AXA refusing DOC insurance on 'Van'

AdrianC

looknohands wrote: »

The vehicle is 10 years old and has always been a people carrier. It's under 8 seats.

The vehicle class is M1, the body-type is 'Minibus', VW Transporter T30 174.
Maybe mini-bus means it had over 8 seats at one point?

8 plus driver - so 9 total. That's the breakpoint for type approval - and for driving licence categories. 10+ seats would be D rather than B, with various other requirements in place.

A T5 will have had 8 seats (7+d) from new - two front, three mid, three rear. It's M1. It's legally no different to any other people carrier from a Ford Galaxy up.

A bit of a minefield, I was wondering if there's any official guidance I can show AXA, the fact the government says it's M1 seems like it's a 'car'.

Depends if the final say is in the hands of the insurer, seems as though they could say my Golf is a van if they liked and what could I do about it!

I suspect they're just picking up on "VW Transporter" and going "Oooh, van". It isn't. It's a sprogbus. You're covered. Send them a copy of the V5C. If that doesn't work, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman.

looknohands

As far as I'm aware it never had more seats, or seats removed, but I'm not the owner.

It's current classification is M1 on the V5, which is a vehicle with less than 8 seats, i've driven it a few times and it's never had more than 8 seats.

I looked up the body-type on AutoTrader which said 'minibus', I don't have the V5 the owner has it. But I'll check with the owner what the V5 says regarding body-type exactly as maybe that was re-classified.

Franz_Ferdinand

Did you speak to a uk call centre?

I've just been on axa's site, they can't find a VW T5 on a reg number, but they allow you to input a transporter in car type and have a list of drop down options. One being a Shuttle with 8 seats.

Someone in the claims centre doesn't know their job.

looknohands

It was a UK call centre calling me, as the third party had attempted to make a claim from the details that I gave him. If I'm honest am a little surprised by the lack of support in the call, it's left me in a vulnerable position. Seems insurance customer service goes as far as selling you the policy, when you need them to help with an incident you no longer feel like a customer, no advice at all.

Appreciate all the comments and have logged a case complaint with AXA requesting guidance and clarification on vehicle classes, if the V5 says M1 it's a car from what I've read, but it seems like a grey area.

Will await their response and update

rs65

What is the exact wording on your certificate for DOC?

looknohands

This is the wording below, which states 'car', the issue is classification between a passenger vehicle being a van or a car from insurers POV and whether this is based on governments vehicle classes. I had always thought of a people carriers as cars, not vans, hence why I've been driving it under my DOC... The vehicle type approval is M1 on the V5, the same as my VW Golf (which is a 'car'). A mini-bus is M2, a light goods van is N1.

Provided the person driving holds a licence to drive the car or has held
and is not disqualified from holding or obtaining such a licence.
The policyholder only may also drive a car not owned by them or hired to
them under a hire purchase agreement and which is not used in
connection with the motor trade provided:
l The owner of the car has valid insurance in force on that car which does
not cover the policyholder on this policy to drive that car.
l The owner of the car has given the policyholder permission to drive it.
l The car is driven within the territorial limits of this policy.
l The car is used within the limitations of use shown below.

rs65

looknohands wrote: »

the issue is classification between a passenger vehicle being a van or a car from insurers POV and whether this is based on governments vehicle classes.

I think the mention of van is a red herring. If its M1 then its a car.

The complication is that the body type shows minibus. AXA DoC specifically says it doesn't apply to minibuses (and vans). What is the taxation class?

societys_child

I thought DOV or DOC was usually third party cover only, so if the VW is also damaged, the owner would have to claim on his own fully comp insurance anyway.

Franz_Ferdinand

societys_child wrote: »

I thought DOV or DOC was usually third party cover only, so if the VW is also damaged, the owner would have to claim on his own fully comp insurance anyway.

Except the drivers not covered under that policy.

rs65

Try VW and see what they say. (doesn't help that they sell them from their van centres)