How do you do it?????

Upforadventure

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Due to the rather rotten lemons life has thrown at me I am trying to make lemonade and have made the decision that at this point in my life I want to become a full time Motorhomer. However, the lemonade is not going well. Having done a lot of research in order to be prepared (ex Girl guide - along time ago!!!) one of the first things I looked into was whether this was legal to do in this country and the answer was yes - even with 'no fixed abode' - it is completely legal just to have an address for correspondence (Comfort even state this on thier blog ref full time living!!!!!!!!) But, it would seem that insurance companies have more governance over this than the law. I came across Comfort quite early on in my 'research'. Having seen a lovely motorhome that suits both my needs for this purpose and budget I contacted them - but the computer said NO, NO, NO, NO!! No, the MH is too old; No, it's not expensive enough!; No we don't insure fulltiming in an American RV (it's not a huge one - 9ms and UK registered); - and No, we don't insure no fixed abode!!!!!! So turning to other companies (but haven't exhausted them all yet) - it seems it is also a resounding NO to not having a 'permanent bricks and mortar' where the MH will be 'mainly' 'parked' and NO to 'full timing' - as in living in it, and NO to no fixed abode. Also as part of my research, I have come across websites such as this and many youtubes videos on motorhoming and living in a motorhome(caravan/campervan) 'full time', leaving the rat race etc etc. It is obvioulsy not uncommon. So my question is - HOW???? How on earth do you get insurance to be able to do this. HOW??? - How can insurance companies have the power to basically null and void UK law? HOW??? How can I do this?? This is what I want to do, I do not want to pay rent to into someone else's pocket for the next two years when that money could 'buy' my own 'home', I do not want to pay extortionate utility bills and CT for the next two years, I do not wish to stagnet in this 'house' that is not my home doing nothing for the next two years except eeking out my money to last on rent and bills not able to afford to do much else as well, I do not wish/nor could retain a bricks and mortar address, and I am quite happy not to vote. I wish to live in a motorhome for the next couple of years and tour this beautiful country. All of which is perfectly legal in the UK. Yet I cannot get insurance to allow me to do so! One reason - and one of many - to do this for a few years is to rid myself of the corruptness, control, confinement and compliance one is trapped and tricked into when living in bricks and mortar, yet this is what is stopping me. Doing this will bring me a lot of joy and happiness and 'freedom' for many reasons yet that choice is being severely hindered at almost the first hurdle which is, quite frankly, incredulous, annoying and frustrating. So, to those of you who have been there, done that - how did you do it?? How do you do it??? How can you be a fulltimer which is perfectly legal if insurance companies won't insure you?????? Your advice and help would be extremely appreciated as I don't quite know what to do next to resolve this.

Many TIA
Ufaa
 
Hi,:welcome:

I don't live in my van, but over the years i've read a lot about it. The answer seems to be to use the address of a relative or friend. I have even heard that some people pay a small fee to use an address provider, also used by folk who full-time on the canals. I can't think what they are called, but if it comes to me I will let you know. Good luck.
There are also a few full timers on here who may be able to point you in the right direction.
 
Plausible Deniability

I've never full timed so I can't give you the experienced advice you need.
I would however recommend using 'plausible deniability' to allow you to get the cover you need. To the working man 'plausible deniability' is called lying but as you go up the ladder it is an acceptable get out clause should you need it.
Very few insurance policies are truly valid within every clause; we all just have different acceptable or moral risks we are prepared to take.

I suggest asking a friend or relative to allow you to use their address for your driving licence then get a policy that allows you the maximum time to be away from that address, returning before the time expires.

I understand your frustration with our pseudo laws and commercial citizen control but I can assure you they will only get worse as technology allows them access to more data to control us.
Without an address you will struggle to get a good credit history (the currently hard pushed good citizen reward scheme) which will then mean no mortgage.

Good luck.
 
Hi,:welcome:

I don't live in my van, but over the years i've read a lot about it. The answer seems to be to use the address of a relative or friend. I have even heard that some people pay a small fee to use an address provider, also used by folk who full-time on the canals. I can't think what they are called, but if it comes to me I will let you know. Good luck.
There are also a few full timers on here who may be able to point you in the right direction.

Mail Forwarding Mail Scanning Redirection Free UK Street Address
Mail services for all including post for canal boat owners, expats, motorhomes, caravans et al with mail sent to UK and worldwide. Unique pay as you go service.
 
