Looking to buy or sell a Marco Polo? You can now advertise from just £9.99 Click Here

V5c insurance warning ⚠️

Vandolfthegrey

Vandolfthegrey

Active Member
Hi all.
Just a warning to all regarding insurance.
I told my campervan insurance (performance direct/zenith) that the v5 was wrong stating mpv not camper.
They immediately cancelled my policy and refused to wait until I could change the v5. Even with a letter stating it was incorrect. I even got charged £50 cancellation fee! So effectively I've been driving around with insufficient insurance.
I managed to get insurance elsewhere but it was a very complicated 4 hours worth of phone calls and emails. It's now been sorted but it was a pretty horrendous afternoon. Mercedes have agreed to pay the difference in insurance. Can you imagine if I had to make a claim?!
So for peace of mind, I'd check your insurance is happy with what is on your v5.
**all new MP will now be registered as PLG/campervan
 
I've mentioned this in a number of threads
.
Yes, you can get cheap insurance from comparison websites just by honestly answering the questions, not even speaking to a person. Then pay 200 and something £ not knowing that it is in fact worthless.

As a prospective owner I spent the best part of a day trying to explain on the phone what I wanted insurance for. Even with a body type of MPV insurance as a Motor Caravan can be found, you have to spend time searching, but as has been proved emphatically by @Vandolfthegrey your taking an awful risk if you don't.
 
Last edited:
....and to muddy the waters, when taking the MP on a ferry, we have sometimes been charged as a car/van and other times as a motorhome.
 
Vandolfthegrey said:
Hi all.
Just a warning to all regarding insurance.
I told my campervan insurance (performance direct/zenith) that the v5 was wrong stating mpv not camper.
They immediately cancelled my policy and refused to wait until I could change the v5. Even with a letter stating it was incorrect. I even got charged £50 cancellation fee! So effectively I've been driving around with insufficient insurance.
I managed to get insurance elsewhere but it was a very complicated 4 hours worth of phone calls and emails. It's now been sorted but it was a pretty horrendous afternoon. Mercedes have agreed to pay the difference in insurance. Can you imagine if I had to make a claim?!
So for peace of mind, I'd check your insurance is happy with what is on your v5.
**all new MP will now be registered as PLG/campervan
Click to expand...
Thanks for this warning. We are hoping to purchase a Marco Polo very soon - do you have recommendation on a good insurer to go with, from what I have seen of the van we are looking to purchase it is classed as a MPV on V5. I wanted to get some insurance lined up ready on the assumption we will proceed with a purchase at the weekend. Any advice greatly appreciated as we are new to the world of camper vans.
 
Hi and :Welcome:

I have had a quote from AIB and another member had positive results with Comfort, they wanted me to change the body type so as always it does depend who you speak to.

Others to try are LV and Safeguard and there are many more specialist insurers.

The thing to make sure of is that they know the Marco Polo is a motor caravan with MPV as body type on the V5, a Mercedes version of a VW California is how I explained it, and it has a fridge, cooker bed elevating roof etc. The insurance should adequately cover all the gear you plan to carry, camping equipment, bedding clothing etc. You may have house contents insurance that covers possession out of the house, but best to have it on the car I feel.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
Samebutdifferent said:
Hi and :Welcome:

I have had a quote from AIB and another member had positive results with Comfort, they wanted me to change the body type so as always it does depend who you speak to.

Others to try are LV and Safeguard and there are many more specialist insurers.

The thing to make sure of is that they know the Marco Polo is a motor caravan with MPV as body type on the V5, a Mercedes version of a VW California is how I explained it, and it has a fridge, cooker bed elevating roof etc. The insurance should adequately cover all the gear you plan to carry, camping equipment, bedding clothing etc. You may have house contents insurance that covers possession out of the house, but best to have it on the car I feel.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Click to expand...
That is great thank you - will let you know how we get on.
 
My best price was Performance direct and included a tracker nano. However I wouldn't recommend them purely on how they reacted to my v5 issue. Now insured with safeguard.
 
Vandolfthegrey said:
Hi all.
Just a warning to all regarding insurance.
I told my campervan insurance (performance direct/zenith) that the v5 was wrong stating mpv not camper.
They immediately cancelled my policy and refused to wait until I could change the v5. Even with a letter stating it was incorrect. I even got charged £50 cancellation fee! So effectively I've been driving around with insufficient insurance.
I managed to get insurance elsewhere but it was a very complicated 4 hours worth of phone calls and emails. It's now been sorted but it was a pretty horrendous afternoon. Mercedes have agreed to pay the difference in insurance. Can you imagine if I had to make a claim?!
So for peace of mind, I'd check your insurance is happy with what is on your v5.
**all new MP will now be registered as PLG/campervan
Click to expand...
My MP is a 2019. Just after purchase and reading the MP was listed as a MPV I contacted the DVLA quoted what they have on their website as to what constitutes a camper, sent them photos of ; cooker, fridge, bed, pop up roof in the up and down position , table, and the storage areas. They issued me with a new V5 stating the vehicle is a Camper van. Insured through Comfort who are brilliant, I sent them a copy of my new V5 and they were happy to insure me as a campervan.
 
