Campervan insurance can be a minefield, especially for newbie van owners. There are a large number of insurance companies out there that provide cover and insurance for campervans and motorhomes. You could spend hours scrolling through comparison sites and google searching for a trusted insurer that will give you the best value for money only to realise they don’t cover your self-build camper. If your campervan is not a factory fit your options are a bit more limited and you need to ensure the policy you take out will cover your vehicle properly. For those considering hiring out your campervan (either now or in the future) your options are limited even further.

Here at Quirky Campers, we have been working closely with a handful of insurance providers for over a decade now and have been able to get definitive answers to some of the most important and frequently asked questions. So grab a cuppa and dive into our beginner’s guide to campervan insurance. 

What is Campervan Insurance?

Campervan insurance is a specialist type of vehicle insurance designed to protect campervans against risks such as accidents, theft, and damage. Just like car insurance, it is a legal requirement in the UK to have at least third-party insurance to drive a campervan or motorhome on public roads.

Unlike standard car insurance, campervan and motorhome insurance is tailored to the unique needs of campervan owners. It can include additional cover for:

• Personal belongings (camping gear, electronics, and furniture).
• Modifications and conversions (such as fitted kitchens, beds, and solar panels).
• Breakdown assistance for longer road trips.
• European cover for those travelling abroad.

Since campervans, caravans and motorhomes are often used differently than regular cars – sometimes as accommodation, for leisure trips, or even full-time living – having the right insurance policy is crucial to ensure proper protection.

Types of Campervan Insurance

Campervan insurance comes in three main levels of cover. Third-party only insurance covers damage to other vehicles and property but does not protect your own campervan. Third-Party, Fire & Theft includes this cover while also providing protection if your campervan is stolen or damaged by fire. For the most extensive protection, Comprehensive Cover safeguards your campervan against accidental damage, vandalism, and other risks. Additionally, you can enhance your policy with optional add-ons such as breakdown cover, personal belongings cover, and European travel insurance for extra peace of mind.

Social, domestic and pleasure

If you’re planning on using your campervan for holidays, popping to the shops and other personal trips then this is the cover for you. Some S, D & P policies will include commuting cover, however, it’s likely the policy will only cover you driving to a single permanent place of employment. 

Self-drive hire annual – SDH covers you, named drivers and any hirers 

Self-drive hire annual policies will provide you, named drivers and any hirers, comprehensive insurance for the entire year. Many campervan owners who hire out their campervan opt for this type of cover to avoid having to organise cover each time they receive a hire booking. Plus if you’re forecasted to hire out your campervan for more than 40 nights per year, it works out much cheaper. You will still be required to do all necessary ID and driving license checks before any hirer drives away. Alan Boswell has a handy tool which allows you to get an instant quote online. 

Self-drive hire daily 

Great for those new to hiring out a campervan and owners who don’t want to commit to an annual plan, self-drive hire daily offers cover solutions on a hire-to-hire basis. This must be arranged and bought by you in advance of each hire, which can be detrimental to last-minute bookings as they require 24 hours’ notice and there is an additional cost if daily insurance is requested less than 24 hours in advance. The customer will need to fill out the driver form in advance, this will then be sent to you to pass on to Alan Boswell with the current mileage and van’s value. Alan Boswell will then bill you directly. It costs anywhere from £19 per day and if the customer is going to be late back by more than a day you will need to arrange an extension. In this instance, this customer would be charged for the extra night but not for the cost of the insurance as this is included in their booking. It will also cost more per night for shorter bookings. Once you have moved from the hire daily policy to the annual policy you will no longer be able to return to the daily policy. 

Business

Planning on using your campervan for business purposes? Or perhaps you’re a business owner or are self-employed and plan to drive to more than one site for a job? Then you’ll need business cover. If you take out self-drive hire insurance, this should include cover for you and named drivers to drive for purposes of the business.

Motortrade

Motortrade insurance covers you and your employees for day to day use of business vehicles. If you have Motortrade insurance, the above self-drive options will be different for you and we advise you to speak to your broker. 