Full time 4+ years. Our registered address is my parents. We are also on the electoral roll there. For some insurers this makes a huge difference. They like you to have a home address so that if the van is off the road, you have somewhere to stay and they don’t have to pay for your accommodation. Over the years we have been quoted a huge variety of policy prices. From £700-£1800! The current policy gives us 270 days in Europe but talking to them today they have now changed that to 360 so that is obviously travelling all the time in your van. We never lie on policies… It just ain’t worth the risk.
Get an address, register with the electoral roll and SHOP AROUND.
 
Remember insurance companies are doing nothing to UK law. They are selling a product I’m afraid and as such are allowed to sell what they want not necessarily what you want. What you have is the right to buy it or not as you see fit. Irritating I agree but there it is
 
As well as insurance

You need a reliable uk address for
Licence and v5c
Then there is the bank credit cards and other.
We have kept the same doctor by using a friends address (for only the doctor )
Other considarations.
What if
you are ill.
Hospital
Mot failure etc.

What to do in midwinter with long dark cold nights.
It can all work but planning is needed.
Yes you will save expense on utilities and other housing costs but as others have posted insurance will be more.
You also will need a reliable way to use the internet
 
We full timed for 5 years, in a 6 metre van.
If your a solo traveller.. 9 metres is too big, cumbersome and expensive to run
Parking is difficult and you dare not go down country lanes.
Insurance...
Try Safeguard.
Good luck
 
We full timed for 5 years, in a 6 metre van.
If your a solo traveller.. 9 metres is too big, cumbersome and expensive to run
Parking is difficult and you dare not go down country lanes.
Insurance...
Try Safeguard.
Good luck

Well you learn something every day! Didn’t know you’d fulltimed for 5 years! Hope you’re both well. I’ll be along your way soon ... 😊
 
Hi ya,
I’m sure you have already but it might be worth sifting through the first few pages at least of another thread in this section of the Forum called
‘Pros & Cons of Full timing’
If you’re board you might even make it to the end, lol lol.
I think there’s a lot of information some of which might cover insurance.

I’m a Full timer & go through our own AIB insurance for my cover that allows ‘Year Around use’
Cough cough,,,,!.
Good luck & let us all know how you get on ��
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you Clunegapyears. Things are not as easy as they could be - lots of little complications. Address yes but cannot do electoral register as it would affect the single occupant. As you are literally doing fulltiming now, would it be possible in some way to contact you and have a chat - i can give you my email/phone number - whatever. I am spending hours and hours on the computer - and phone, trundling through insurance companies, searching and writing on forums like this. Going to see MH which really suits my needs and fab for the price but given my circumstances which are too labourious to type I'm really doubting whether to get it yet but don't want to lose it. Difficult at the mo.
 
Well you learn something every day! Didn’t know you’d fulltimed for 5 years! Hope you’re both well. I’ll be along your way soon ... 😊

Sure did, Carol.... Then we fell in love with the Hovel.
Give us a nudge, if you're around Santa Cat.
 
Hi,:welcome:

I don't live in my van, but over the years i've read a lot about it. The answer seems to be to use the address of a relative or friend. I have even heard that some people pay a small fee to use an address provider, also used by folk who full-time on the canals. I can't think what they are called, but if it comes to me I will let you know. Good luck.
There are also a few full timers on here who may be able to point you in the right direction.

I think it`s called, Vanpost.
 
Thank you all. Yes aware of address - that's part of the problem. I have my address right now but will have to change that when I actually leave and change to another for the insurance, post, for driving licence, for TV - half way through an insured year???? If I give the 'other' address now for inusrance - that's not where the vehicle will be - that's not where I live at present and not the address on my driving licence! I also think I'm being too honest for my own good!!!

Pauljenny - won't be on my own hence why this MH we've found is perfect for two of us and furry feet in it full time for what we are wanting to do. I know there are lot out there for sale - but this one just hit the mark but again with my particular circumstances and - commitments for a while - it may not be actually practical to get now. Trust me if I could I would get it now and just up and go but reality is that can't happen so I have to factor in stuff between now and ?4-6 months time, but what do I do if I do buy it now - where do I keep it, insurance 'honesty', dont want some people to know yet blah blah - but as said trying to do as much research and preparation to be ready to go as soon as possible. would love to talk if that's at all possible. Typing takes so long.

