relatively new driver my insurance on my Beach is actually less then my previous two cars.

I would always want to insure the Beach with an insurance company that understood what it was. Everyone has their own individual insurance story - some people hate Adrian Flux, I have found them fine as a broker. The Beach can be tricky to insure but not impossible.

James

 

[Andy]

Admiral are not good when it comes to claiming. I had to ring them every other day & prod them. So I would never use them again.
Try the camping & caravan club insurance, they use Groupama & Redstar as underwriters & are 'motor home' policy

 

[MisterTea]

Admiral are not good when it comes to claiming. I had to ring them every other day & prod them. So I would never use them again.
Try the camping & caravan club insurance, they use Groupama & Redstar as underwriters & are 'motor home' policy

Yep, i totally endorse C&CC insurance. Other options include Adrian Flux, but mixed reviews on their effectiveness. I found C&CC most suitable, and very good value £465 for me.

 

[Ma77sc]

Thanks all so far. C&C Club won't insure a Beach (at least with business usage) so they're out. I'd be keen to understand whether any of those who'd shyed away from Direct Line would have any reason to if they only had a Beach, the scenario being that if you got shunted down the left side of a Cali SE they wouldn't cover the fridge, cooker, wardrobe units. This of course won't be an issue on a 3-seat bench Beach but I wondered if I'm missing anything else substantial that they'd likely duck out of in the event of a claim (I'm getting the VW cool/warm box and may add a Webasto heater in the future which of course might present a problem). They tick all the other boxes for European travel, Class 1 business usage, parked on a drive etc.

 

[James]

Thanks all so far. C&C Club won't insure a Beach (at least with business usage) so they're out. I'd be keen to understand whether any of those who'd shyed away from Direct Line would have any reason to if they only had a Beach, the scenario being that if you got shunted down the left side of a Cali SE they wouldn't cover the fridge, cooker, wardrobe units. This of course won't be an issue on a 3-seat bench Beach but I wondered if I'm missing anything else substantial that they'd likely duck out of in the event of a claim (I'm getting the VW cool/warm box and may add a Webasto heater in the future which of course might present a problem). They tick all the other boxes for European travel, Class 1 business usage, parked on a drive etc.

This was what 'I referring to in my initial response the V5 says motorhome - DVLA regs say no. It's way it can be hard to ensure a Beach.

That's why mine is insure as a Transporter converted by VW, I am not saying that's the only way to insure but it can be difficult.

James

 

[CannellWalker]

We have used Direct Line in the past for a Mini and had a claim with them. They were ok. If we had a Beach with none of the complex Cali interior I think we would consider them.

 

[James]

We have used Direct Line in the past for a Mini and had a claim with them. They were ok. If we had a Beach with none of the complex Cali interior I think we would consider them.

When I had my accident, the other driver was with Direct Line, they were really good, regular calls, good customer service, would consider them

James

 

[HistoryBob]

Not sure if this will help but here goes. The problem may well be with the description / details lodged with the DVLA by the manufacturer ie VW.
I purchased from new a VW Eos Exclusive. When I tried to insure it wasn't listed on the DVLA site that the insurers use and my V5 showed it as a normal Eos. The insurers therefore would only insure it at the Standard Eos value which was considerably less than the Eos Exclusive value. I spoke to DVLA who confirmed that they had no listing for the Eclusive and also that VW had never informed them that such a vehicle existed. They advices me to contact VW and ask them to supply the DVLA with the details for the Eos Exclusive. I contacted VW Customer services and explained the situation and a very nice lady said she would sort it out. A couple of weeks later I received a new V5 from DVLA with the correct description of the vehicle.
Is this perhaps the problem with the Beach. Try contacting the DVLA to see what they have listed and if you're not happy with their listing, contact VW and ask that they supply the DVLA with a more accurate description.

Have Fun
Bob

 

[SteveM]

I had a nightmare getting Direct Line to quote for my Beach a year ago, they would not cover it because it had upgraded alloys and privacy glass (the fact that they were factory fitted made no odds). Have you thought about VW insurance, I found them competitive and I have had excellent service from them... UK call centres help.

Steve.

 

[SteveM]

Just had to renew my Beach insurance and was amazed at the price quoted by Admiral - a years insurance was just under £200. As everyone is different and to set that in context the next best quote I had was over £550, and last year I paid £650 with VW insurance directly. I did wonder if it was a mistake and they would back out, but no all is good. Get in quick! Hope that helps someone.... more money for goodies.

Steve.

 

[murray0710]

I'm not convinced they know what they are quoting on. Got a quote of 179 on a California SE but had to call them as I have a Berghaus. After a lot of checking they said they don't cover the Berghaus as its a camper van. Wonder what they think the SE is.

 

[Ma77sc]

I settled on Admiral for my Beach. I declared the extras and they have it listed as a camper and we have agreed that that constitutes having the pop top and awning and as a Beach it doesn't have many of the internal fittings of an SE. The only thing that they insisted I wouldn't get is a replacement camper as a loan vehicle in the event that it was being fixed, but I can accept that risk as its a daily driver.

It was a lot more than the previous poster (about GBP450) but it is insured for class 1 business too which is essential for me.

 

[greyplague]

We went for Adrian Flux - no problems at all, so worth a try. They also have a brilliant breakdown recovery service which works well in Europe. Don't ask how I know.