Converted Campervan Insurance Comparison

Self build campervan insurance covers a van you have converted, or are converting, into a camper, including the fixtures you have added. Declare every change and the stage the build has reached, because a standard van policy may not cover the extra value or the new use.

Which stage is your campervan conversion at?

Insurers ask different questions at each stage of a build. Match your van to a row, then use the other columns when you compare quotes.

Insuring a van while the conversion is under way

Cover during a build is available, but it is a specialist product and not every insurer offers it. Before you buy, ask three things:

• Can you drive the van while it is unfinished, or is it covered only while parked?
• How often must you update the declared value as the build adds to it?
• Are tools and loose materials stored in the van covered, and up to what limit?

Parts that are not yet fitted are often excluded or capped, so keep expensive kit at home until it is installed. If the van is off the road and untaxed, you must make a SORN, or face an automatic £80 fine (GOV.UK).

Updating your V5C after a campervan conversion

You must tell DVLA about the change of body type on your V5C when you convert a van to a campervan or motor caravan (GOV.UK). DVLA will tell you if it needs to inspect the change.

DVLA says the body type describes how a vehicle looks in traffic and should not affect its insurance category or speed limits (DVLA motor caravan guidance). For DVLA to record the body type as motor caravan, it looks for these external features:

• Two or more windows on at least one side of the main body, not counting the cab doors
• A separate door into the living area
• A high-top or pop-top roof

Inside, DVLA expects seats and a table, sleeping space, cooking facilities and storage, all fixed to the van, though the table can be removable. You send photos of each feature with the V5C, and DVLA may inspect the van. It pays for the inspection but not for getting the van there.

Insurers can set their own rules on what counts as a campervan, so tell them the current V5C body type as well as the work done.

Weight, seats and payload in a DIY camper

Everything you fit adds weight. DVLA guidance says the finished van should still carry a passenger in every seat, plus luggage and full water tanks, without being overloaded. Any seats and belts used while travelling must be securely mounted.

If the build changes the recorded weight of a large campervan, that change must go on the V5C too (GOV.UK). Weighing the van once the build is done gives you a record of how it sits against its plated limit.

Your self-build evidence pack for a campervan quote

Insurers who cover DIY builds tend to ask for proof. Put this together before you compare:

• The V5C and registration number
• A list of every change: roof, windows, bed, kitchen, gas, water, leisure battery, solar, inverter, seats, suspension and wheels
• Receipts for parts and any paid labour
• Dated photos of the build, inside and out
• Certificates for gas or electrical work, if a qualified person checked it
• A value for the finished van, with similar vans for sale as a guide
• Details of security fitted and where the van is kept
• Your expected annual mileage and how you will use it

DIY or professional conversion: pros and cons for cover

Valuing a converted campervan for cover

Insure the finished vehicle for what it is worth now, not the price you paid for the empty van. When you compare self build campervan insurance, ask whether the policy pays claims at market value or at an agreed value.

An agreed value is fixed when cover starts, which can suit a one-off build where similar vans rarely come up for sale. Update it as the build progresses, or you could be underinsured.

Ian Wilson, Managing Director at Tiger.co.uk, says: “Keep a running list of every change you make to the van, with the date and what it cost. It makes the quote form quicker and gives you something solid if you ever need to claim.”

Tiger.co.uk compares cover for converted and self-built campers from a panel of 10+ motorhome and camper providers. For a factory-built camper, see campervan quotes. If the van is still on a commercial policy, our page on modified van insurance may help, and you may also want breakdown cover before your first trip.

Can I insure a DIY campervan conversion?

Yes, some insurers cover self-built campers. Expect to give a full list of changes, photos and receipts, and you may be asked for proof that gas or electrical work was checked by a qualified person.

Do I need to tell my insurer before I start converting my van?

Yes. Tell your current insurer before work starts. Your van policy was priced on the vehicle as it was, and fitting a bed, kitchen or windows without telling them could affect a claim.

Ready to quote? Compare converted camper quotes with Tiger.co.uk and tell us about the van and its fit-out. Policies vary, so check what each insurer covers before you buy. Find more on cover for larger vehicles on the motorhome page.