LV Customers

[johns6809]

About to pull the trigger and insure our new Cali with LV from September.
But i cannot understand they are half the price of anywhere else?
Any satisfied customers or otherwise?

 

[Dave bee]

Strange as my renew with them was double last year a few months ago and I went elsewhere. Might have lost a lot of business and now buying some back!!!

 

[WelshGas]

About to pull the trigger and insure our new Cali with LV from September.
But i cannot understand they are half the price of anywhere else?
Any satisfied customers or otherwise?

Check very carefully it is insured as a Motor Caravan/Motorhome or Campervan and not just as a car.

 

[MichaelB65]

About to pull the trigger and insure our new Cali with LV from September.
But i cannot understand they are half the price of anywhere else?
Any satisfied customers or otherwise?

I have multi-car with Lv and have been with them for years. No problems when I had to claim and always a very reasonable premium.

I've had my brand new cali for less than 2-months and when I added it to my policy it was £464 with 1 year NCD (parked roadside). I've just checked the policy and it says VW MOTORCARAVAN.

 

[johns6809]

I have multi-car with Lv and have been with them for years. No problems when I had to claim and always a very reasonable premium.

I've had my brand new cali for less than 2-months and when I added it to my policy it was £464 with 1 year NCD (parked roadside). I've just checked the policy and it says VW MOTORCARAVAN.

Good. I have a multi policy with them too. I will just need to make sure they know it's a motor caravan.

 

[CampervanFlattie]

My policy with them also says vw motor caravan

 

[The Little Red Cali]

About to pull the trigger and insure our new Cali with LV from September.
But i cannot understand they are half the price of anywhere else?
Any satisfied customers or otherwise?

Like others have said. You need to ring them and clarify what’s insured. I had a very cheap quote. Rang them to double check that it was right. They had me down as a car. Once I told them the full details ie it’s was a camper van and I made sure they covered me for the habitation side of things, the quote went from £300 to £500. I suspect there are many California owners out there who don’t have the right cover with LV. Their online quotes system doesn’t seem to recognise California’s.

 

[johns6809]

Thanks folks.
Just got off the phone to LV. Made it clear that it is a factory built motorcaravan/ campervan/motorhome with all that entails. Pop top, cooker, fridge, sink etc etc.
Along with camping bits and pieces carried with it.
They were fine with all of that though the price did go up from £235 to £319 including legal cover and protected bonus.
I can live with that and will sleep easier knowing it is properly covered.

 

[lohr500]

Definitely worth talking to them to make sure they insure it as a motor caravan.

We have a multi car policy with them and when I swapped my three year old £18k Subaru Levorg to the brand new £72k Cali in March, there was actually a slight reduction in the policy!! On an annual basis, I think it worked out at less than £250 p.a. (Rural address 10 year + NCB, no claims) It may well change come renewal time in October.

Here is the transcript from a webchat I had with one of their agents :

• I will be changing one of the cars on our multicar policy for a campervan on the 8th March 2024.

Do you cover campervans on the multi car policy?

19:20

We do indeed.
Chat agent
19:20

And is the cover campervan specific, including accidental damage or loss to the interior in the event of any major claim? For example if the standard fit gas hob was to cause a fire, would the campervan be covered?
19:21

That is correct. You will have cover for accessories and other items fitted to the vehicle such as:* Fitted Awnings* Cookers* Fridges* Beds* CupboardsThere is also a cover limit Personal Belongings is increased to £1,000 on Motorcaravans. This will cover for any personal belongings such as:* Bed Linen* Cooking Utensils* Crockery* Cutlery etc.* Clothes

Chat Agent

19:25
OK thanks.
19:26

In another scenario, if an external gas BBQ for example was to set the van on fire would the van be covered for loss?

19:27

We do cover you for fire damage yes.

Chat Agent

19:29

OK thanks again. I should have the registration number for the new campervan in a couple of weeks time. What is the best way to get a quote from you to change the existing policy?