What Affects the Cost of Your Campervan Insurance?

Several factors can affect the cost and availability of campervan insurance in the UK. Here are the key considerations:

1. Driver-Related Factors

• Age & Experience – Younger and less experienced drivers (under 25) typically face higher premiums.
• Driving History – A clean driving record with no claims or convictions can lower costs.
• No Claims Discount (NCD) – The more claim-free years you have, the better your discount.
• Additional Drivers – Adding younger or inexperienced drivers may increase premiums.

2. Campervan-Related Factors

• Value & Age of the Campervan – High-value, new, or custom-built campervans cost more to insure.
• Type of Campervan – Factory-built campervans (e.g., VW California) often cost less to insure than self-conversions.
• Security Features – Alarms, immobilisers, steering locks, and tracking devices can reduce premiums.
• Modifications & Conversions – Extensive modifications may increase costs, but properly documented self-conversions can sometimes qualify for specialist policies.

3. Usage Factors

• Annual Mileage – Higher mileage usually means higher premiums. Some policies offer discounts for limited mileage.
• Purpose of Use – Using your campervan for holidays will be cheaper than daily commuting or business use.
• Where It’s Parked – Storing your campervan in a secure location (e.g., garage, driveway) can lower costs compared to parking on the street.

4. Policy-Specific Factors

• Level of Cover –
  • Third-party only (cheapest)
  • Third-party, fire & theft
  • Fully comprehensive (most expensive but best coverage)
• Breakdown Cover – Including roadside assistance may increase costs.
• European Cover – Policies with European travel cover can be more expensive.
• Personal Belongings Cover – Adding insurance for camping gear, electronics, or bicycles will affect the price.

How Much Does Campervan Insurance Cost?

There are many factors which will affect the price of your insurance. These factors usually include location, age, licence length and vehicle value. On average, the annual cost for social, domestic and pleasure policies sits anywhere between £300 to £1000 per year. From our experience, self-drive hire policies start from £1200 per year or £650 pro-rata for those who already own SD&P.

Factors To Consider That Can Affect Insurance Costs

When insuring a campervan in the UK, several factors influence the cost of your policy. Insurers assess both the driver and the vehicle to determine the level of risk involved. Key considerations include your driving history, the type and value of your campervan, how you use it, and the level of coverage you choose. Additionally, factors such as security features, mileage, and storage location can impact your premium. Understanding these elements can help you find the best policy at the most affordable price.

Is the excess higher for campervans than it is for regular vehicles?

For social, domestic & pleasure it depends on the many factors mentioned above. For self-drive hire, the excess cost will be higher than a regular vehicle due to the nature in which it’s being used. 

Is there anything I can do to reduce the cost (security measures I could take)? 

Yes, security features can bring down the cost of your insurance and it’s advised that you install as many as possible to keep you and your campervan safe. There are so many security gadgets you can invest in such as alarms, motion-detector cameras, trackers etc. Want some more ideas? We have an entire chapter dedicated to campervan security in our conversion guide ‘How to Build a Campervan’ 

Do I need to reclassify the body type of my vehicle with the DVLA so it is a motorcaravan?

Alan Boswell and Adrian Flux have both confirmed that to insure your vehicle as a campervan you need to have met the internal requirements set out by the DVLA, however, the body type on the V5 does not need to be changed and the external requirements do not need to be met. 

Does campervan insurance cover contents?

Typical campervan policies will only cover the campervan and passengers if there is an accident, damage or theft but not your possessions or contents. Companies such as Adrian Flux and Just Kampers offer campervan content insurance. 

Will I be insured to drive to Europe?

Some insurers like Alan Boswell will automatically include EU cover for up to 90 days in your policy. We recommend opting for taking out breakdown cover too as breaking down in a place you’re not familiar with can be unsettling enough without having to track down the closest breakdown specialist. 

Can I take out a policy with a solid fuel heater (including woodburning stoves) which has been installed either by the manufacturer or by an individual?

