[martin hulstone]

Yeah but chum bucket, they work for the council and you bet it is notified on there insurance

[PoleKing]

He crashed his van(v vivaro swb) trying to avoid a badger in bolton. When the insurance company(Swinton) did an investigation they found he was carrying a 500 ltr non baffled tank which had been set up by himself. Because he had failed to notify them of modifications to his vehicle ie water tank, electrics in the rear on a split charge relay and the carrying of a gas cannister which they viewed as for daily work use they refused to pay out.
He seeked proffesional advise but was un succesfull in his appeal.

I wonder if it was the gas as opposed to the tank...

[ChumBucket]

He crashed his van(v vivaro swb) trying to avoid a badger in bolton. When the insurance company(Swinton) did an investigation they found he was carrying a 500 ltr non baffled tank which had been set up by himself. Because he had failed to notify them of modifications to his vehicle ie water tank, electrics in the rear on a split charge relay and the carrying of a gas cannister which they viewed as for daily work use they refused to pay out.
He seeked proffesional advise but was un succesfull in his appeal.

1. he's a muppet for using a none baffled tank

2. he's obviously modified his van (I haven't)

3. he's a bigger muppet for not declaring the modifications

 

[Arnold Palmer]

My two cents:

I have had a vehicle written off. It had tanks in the back, a split charge system, fixed hose reels, and other non standard "modifications", none of which were ever mentioned. Not when I was getting a quote nor when the loss adjuster was inspecting the wreckage. They paid out without issue. The word modification was never uttered.

Personally I believe that tanks are tools of our trade. Fixing them in is only sensible.

I would never lie to an insurance company, but vans are designed to carry stuff. Carrying a tank is not a modification, whether you've fixed it in or not.

[CleanClear]

He crashed his van(v vivaro swb) trying to avoid a badger in bolton.

No way !!!

[Arnold Palmer]

He crashed his van(v vivaro swb) trying to avoid a badger in bolton. When the insurance company(Swinton) did an investigation they found he was carrying a 500 ltr non baffled tank which had been set up by himself. Because he had failed to notify them of modifications to his vehicle ie water tank, electrics in the rear on a split charge relay and the carrying of a gas cannister which they viewed as for daily work use they refused to pay out.
He seeked proffesional advise but was un succesfull in his appeal.

I wonder if it was the gas as opposed to the tank...

Why would that be? I can't see an issue with the gas either, roofers carry gas, do they need to tell their insurance company?

[martin hulstone]

I didn t say it was an issue solely with gas, i just said it was a number of issues. But generally builders dont have gas bottles fitted up to heaters. I Think the main thing was that he had a non baffled tank from a diy set up that he hadn t declared. He doesn t window clean anymore but i will get in touch with him and find out for definate his insurance refusal.
Whilst we are on the subject insurance company s will try and get out of any pay outs, if you had an accident with say for instance insufficient on your tyres they would not pay out! I just think its best to declare everything to know you are covered.

[ChumBucket]

I didn t say it was an issue solely with gas, i just said it was a number of issues. But generally builders dont have gas bottles fitted up to heaters. I Think the main thing was that he had a non baffled tank from a diy set up that he hadn t declared. He doesn t window clean anymore but i will get in touch with him and find out for definate his insurance refusal.
Whilst we are on the subject insurance company s will try and get out of any pay outs, if you had an accident with say for instance insufficient on your tyres they would not pay out! I just think its best to declare everything to know you are covered.

Martin, you're making it up as you go along. In that case, the insurance company would have to establish that the tyres were a factor in the accident. I also think your mate only exists in your head!!

[martin hulstone]

No mate, your insurance states that your vehicle must be in a road worthy condition. I pop onto here once in a while to seek advise and try to give advise, ive been a window cleaner for 20 years and am just trying to give honest advise. I aint a glory hunter.