19:29

• You can either come back to chat or free phone 0330 678 5222, and one of my colleagues will be happy to help.

If you register your account on our website you can also change the vehicle there also.

Chat Agent

• Perfect. Thanks for your help

Hope this helps.

 

[johns6809]

Definitely worth talking to them to make sure they insure it as a motor caravan.

We have a multi car policy with them and when I swapped my three year old £18k Subaru Levorg to the brand new £72k Cali in March, there was actually a slight reduction in the policy!! On an annual basis, I think it worked out at less than £250 p.a. (Rural address 10 year + NCB, no claims) It may well change come renewal time in October.

Here is the transcript from a webchat I had with one of their agents :

• I will be changing one of the cars on our multicar policy for a campervan on the 8th March 2024.

Do you cover campervans on the multi car policy?

19:20

We do indeed.
Chat agent
19:20

And is the cover campervan specific, including accidental damage or loss to the interior in the event of any major claim? For example if the standard fit gas hob was to cause a fire, would the campervan be covered?
19:21

That is correct. You will have cover for accessories and other items fitted to the vehicle such as:* Fitted Awnings* Cookers* Fridges* Beds* CupboardsThere is also a cover limit Personal Belongings is increased to £1,000 on Motorcaravans. This will cover for any personal belongings such as:* Bed Linen* Cooking Utensils* Crockery* Cutlery etc.* Clothes

Chat Agent

19:25
OK thanks.
19:26

In another scenario, if an external gas BBQ for example was to set the van on fire would the van be covered for loss?

19:27

We do cover you for fire damage yes.

Chat Agent

19:29

OK thanks again. I should have the registration number for the new campervan in a couple of weeks time. What is the best way to get a quote from you to change the existing policy?

19:29

• You can either come back to chat or free phone 0330 678 5222, and one of my colleagues will be happy to help.

If you register your account on our website you can also change the vehicle there also.

Chat Agent

• Perfect. Thanks for your help

Hope this helps.

Thanks for that. I had a similar conversation with them. though maybe a pale imitation of yours.

 

[Snoopy23]

Strange in feb lv refused to offer insurance renewal as being outside of there underwriting criterion! This after 4 years with them Was strange as got perfect driving record only 60 verry low ris area etc.
6months later, no problem i can get very competitive quote, i used to work for lv in claims so know the coverage was good, not sure now though.

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

The VW California can be either a car or a motorcaravan depending on model. A Beach is a car because it has no cooking facilities onboard, a Coast and an Ocean are motorcaravans because they have cooking facilities.
DVLA have a different set of criteria which includes fixed tables, windows and "not looking like a van" which is very weird!

 

[Perfectos]

My Beach is registered as a “motor caravan “

The whole category thing has been an utter shambles for years, same as converted vans are restricted to speed limit by “commercial vehicle “ status , despite meeting the criteria for motor caravan etc.

 

[andyinluton]

The VW California can be either a car or a motorcaravan depending on model. A Beach is a car because it has no cooking facilities onboard, a Coast and an Ocean are motorcaravans because they have cooking facilities.
DVLA have a different set of criteria which includes fixed tables, windows and "not looking like a van" which is very weird!

Whether a cali is a car or a motor caravan is dictated by what the V5 states, not what equipment it has - unless you are a random Council making up your own definitions when it comes to parking!

The T5.1 and T6 beach were normally registered as a Motor caravan despite not appearing to meet the DVLA criteria, A T6.1 "ordinary" beach which does have a hob (but no water facilities) is normally now a Motor Caravan & a Beach "Tour" which does not have a hob is classified as a car.

 

[66tim99]

But i cannot understand they are half the price of anywhere else?

I think it's a marketing ploy - in the knowledge many take the easy option of renewing with a significant increase in year 2. I've been with them for 2.5 years - happy with the cover but premiums have increased from c.£500 to c.£800 in that time, despite no claims (and 'bonus' increasing...).
Make sure you scan the market a few weeks (but not months) before you're due to renew.

