Conversion van insurance canada

[wgreenwood]

Hello!

I am hoping for some help here! I live in Ontario and I am looking to pick up a van very shortly to begin working on my own conversion.

Of all the issues that could hold things up, insurance seems to be my lynchpin.

I have contacted several insurance companies, wayfarer being one of them, all with the same answer: " we can't insure a vehicle not made by a RV Manufacturer."

I can't be the first one to buy a van, convert it, and get insurance on the thing.

Could someone here please provide some guidance on how they have done this! Im pulling my hair out with this issue.

Wes

 

[OrioN]

Hello!

I am hoping for some help here! I live in Ontario and I am looking to pick up a van very shortly to begin working on my own conversion.

Of all the issues that could hold things up, insurance seems to be my lynchpin.

I have contacted several insurance companies, wayfarer being one of them, all with the same answer: " we can't insure a vehicle not made by a RV Manufacturer."

I can't be the first one to buy a van, convert it, and get insurance on the thing.

Could someone here please provide some guidance on how they have done this! Im pulling my hair out with this issue.

Wes

The Ontario Gov. has the guidelines you require.





.

 

[wgreenwood]

I spoke with the MTO already and I am aware of the process to convert a vehicle to an RV via their standards.

However, this still will not suffice for the insurance companies I have spoken with as its still not manufactured by an RV manufacturer. Hence why I am pulling out my hair.

They even went so far as to say that I could buy a used Class C motorhome, gut it to my pleasing and that they would cover that. I says pardon!

Has anyone done a conversion on their own, and insured it as a conversion? If so, which insurance company have you used as I would like to do the same?

 

[OrioN]

I spoke with the MTO already and I am aware of the process to convert a vehicle to an RV via their standards.

However, this still will not suffice for the insurance companies I have spoken with as its still not manufactured by an RV manufacturer. Hence why I am pulling out my hair.

They even went so far as to say that I could buy a used Class C motorhome, gut it to my pleasing and that they would cover that. I says pardon!

Has anyone done a conversion on their own, and insured it as a conversion? If so, which insurance company have you used as I would like to do the same?

Ask MTO for a list of insurance companies that comply, and insist based on your discovery.





.

 

[ventdoux]

I am looking to purchase a cargo van and convert it to camper van. I live in New Brunswick. I contacted my insurance company, I mentioned the word "toilet" and they got scare. I am concern that I will not be able to find an insurance company. Wes, were you able to resolve your problem? Any information will be appreciated
Thanks
MR

 

[wgreenwood]

Hey!

I did sort out the issue. It took about 10 hours on the phone and many different brokers and insurance companies. I was able
To get insurance from the co-operators. I just googled it and there are many of them in New Brunswick. If you check
Out their website they actually mention conversions under their RV insurance. I was able to sit down with them And explain exactly what I was looking to do with my conversion.

Give them a try.

Funny you mention New Brunswick. I was just out there last week purchasing my van for conversion. My wife and I drove it back to Ontario.

Let me know how it goes!

 

[ventdoux]

Hello,
Thank you for your response, I really appreciate it. It is ironic that you bought your van in New Brunswick. I am looking in Quebec and in Ontario. If it is not too much to ask, what did you buy and where?
I contacted the Co-Operators in Saint John and they told me to contact Service New Brunswick for regulations. I contacted Service New Brunswick , they told me to contact New Brunswick Justice and Public Safety. That is where I am, I did not go any further. Is there any thing you can share like wording, anything that I could use to convince an insurance company to take my case.
Have fun with your conversion
Marc

 

[wgreenwood]

I ended up buying a ford transit chassis with an aerocel fibreglass box on the back. I was considering a sprinter and a ford transit panel van. I saw the vehicle I purchased at a ford dealer, Downey Ford, and became intrigued. After further investigation, I decided to go with it as it has straight walls, and a slightly larger interior than the cargo vans while not being to much larger in size.

We'll see if it was a good decision later lol. Plus it already had a webasto heater installed and it was a smoking deal, which is why I came to New Brunswick to purchase it. Good excuse for a road trip anyways.

As for wording with the insurance companies. I was really upfront with all of them, hence why I ran into so many hard No's.
Van conversions seem to be outside of their "box" for their risk assessments and represent such a small amount of business That I think most companies just avoid it. I told my local Co-Operators what I was planning to do, even went in person.
They were ok with everything. Only idea they weren't fond of was any hard propane installations but I scratched them from my plans in favour of portable cook stove with 1lb bottles.

I was almost ready to throw in the towel just before I spoke with Co-operators, and I was going to insure the van only and take my chances not mentioning the conversion.

 

[Kitius]

Hi, wgreenwood

We are Marc and Sonia from ON as well, both Army veterans going on a road trip, heeeehaaaa!

