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Insuring your Elgrand

I just sent the invoice I received from the converter, this highlights all the modifications done. It’s true what others have said, some general insurance companies cant get their heads around converted vans. I’m with Admiral and when it was converted I sent them the details ... oh my days the fuss that ensued. In the end they gave up and increased the value of the van from £7.5k to £13.5k charged me £25 and wished me a nice day! That’ll do 😃
 
Second day looking for insurance, covid don't help. Nearly impossible to do online, on phone taking ages for someone to pick up 🤯
 
I just got insurance with greenlight for £440 for my e50. Thanks for the recommendation. On price comparison sites the cheapest I could get was 600 so it is quite a difference!
 
Insurance is a hot topic in any car forum, but with Japanese Imports it's even more prominent.

No you should not be charged the earth for owning and insuring an Elgrand. Yes, parts are more expensive in the event of crash damage, so the only thing you'll really have to face is that you may find it's written off in a fender bender, where other cars might not be. This will depend on the insurer though, and the value of the car/type of damage etc.

ElgrandOC has an insurance partner with Greenlight Insurance. These have given a lot of our members some exceptionally low quotes over the last year and you get 15% off with them just for being a member of EOC. Try them first, see what they say!

Failing that, you can play the ringing game all you like. I've seen some people get stupid quotes from one main insurer, but then someone else got a ridiculously low quote from the same insurer.

It really is hit and miss, and all based on your Post Code / driving history etc.

If you want a laugh, try a comparison site... I've had some silly four figure quotes for mine on comparison sites, but once you rule them out and head towards the Japanese Import specialist insurers, you start to see more sensible numbers.

Direct Line, LV, Aviva have all given members great or terrible quotes, so try them and see. Same goes for any of the other big name insurers.

Jap Import specialist insurers include Adrium Flux, Sky Insurance, Greenlight.


Also, on the topic of insurance... if you are going down the "import yourself route". You will need to insure your vehicle on the VIN number when it arrives in the country. This means that in the event of anything happening before it is registered, you are covered. It also means you are covered to drive the car to/from an MOT station to get the first test done.
Thanks will bear this in mind when next getting insurance
 
I had a brief look for insurance a few weeks back and I was seeing numbers around the £500 mark. I did message greenlight for a quote but wouldn't quote as I didn't list any modifications.

I'm guessing that this is my mistake and things as simple as the foglight conversion would make it a "modified" car? I'm used to things having a bit more fettling to be considered in such a bracket but happy to revisit if you guys think it's worth a try?

My main difficulties with insurance is that it's going to be my 3rd car, so I have 0 no claims to use. I'm hoping that there will be the odd insurer that will allow me to mirror my NCD but I've just not gotten that far yet. I'm only looking to do 6k miles per year so I was kinda hoping to insure it for less.
 
Got £325 for the year when adding it to me Admiral policy. They also gave the equivalent of 5yrs NCB on it as even tho I'm keeping my NCB on my other car. May not be the same for everyone tho.
 
Got £325 for the year when adding it to me Admiral policy. They also gave the equivalent of 5yrs NCB on it as even tho I'm keeping my NCB on my other car. May not be the same for everyone tho.
I should have said, 2010 E52
 
Just had the best quote from LV for my 2002 E51 campervan conversion. Only vehicle we have, we do low mileage, £250 excess and 9+ NCB protected and full home and roadside recovery included (Darlington postcode) just over £400 per year. Spoke with Greenlight who were about £50 adrift. Adrian Flux quoted me 3 different and higher figures for renewal and wanted a £700 excess - though happy to provide 'Excess cover' for another £20+ insurance product. Got the LV quote originally via a comparison site.
 
Just had the best quote from LV for my 2002 E51 campervan conversion. Only vehicle we have, we do low mileage, £250 excess and 9+ NCB protected and full home and roadside recovery included (Darlington postcode) just over £400 per year. Spoke with Greenlight who were about £50 adrift. Adrian Flux quoted me 3 different and higher figures for renewal and wanted a £700 excess - though happy to provide 'Excess cover' for another £20+ insurance product. Got the LV quote originally via a comparison site.
I just got a quote from LV and almost fell off my chair... £4, 232!!!!! 😭 Someone help me!!
 
And
I just got a quote from LV and almost fell off my chair... £4, 232!!!!! 😭 Someone help me!!
That was with multicar. Remove my other car and it increases to £4,548!
 