 

[Perfectos]

I think it's a marketing ploy - in the knowledge many take the easy option of renewing with a significant increase in year 2. I've been with them for 2.5 years - happy with the cover but premiums have increased from c.£500 to c.£800 in that time, despite no claims (and 'bonus' increasing...).
Make sure you scan the market a few weeks (but not months) before you're due to renew.

Optimal is between 25- 30 days before renewal to get a quote

 

[Pengranger]

My policy with them also says vw motor caravan

Very interesting. Could you advise exactly where on your LV policy it states motor caravan? Mine states the make and model “VW CALIFORNIA T30 OCEAN 4MOTION TDI 204 AUTO” which is very accurate, however there is no mention of motorcaravan. Thanks.

 

[Campervanpup21]

About to pull the trigger and insure our new Cali with LV from September.
But i cannot understand they are half the price of anywhere else?
Any satisfied customers or otherwise?

Just had renewal through from them for this year and a price reduction over last year which I didn’t expect as had been getting quotes for £950 + from other companies. Can’t comment on the claims side as not used (and hopefully won’t have too!). Only £100 more than a Ford Puma!!

 

[DottyV]

LV have a specific Motorhome/camper insurance policy which differs to their car policy so may be best checking with them.

We’ve just had a quote from NFU mutual £20 cheaper than LV they also do a motor home policy and give new camper replacement for the first 2 years if you buy a brand new van and it gets stolen or written off. They also include legal expenses as standard and offer interest free payments over 12 months.

 

[Shapneil]

I have multi-car with Lv and have been with them for years. No problems when I had to claim and always a very reasonable premium.

I've had my brand new cali for less than 2-months and when I added it to my policy it was £464 with 1 year NCD (parked roadside). I've just checked the policy and it says VW MOTORCARAVAN.

Hi Having read this I checked my documents and mine says Car. Just called LV and they confirmed though it is insured as a Campervan. Similar yearly rate to what you mention.

 

[Snoopy23]

Hi Having read this I checked my documents and mine says Car. Just called LV and they confirmed though it is insured as a Campervan. Similar yearly rate to what you mention.

Same, as long as reg and description is correct that's what your insuring was told does not matter if it shows as car or motorhome, it picks that up from DVLA database!

 

[66tim99]

Very interesting. Could you advise exactly where on your LV policy it states motor caravan? Mine states the make and model “VW CALIFORNIA T30 OCEAN 4MOTION TDI 204 AUTO” which is very accurate, however there is no mention of motorcaravan. Thanks.

Mine says motorcaravan in several places. I think the fact yours says California Ocean would be good enough for me.

 

[BaTmobile Ocean]

I was with LV last year.
They were very inexpensive (£235?). I had excellent customer service from them and my daughter had made a claim on her LV policy and it was well handled.

However when I received the renewal the premium more than doubled. We went with The Camping and Caravan Club recommendation - Comfort, a broker with the policy underwritten by Aviva (who bizarrely will not insure campers directly?). Good experience so far.

I am not sure it really matters what the policy heading is - I would think what is important is what is covered by the policy eg the 'fine print'.

 

[Pengranger]

Mine says motorcaravan in several places. I think the fact yours says California Ocean would be good enough for me.
View attachment 127718View attachment 127719

Many thanks. That makes sense.

 

[dazcleveland]

I was with LV last year.
They were very inexpensive (£235?). I had excellent customer service from them and my daughter had made a claim on her LV policy and it was well handled.

However when I received the renewal the premium more than doubled. We went with The Camping and Caravan Club recommendation - Comfort, a broker with the policy underwritten by Aviva (who bizarrely will not insure campers directly?). Good experience so far.

I am not sure it really matters what the policy heading is - I would think what is important is what is covered by the policy eg the 'fine print'.

I had a similar experience. Had been with LV for 2 years as they were by far the most competitive on price. However, come renewal time in July their price had increased significantly so I ended up switching back to Comfort who I had been with in previous years!!