[PoleKing]

He crashed his van(v vivaro swb) trying to avoid a badger in bolton. When the insurance company(Swinton) did an investigation they found he was carrying a 500 ltr non baffled tank which had been set up by himself. Because he had failed to notify them of modifications to his vehicle ie water tank, electrics in the rear on a split charge relay and the carrying of a gas cannister which they viewed as for daily work use they refused to pay out.
He seeked proffesional advise but was un succesfull in his appeal.

I wonder if it was the gas as opposed to the tank...

Why would that be? I can't see an issue with the gas either, roofers carry gas, do they need to tell their insurance company?

I think so, though I don't know.

[martin hulstone]

Ps theres no need to be nasty calling me a liar, i havent said a bad word about you, i have just aired my views drawing on my experience. This is supposed to be a forum, lets keep it friendly.

[ChumBucket]

Ps theres no need to be nasty calling me a liar, i havent said a bad word about you, i have just aired my views drawing on my experience. This is supposed to be a forum, lets keep it friendly.

Yes but lets keep it sensible. If your car was parked up & damaged by a hit & run, the insurance company would not be able to justify not paying out on the policy just because the tyres might have illegal tread. The tyres would have had no influence on the claim.

People are stating that vans are modified when they are CLEARLY NOT.

[Mike #1]

That suprises me, if it is used every day it is a permanent fixture, guess  every insurance company is different. I personnaly feel happier knowing it is disclosed. I should imagine the fact it is strapped/bolted down makes it a permanent fixture?

If you bolt the tank down, in a metal frame then this would be viewed as permanent-  You have made it a "permanent" fixture & it would be very difficult to argue otherwise.

However, I can whip my tank out in approx 10 minutes & do just this now & then if I need to carry large items (IKEA etc.) So this isn't a "permanent" fixture. Any rational, normal human being would agree with this.

So your tank is in your van almost 365 days of the year regardless if it can taken out at anytime so can a bolted in tank and it's connected to a delivery pump and battery etc but it's not a permanent fixture or mod

It's almost like saying your home is not a permanent residence because you go away on holiday 2 weeks a year

Are you REALLY so stupid, or are you drunk?

I neither stupid or drunk neither do I chose to throw cheap insults in the playground , I like other people have made the insurance companies fully aware that I have a strapped in tank .

I would rather be safe than sorry I don't believe I am paying extra for having a tank in my pickup , but every insurance company can be different so I don't want to run the risk of losing out on more than £10,000 on a hope

[martin hulstone]

Thats a fair point, i meant if you were the cause of an accident. I was just stating that an insurance company will always try and find a reason not to pay out and a term of your insurance is that your vehicle must be maintained to a road worthy state to validate your insurance. the tyres was just an example.

[Mike #1]

Over recent years things have changed but just over 3 years when I informed direct line I was considering strapping a 400ltr tank  my pickup they said the day I did that they would not insure me .

I believe honesty is always the best policy rather than keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I am insured in the event of an accident

[ChumBucket]

Thats a fair point, i meant if you were the cause of an accident. I was just stating that an insurance company will always try and find a reason not to pay out and a term of your insurance is that your vehicle must be maintained to a road worthy state to validate your insurance. the tyres was just an example.

I know, it's a reasonable argument but people seem to think that insurance companies can just choose willy nilly what they will pay out or not and that isn't the case.

[cgh window cleaning]

Every time I have renewed my insurance they always ask if there is a tank in the back with some stating they would not insure me if there was.

But on the other side to this debate I had a friend help me out on a job who has a bolted in van mount system,he did not put the hand brake on properly and the van crashed in to two parked cars.
The tank and system was not declared and his insurance still paid out.

It's down to the individual if you want to declare your system or not every one is different there are thousands of trad window cleaners driving round in the wife/family car who have not declared it for business use.

I do thing we as window cleaners we get a harsh deal when it comes to insurance.
A builder can carry a ton of lose gravel or 1ton of concrete lintels with a mixer on the back of a flat bed truck and they don't get penalised.