And

That was with multicar. Remove my other car and it increases to £4,548!
Did you go via a comparison website? Also are there other factors which would put up your quote like youth, unspent penalty points or living close to a postcode which might increase the premiums? Also might be worth adding another driver with a spotless record and years of claim free motoring to your application. Good luck though.
 
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Did you go via a comparison website? Also are there other factors which would put up your quote like youth, unspent penalty points or living close to a postcode which might increase the premiums? Also might be worth adding another driver with a spotless record and years of claim free motoring to your application. Good luck though.
12 years no claims and live on a quiet cul de sac. I do have 3 points from being caught out with he variable speed limits after overtaking 3 lanes of stationery traffic that was trying to take an exit but that's it.
Im neither young nor too far the other way. I have another car that i use day to day and put estimated annual mileage at under 3k. I genuinely feel being a single female is the reason I've been discriminated against which sucks. I did find loads of acceptable quotes after this initial set back and I've made a mental note never to give LV my custom.
 
Here's a fun one. Following a separation last year I have had a mid-life crisis car for less than a year which has blown up. I have then decided to purchase an Elgrand and am looking at insurance quotes.
As a young-ish 'single man', that no longer owns a house, a named driver (new girlfriend), living in London, you can imagine - some of the quotes are hilarious!
Unfortunately I lost any No Claims Discount in the separation which means JapCover went £4500!!

Best I've got is Direct Line £1000. But we love this car so much we'll probably just go for it

Thanks to all on the forum for the other recommendations. Maybe Greenlight will come back with something astonishing!
 
12 years no claims and live on a quiet cul de sac. I do have 3 points from being caught out with he variable speed limits after overtaking 3 lanes of stationery traffic that was trying to take an exit but that's it.
Im neither young nor too far the other way. I have another car that i use day to day and put estimated annual mileage at under 3k. I genuinely feel being a single female is the reason I've been discriminated against which sucks. I did find loads of acceptable quotes after this initial set back and I've made a mental note never to give LV my custom.
We're all discriminated against one way or another by insurance companies.
 
I got some crazy quotes until using the screen scrapers.
 
The dealer from whom I bought my E51 2003 plate (camper converted) recommended Safeguard to me.
It cost £410, including EU cover and breakdown cover for UK and EU.
I understand that Safeguard specialise in camping/caravans, etc.
Hope this might be some help.
 
Insuring a E52 without any NCB sucks big time.
Got quotes for Estima, Vellfire, Alphards and E51's easy with reasonable prices, so close in breaking the deal.
Dont do what I did. :innocent:
 
Car insurance is a big lottery, same gets it cheap others gets it crazy expensive. There is a lot of variables involved. It's just crazy.
 
Insurance is a hot topic in any car forum, but with Japanese Imports it's even more prominent.

No you should not be charged the earth for owning and insuring an Elgrand. Yes, parts are more expensive in the event of crash damage, so the only thing you'll really have to face is that you may find it's written off in a fender bender, where other cars might not be. This will depend on the insurer though, and the value of the car/type of damage etc.

ElgrandOC has an insurance partner with Greenlight Insurance. These have given a lot of our members some exceptionally low quotes over the last year and you get 15% off with them just for being a member of EOC. Try them first, see what they say!

Failing that, you can play the ringing game all you like. I've seen some people get stupid quotes from one main insurer, but then someone else got a ridiculously low quote from the same insurer.

It really is hit and miss, and all based on your Post Code / driving history etc.

If you want a laugh, try a comparison site... I've had some silly four figure quotes for mine on comparison sites, but once you rule them out and head towards the Japanese Import specialist insurers, you start to see more sensible numbers.

Direct Line, LV, Aviva have all given members great or terrible quotes, so try them and see. Same goes for any of the other big name insurers.

Jap Import specialist insurers include Adrium Flux, Sky Insurance, Greenlight.


Also, on the topic of insurance... if you are going down the "import yourself route". You will need to insure your vehicle on the VIN number when it arrives in the country. This means that in the event of anything happening before it is registered, you are covered. It also means you are covered to drive the car to/from an MOT station to get the first test done.
Great article. Tha ks for the help
 
Haven't bought one yet but thought I'd check insurance first just with everyone saying you get some ridiculous quotes. No reg so went 2006, Elgrand, jap import on a comparison site and it came out at £450. Didn't think this was to bad when I've just paid £333 for my vw caddy maxi.
 
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