A question ref TV licence and address which is puzzling me. If you are using someone else's address how can you have two tv licences for the same property? Do they not query this???? And - the tv is not at that address. It's in a moving 'vehicle' so how is it actually covered by a licence?

I've will have lots more questions - one defo about satelite TV, but I need to get the insurance dilema sorted first.

It's also bizarre that someone posted about getting insurance for Europe trip for 365 days - a whole year but I'm struggling to get 'full time' for my own country - especially with Brexit looming. Where do they say they are going to 'store' the MH overnight 'most of the time' - won't be at the 'home' premises cos they'll be in Europe for a year. You can't use your property address if you are renting it out as it is not 'your residence'. So do people leave their properties empty for a year??? And why can you get insurance for being in a motor home for a year for Europe and not for UK????? Maybe that's the route I should go down get Europe insurance and just stay in the UK. Anyhow off to spend more hours trolling insurance companies. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Ufaa
 
Hi ya,

I’m a Full timer & go through our own AIB insurance for my cover that allows ‘Year Around use’
Cough cough,,,,!.
Good luck & let us all know how you get on ��

Thanks NZ - will look at the thread. Am looking at threads on lots of sites and trying to do inusrance - all takes hours and hours sat on the laptop or on the phone - and getting nowhere fast.

Ref all year round - that's the problem - I said 'fulltiming' - living in MH - being 'honest' to both Comfort and Caravan and Motorhome Club insurance and they their immediate response was NO! - don't insure this (Comfort was no to living full time in an American RV!!!!! Wtf???????) C & MC said don't insure anyone living in any motorhome fulltime with a 'correspondence' address - which absolutely gobsmacked me as they more than anyone must know people do this! Which as I said is completely legal to do in this country - but you need to be insured! AIB I have read is underwritten by Aviva - who underwrites/partners Comfort - so you can appreciate having 'read' that Comfort are the main/only FT insurers (plus the MH I like is too old and too cheap!!!) that I felt I was hitting a brick wall. But lots of people have MHs less than £25000 - but they have a permanent adresss. Gawd - give me strength!!!! :mad1: I'll just have to keep going.
 
It looks as though AIB have lots of underwriting partners, not just Aviva. They're full members on here too, so why not give them a call to see if they'd be willing to offer some advice?
Motorhome Insurance from AIB | Call for Quotes from AIB Insurance

I realise I don't know you or your circumstances but it honestly sounds as though you'd benefit from taking some time to get a few things in place before buying a van. Keep asking questions and reading on here for research - the info is all there somewhere - and work out what you're going to need from your van. For instance, if you're planning on wild camping most of the time, will you need to have solar panels on the roof to keep the leisure batteries topped up?... generators aren't necessarily the best plan for wilding as the noise will attract unwanted attention. More than one leisure battery would be pretty essential I would think, especially as you've mentioned watching tv. The tv will need run on 12v too, unless you've got electric hook up on a campsite. You'll need an address to even register the van in your name, so a postal address could be the first thing to sort out, for all the paperwork. There are plenty of vans out there and once you've got all the background stuff in place, you'll find the right one for you. Knowledge is key :) Keep researching and good luck!
 
A few weeks ago someone on here with a campsite were looking for a couple to become wardens for their site, perhaps that would be suitable, can't remember who it was but I'm sure somebody will know.
 
Thank you both.

Mini - Yes doing lots and lots of researh and sorting and planning. Didn't think buying one would be a problem till this nonsense with the insurance cropped up and then was genuinely perplexed as to how fulltimers got round it all. Thought - from what lots of people have said that would I get Comfort insurance with no problem. How wrong could I be. However, I'm working on it. Fingers crossed.

Ufa
 
Happy to chat. But I can’t send you my tel number as can only pm members ... don’t want to put my number on an open forum. Just spending 2 weeks in N Devon in our house sorting stuff for a big trip whilst work being done on the van. That is also a consideration... where will you stay when the van has to go in for repair?
Our current insurer in the Caravan and Motorhome Club as they were one of the few that would insure a van of our value (new at the time) and give a green card for the countries we were visiting. They used to do 9 months in Europe but I think you can do 365 days with them. Again we are members of that club. Devitts is the broker and may be worth contacting.
 

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