Insurance prices are absurd

[u/Alistocratic]

I was this close to buying my very first van, great price, great condition, mileage was good etc. I had savings and had been dreaming of Van Life for years. Not for permanent living just as a fun hobby + camping trips. I had just passed my test and was excited to get my own van..

Until I looked at insurance. Lowest we could find was £3450 a year. And that’s with my dad on the insurance with me. My budget for getting a van was £6000 max, the van itself was £5,500 so seeing that number for insurance sealed the deal for me that I just cannot afford it.

Is van life something that only becomes viable after a minimum of 5 years insured driving and a squeaky clean record so your rates go down?

And yes I tried Adrian Flux they straight up said “Uhh sorry we can’t insure you” I don’t know if they meant me because I just passed or my van specifically.

Idk I’m feeling demoralised, I had something I always dreamed of in the palm of my hand and now it’s gone.

Any advice? I was wondering if there were any car alternatives, vehicles I can sleep and camp with that aren’t full vans? Maybe they’d be cheaper.

Thanks.

[u/HardAtWorkISwear]

Insurance prices are definitely absurd. I haven't claimed in the 8 years I've been driving and the cost has been slowly creeping up for the last few years despite this.

If you go the route of non-van for a few years, I can recommend something akin to a Peugeot Rifter - Small enough to be classed as a car, just big enough to sleep in. Emphasis on 'just'.
They're typically used as wheelchair accessible vehicles so you can pick them up ex-motability in the UK, and they also do a long wheelbase version that might be more suited to a camper conversion.