I agree, however their stance has changed. See attached. I was very clear that this was not a conversion and that current identical models are being registered as campervans.
20210420133928857.jpg
 
Eric Robinson said:
This is the DVLA's own checklist which is the very same version of the one I used to support my application. According to their own rules the MP is a camper van/motor home as it meets all the criteria that they themselves publish. If it quacks like a duck etc.
Click to expand...

What graphics did you put on either side of the vehicle?

I think your application got to the right person and you were very lucky:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RFT
RFT said:
I agree, however their stance has changed. See attached. I was very clear that this was not a conversion and that current identical models are being registered as campervans.
View attachment 1436
Click to expand...
Oh dear. I'd have thought the presence of the pop top, hook up socket, side window, side awning and various waste pipes would suffice.... time will tell
 
Vandolfthegrey said:
Oh dear. I'd have thought the presence of the pop top, hook up socket, side window, side awning and various waste pipes would suffice.... time will tell
Click to expand...

It did surffice, but in recent years there have been so many applications to amend the body type where the vehicle isn't easily recognisable as a motor caravan. Because of this they have been much more strict and are enforcing the Graphics and high top rule.

So contrary to what @Eric Robinson says the MP doesn't meet the requirements on two counts. It does quack, but the quack is that of an MPV ;)

It's a different matter with the first registration, MB and VW could and should have done it right in the first place.
 
The rules have changed in regard to registering a van as a camper van. I am not sure when but it is very difficult to convert a van to a camper van and the get the DVLA to register it as a camper van. I think I read somewhere that the idea was that in an emergency people could recognise the fact that it was a camper van so may have gas bottles on board. Also I think that they won’t consider a pop top roof as being a hi top vehicle.
That said if MPs are marked down on the V5 as an MPV then this might be because the DVLA are trying to do away with the motor home classification. It would be interesting to know if Mercedes classify the MP as a camper van or MPV.
Whilst it might be difficult to insure at least people on here know how to approach there insurers and ensure they have adequate cover.
Most vans are classified as N1 if they are converted to camper vans the classification cannot be changed which means they are classed as commercial vehicle so are limited to 60mph on the motorway and insurance is again difficult. N1 vehicles also have different road tax brackets.
Maybe this is why VW have introduced the Grand California.
 
My letter from MB, V5c and V70 tax rebate form (DVLA are stuck in the stone-ages relying on paper!) went in the post today so I will keep you all informed with their decision.

I think the key here is in the first registration part, which I have read elsewhere is controlled by a computer system the dealers have access to, which controls their available options. Its well documented that DVLA have pushed back on conversions in recent years changing body type. RFT it seems like the DVLA either got the wrong end of the stick (and thought you'd converted the van yourself) or worse chose to be intentionally ignorant of the fact MB made it.

The MP or VW Cali don't meet the external criteria (need to think big white box to kick enough of the points) BUT can be registered as a campervan by the dealer - VW have been doing that for a few years, although I know they have also see-sawed between MPV and Campervan registrations.
 
BobbyMillar said:
My letter from MB, V5c and V70 tax rebate form (DVLA are stuck in the stone-ages relying on paper!) went in the post today so I will keep you all informed with their decision.

I think the key here is in the first registration part, which I have read elsewhere is controlled by a computer system the dealers have access to, which controls their available options. Its well documented that DVLA have pushed back on conversions in recent years changing body type. RFT it seems like the DVLA either got the wrong end of the stick (and thought you'd converted the van yourself) or worse chose to be intentionally ignorant of the fact MB made it.

The MP or VW Cali don't meet the external criteria (need to think big white box to kick enough of the points) BUT can be registered as a campervan by the dealer - VW have been doing that for a few years, although I know they have also see-sawed between MPV and Campervan registrations.
Click to expand...
I couldn't have been more clear so 'intentionally ignorant' sounds spot on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Marco Polo Club

About us

The Mercedes Marco Polo Club is a resource for all owners and enthusiasts of Mercedes Marco Polo campervans

Our Partners

Our Websites

Back
Top