We just bought a M-Benz Sprinter Van too. We are so exited to start the conversion in Feb-Mar 2018. Looking fwd to Freedom!!!

Could you plse give me references about the MTO process to convert a vehicle to an RV via their standards.

I figured Van conversions would be outside of the "box” any clues you can help us w when approaching Co-Operators? And do you have a contact ref from them?

Also, have you looked into leaving a permanent address to a “mobile/off the grid” address, process and suggestions?

Tks

 

[Kitius]

I ended up buying a ford transit chassis with an aerocel fibreglass box on the back. I was considering a sprinter and a ford transit panel van. I saw the vehicle I purchased at a ford dealer, Downey Ford, and became intrigued. After further investigation, I decided to go with it as it has straight walls, and a slightly larger interior than the cargo vans while not being to much larger in size.

We'll see if it was a good decision later lol. Plus it already had a webasto heater installed and it was a smoking deal, which is why I came to New Brunswick to purchase it. Good excuse for a road trip anyways.

As for wording with the insurance companies. I was really upfront with all of them, hence why I ran into so many hard No's.
Van conversions seem to be outside of their "box" for their risk assessments and represent such a small amount of business That I think most companies just avoid it. I told my local Co-Operators what I was planning to do, even went in person.
They were ok with everything. Only idea they weren't fond of was any hard propane installations but I scratched them from my plans in favour of portable cook stove with 1lb bottles.

I was almost ready to throw in the towel just before I spoke with Co-operators, and I was going to insure the van only and take my chances not mentioning the conversion.

Hi, wgreenwood

We are Marc and Sonia from ON as well, both Army veterans going on a road trip, heeeehaaaa!

We just bought a M-Benz Sprinter Van too. We are so exited to start the conversion in Feb-Mar 2018. Looking fwd to Freedom!!!

Could you plse give me references about the MTO process to convert a vehicle to an RV via their standards.

I figured Van conversions would be outside of the "box” any clues you can help us w when approaching Co-Operators? And do you have a contact ref from them?

Also, have you looked into leaving a permanent address to a “mobile/off the grid” address, process and suggestions?

Tks

 

[horseshoe7]

I have the same interests as the poster above. I'm going to buy a Sprinter and will need to insure it in Ontario.

 

[tonqari]

I'm in Alberta and I just got a Sprinter to camperize. After being rejected by several insurers, I successfully got it insured with Cooperators. It was so easy I didn't even need to explain anything. We'll see what happens when I try to insure it as an RV but that'll be a while yet. Thanks for the advice!

 

[HartRock90s]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone has found any other solutions?

I just got off the phone with Co-Operators and they rejected me... said they "don't do modified vans." My case is a little different as I will not be converting to an RV - no stove, no toilet, no shower, no installed heating - you would think that a more basic conversion would be easier to find insurance for! I will be doing insulation, walls/ flooring, bed, shelves, basic sink, fridge, solar panels, battery power.

I've been communicating with several brokers and companies directly to try and get a Chevy Express (I know this is a Sprinter forum but it's best/ only thread I've found talking about Canadian insurance for this sort of thing) insured and it feels like every lead eventually fizzles out! Very frustrated over here. I have not been able to pick up the van from the dealer's since I do not yet have insurance and have been at this for a few weeks now, basically at wit's end. People have done this before - I am not the first!

The issue with risking just covering the vehicle and leaving out the part about the conversion is that I've had several companies wonder why a single, mid-twenties female has purchased a commercial vehicle for personal use, and why choose this vehicle for travel when the fuel economy is not great... They're very fraud conscious in Ontario.

Anyways, if anyone has any answers I would be beyond grateful to hear as I really just want to have this figured out already

 

[2009ClassB]

Well, believe it or not, BC has got it right..... but may not "exactly" be of any help to you in Ontario. After going from ICBC agency to agency I found a lady who knew exactly what I was doing... to shorten the story, it's all about who wants to take liability for your home brewed conversion.

If you had the vehicle converted by a registered/licenced upfitter/converter then the liability for design and conformance to CMVSS falls to them in the event of a death by bad design... that's what the insurers are looking for, someone to blame and send the bill to.

in BC, a Class B motor home converted from a van by the owner has to only meet the minimum criteria they specify (bed, heat, water, toilet etc) AND have a motor vehicle inspection done AS A MH... weigh it... then they change the title to 'MH'.... and since the govt/ICBC are also the insurers then they have a rate already set up.

in your case in Ontario, and Alberta, there is a reluctance to allow home made MH/RV's and get them insured.... all I can suggest is that you insure the 'van' for pleasure use only and anything inside is your property.... but you've tried that so I can only suspect that the insurers see this as suspicious behaviour and believe that you really using it for commercial purposes... heck, it's a wonder then that you can insure an F150 for personal uses given their mindset.

another trick I've seen done is to re-title as a 4 door station wagon if they can figure that out for you... more believable to the insurers

the design you plan for your interior wouldn't work here in BC.... has to meet a minimum.

and I've heard the same problem from the guys that want to convert old Greyhound buses into MH's, but again, in BC it's doable...