Yes, taking out a policy with a solid fuel heater is possible but will usually be referred and lead to a higher premium. You will need to let the insurer know when taking out the policy and the heating appliance must be installed to the manufacturer’s specifications. 

Quirky Campers Recommended Insurance for Owners

Campervan Insurance Options – A Guide for Quirky Owners

As the van owner, when renting out with Quirky Campers you are responsible for making sure your campervan and your customers are adequately insured. Quirky Campers do not provide insurance for owners and cannot set up insurance on behalf of owners. However, we can recommend several insurance companies to assist you in getting the right cover. We have created the below guide to support you in your decision-making and will do our best to help find the best option for you:

Insurance Costs for Customers

Quirky Camper’s bookings all come with insurance included in the cost of the rental. For customers, this means no hidden booking fees. For owners, this means the base rate for your campervan will be inclusive of the cost to cover the insurance. Owners cannot charge customers separately for insurance and customers cannot use their own insurance for hire.

Insurance Options for Hiring Out Your Campervan

Due to the nature of hiring out a campervan privately, you need specialist insurance cover. This can only be purchased from certain providers. Quirky Campers have been in contact with multiple insurance providers and have found the following options which best fit the booking conditions customers agree to when booking through the website.

Types of Insurance Required for Renting Out Your Campervan

1. Annual SDH cover (Inclusive of Breakdown Assistance)

OR

2. SDP + Daily SDH + Breakdown Assistance

1. Self Drive Hire (SDH) Annual Policy

Annual Self-Drive Hire insurance provides cover for you and all your future customers renting out your campervan. The annual policy must also include breakdown assistance, which is usually added as an optional add-on by the insurer.

If you do not want to commit to an annual policy, you can you can purchase daily SDH insurance (ie. pay per hire) with Alan Boswell. Please see below for more details:

2. Social Domestic & Pleasure (SD&P) + Daily Insurance + Breakdown Assistance

If you do not want to purchase an annual SDH policy, you can also purchase daily insurance to cover your customers, which can be taken out alongside your standard campervan insurance (SD&P policy).

Daily SDH is an excellent option in your first season. However, it does require extra admin. Daily SDH cover must be arranged and bought by the van owner before each hire.

If you decide to opt for this, you will need to make sure that your SD&P policy provider allows you to take out Daily SDH and rent out your campervan, we have included details of insurers we are aware of who allow this in the comparison table below.

Campervan Insurance Costs Comparison Chart:

* Rates vary depending on vehicle value, postcode, parking and named driver history

Policy Price Factors

For BOTH SD&P and SDH Premiums will be higher than the figures quoted above if any of the following apply:

• Campervan is located in ‘higher risk’ postcodes certain postcodes EG. London, Manchester or Birmingham
• Value of the vehicle
• You have multiple penalty points
• You are younger than 25
• You have less than 2 years of driving experience

Breakdown Cover Options

Van owners must have Breakdown cover to rent out via Quirky Campers, breakdown cover is also included in a customer’s booking cost.

Contact details:

Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers Ltd

Call – 01603 915110
Visit – https://www.alanboswell.com/

Sterling Campervan Insurance

Call – 01279 719429
Email – quirkycampers@sterlinginsurance.com

Adrian Flux – Campervan Insurance

Call – 0800 085 9459
Visit – https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/

RAC Business Breakdown

Call – 0808 588 1903
Visit – https://www.racbusinessclub.co.uk/register/breakdown/

If you have any queries about any of the above, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Top Tips When Looking For Campervan or Motorhome Insurance

Securing appropriate insurance for your campervan or motorhome is crucial for your legal compliance and financial protection. Here are some top tips to consider when browsing for the best insurance options for you and your campervan or motorhome.