HTH

 

[horseshoe7]

I'm also very frustrated with Ontario. What a disaster the insurance industry is!

I'm about to buy a Sprinter and am basically resigned to the fact that nobody will insure it as an RV. So as others have pointed out, I'll get it insured as a van for personal use then anything in the back is just personal property. In many cases that falls under house-owners' insurance.

I am making it clear that I'd like to install a roof vent and and aftermarket window (and they should advise if that should be done by some official service shop), and that anything else is reversible.

It's really amazing how poorly run Ontario is on many levels and on top of that expensive.

But I'm finding most brokers aren't all that experienced with this sort of thing so just hear keywords and freak out. But actually most Ontarians are also like this on a wide variety of topics that I won't go into here.

 

[crashmtb]

I ended up buying a ford transit chassis with an aerocel fibreglass box on the back. I was considering a sprinter and a ford transit panel van. I saw the vehicle I purchased at a ford dealer, Downey Ford, and became intrigued. After further investigation, I decided to go with it as it has straight walls, and a slightly larger interior than the cargo vans while not being to much larger in size.

We'll see if it was a good decision later lol. Plus it already had a webasto heater installed and it was a smoking deal, which is why I came to New Brunswick to purchase it. Good excuse for a road trip anyways.

As for wording with the insurance companies. I was really upfront with all of them, hence why I ran into so many hard No's.
Van conversions seem to be outside of their "box" for their risk assessments and represent such a small amount of business That I think most companies just avoid it. I told my local Co-Operators what I was planning to do, even went in person.
They were ok with everything. Only idea they weren't fond of was any hard propane installations but I scratched them from my plans in favour of portable cook stove with 1lb bottles.

I was almost ready to throw in the towel just before I spoke with Co-operators, and I was going to insure the van only and take my chances not mentioning the conversion.

I hate to kick a dead horse but I was curious the name of the broker you used for co-operators. I would like to deal with someone who has done this before so not to be passed back and forth

Thanks, Alex

 

[wgreenwood]

Hey

I live in Port Elgin Ontario.

It’s the local broker here in town.

1-519-832-2950.

https://www.cooperators.ca/en/insurance/auto/types-of-vehicles.aspx

Check this website out and scroll down to their motor homes section.

“Motorhomes

These motorized vehicles are designed for recreational travel and accommodation. This category also includes trucks equipped with a non-detachable camper body, as well as converted buses and vans that are not used for general transportation.”

I would start with your local broker first, then reach out to the one I used it for some reason you have a problem.

I feel your pain, as I called about 20 places before try the cooperators, and they just said yes to insuring it once I referenced the website. And that was over 2 years ago.

 

[crashmtb]

We got insurance but the changeover to camper is still grey. They didn't say they outright wouldn't which was different then everyone else. They did say they wouldn't insure something i did myself and it had to be done by a professional. I then asked which professionals they recommend i use and they didn't have a list or any options of suitable professionals. They said they had to be certified to do that job and after a lengthy conversation in which i explained that there is no qualification, people just start a business and call themselves an upfitter we were left in another grey circumstance.

She couldnt tell me what qualifications we were required for work to be done. I think we will have to go through the motions and see what happens for now.

We did use Co-operators and they did double check with their underwriter to make sure it was possible they just were not sure of the steps.

I will get a general contractor likely to do some work and hope that is a qualified professional...?

We are in Guelph. The folks at co-operators were top notch and made sure to dot all their I's and cross their T's it was actually very confidence inspiring. Made me feel like they would work with us through it all.

We can get our van tomorrow and get to work. This will be a work vehicle for me as well .

Thanks all!

 

[czechmate]

Hi everyone,
Newbie here, just want to check if anybody have a success in getting the insurance for DIY converted van in Alberta? I bought 2018 Transit ( sorry, no Sprinter ) and found one broker to be able to insure converted one. Just finished it last month and now they say sorry , can't insure it anymore. I'm running out of options, short of moving to BC.

 

[Duncan_C]

Hi everyone,
Newbie here, just want to check if anybody have a success in getting the insurance for DIY converted van in Alberta? I bought 2018 Transit ( sorry, no Sprinter ) and found one broker to be able to insure converted one. Just finished it last month and now they say sorry , can't insure it anymore. I'm running out of options, short of moving to BC.

You get this figured out? I'm trying to get into a converted Sprinter here in Alberta but haven't been able to insure it.