1. Understand the Types of Cover Available: Familiarise yourself with the three main types of campervan insurance:
   • Third-Party Only: Covers damage to other people, vehicles, and property but not your own campervan.
   • Third-Party, Fire & Theft: Includes third-party cover plus protection if your campervan is stolen or damaged by fire.
   • Comprehensive: Offers third-party protection and covers your campervan against accidental damage, vandalism, and more.
2. Disclose All Modifications: Ensure you inform your insurer about any modifications, including self-conversions or additions like towbars. Failure to disclose such changes can invalidate your policy.
3. Enhance Security Measures: Installing devices such as alarms, immobilisers, and trackers can deter theft and may lead to lower premiums.
4. Choose Secure Storage: Parking your vehicle in a locked garage or secure facility when not in use can reduce insurance costs, as it lowers the risk of theft or damage.
5. Limit the Number of Drivers: Adding multiple drivers to your policy can increase premiums, especially if they have less favorable driving histories.
6. Consider Advanced Driving Courses: Completing advanced driving courses can demonstrate your commitment to safe driving, potentially leading to reduced premiums.
7. Accurately Estimate Annual Mileage: Providing an accurate estimate of your annual mileage ensures you’re not overcharged for coverage you don’t need.
8. Pay Annually: Opting to pay your premium annually rather than monthly can save you money by avoiding interest charges.
9. Shop Around and Renew Early: Use comparison sites to explore different insurance options and consider renewing your policy 20 to 27 days before expiration to secure better deals.
10. Verify European Coverage: If you plan to travel abroad, ensure your policy includes coverage for European travel to avoid unexpected expenses.

By following these tips, you can secure the right kind of insurance for you and your camper, meaning you have nothing left to worry about but having a great time on your travels!

FAQs for UK Campervan Insurance

1. What is campervan insurance?

Campervan insurance is a specialised type of vehicle insurance designed to cover campervans against risks such as accidents, theft, fire, and damage. It may also include cover for personal belongings, breakdown assistance, and European travel.

2. Do I need campervan insurance in the UK?

Yes, it is a legal requirement to have at least third-party insurance to drive your campervan on UK roads.

3. What types of campervan insurance are available?

There are three main types of campervan insurance:

• Third-Party Only: Covers damage to other people, vehicles, and property but not your own campervan.
• Third-Party, Fire & Theft: Includes third-party cover plus protection if your campervan is stolen or damaged by fire.
• Comprehensive: Covers third-party risks and also protects your own campervan against accidental damage, vandalism, and more.

4. What factors affect the cost of campervan insurance?

The cost depends on factors such as:

• Your age and driving experience
• The value and age of your campervan
• How often and where you use it
• Your claims history
• Security measures (alarms, immobilisers, tracking devices)

5. Can I insure a self-converted campervan?

Yes, but you may need to register the conversion with the DVLA as a “Motor Caravan” to qualify for specialist campervan insurance. Insurers may also request details and photos of the conversion.

6. Does campervan insurance cover personal belongings?

Many policies offer optional or included cover for personal items inside the campervan, such as camping equipment and electronics, but limits may apply. Always check your policy details.

7. Am I covered for European travel?

Many campervan insurance policies include European cover for a set number of days per year. Check with your insurer to confirm the length and level of cover.

8. Can I use my campervan for daily commuting?

Some insurers allow you to use your campervan for commuting, but others may have restrictions. Always check your policy terms.

9. Do I need additional breakdown cover?

While some campervan insurance policies include breakdown cover, others do not. You may need a separate policy, especially for European travel.

10. Can I add additional drivers to my policy?

Yes, most insurers allow you to add additional named drivers, though this may affect the cost of the policy.

11. Is there an age limit for campervan insurance?

Insurers often have minimum and maximum age limits, typically requiring drivers to be at least 21 or 25, with some policies restricting cover for drivers over 75.

12. Can I get temporary campervan insurance?

Yes, short-term campervan insurance is available for periods ranging from a single day to a few months, ideal for borrowing or occasional use.

Considering hiring out your campervan? We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with our friendly onboarding team.

Laura Hammond

Laura is a professional copywriter and is the in-house writer at Quirky Campers, where she combines her love of campervans, travel and writing! When not writing she loves to find new adventures surfing, hiking and cycling.