[RPCCS]

Im with Admiral so will check the policy docs, renewal due on. 22/1

[NWH]

so the next time I insure im gonna ask what the difference is in price  with the tank fitted and one price with out one fitted, then see  what difference there is if any  the main thing in my opinion is declare every thing ,as we all know any chance of an insurance company not paying out they will plus you owe  it to other road users . if you kill some one your on your own not fully covered.

So,what about a van filled with bags of cement, plaster, bricks, radiators etc? Do these people have to declare everything they anticipate that they may carry during the duration of any given policy?

It’s funny you should say this as it’s the exact thing I said to them when I was moaning about having to pay double,it’s the fact you’re have a fixed water tank in the back of the vehicle and that you are likely to be carrying it at full capacity each day.

[NWH]

If you go online and buy van insurance you’ll get it very cheap if you’ve a clean licence,there’s a section on there about what you’ll be carrying some underwriters won’t insure you if you have a fixed tank in the back,there’s a few that will but not if it’s held in with orange ratchet straps lol.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

If you go online and buy van insurance you’ll get it very cheap if you’ve a clean licence,there’s a section on there about what you’ll be carrying some underwriters won’t insure you if you have a fixed tank in the back,there’s a few that will but not if it’s held in with orange ratchet straps lol.

I think you'll find that orange ratchet straps are fine, it's when you modify your van i.e. drill holes in the floor and chassis then secure a "permanent" fixture to the van/chassis that the issue arises.
Nige, if you modify your van this way then unfortunately you have handed the insurer  a golden egg to make you pay extra for that
modification. You just have to swallow it pal without talking all kinds on complete nonsense to try and deflect from your own unfortunate situation and making a complete tool of yourself!🤣
In 18 years of insuring "unmodified" wfp
vans, I have NEVER had to pay any extra to carry a water tank- neither have I ever been refused insurance for such.👍

[Stoots]

I have never declared my tank either.

Van is not modified, i simply carry a load secured to the vans anchor points with a ratchet strap.

[NWH]

In my experience this is not the case I’ve always been asked if I have a tank permanently fixed in my van,when asked why they have said it’s the difference between us insuring you or not.
Some have offered a couple of options but only if it’s a crash tested fitted system Ionics name was mentioned by them,I know someone who used to drive around with a 1000ltr wedged into a connect LWB do you think if he’d had an accident they’d have paid out. 

[NWH]

I have never declared my tank either.

Van is not modified, i simply carry a load secured to the vans anchor points with a ratchet strap.
[/quote

[Stoots]

In my experience this is not the case I’ve always been asked if I have a tank permanently fixed in my van,when asked why they have said it’s the difference between us insuring you or not.
Some have offered a couple of options but only if it’s a crash tested fitted system Ionics name was mentioned by them,I know someone who used to drive around with a 1000ltr wedged into a connect LWB do you think if he’d had an accident they’d have paid out.

If you do your insurance online from the likes of go compare you`ll never be asked.

[NWH]

If you have a tank strapped or bolted down in the van it’s a modification if it’s going to be used for refrigeration equipment or have racking it’s a modification,all modifications must be declared or they have the right to not pay out.
If you change wheels have the vehicle re mapped it must be declared,you run the risk of you don’t tell them but you could be paying a premium for years not knowing you aren’t insured.

[NWH]

Those online policies I was told you need to be careful they’ll take you’re money is there a section on it that asked for modifications,I’m sure there is if you don’t declare any it’s lovely for them because by law they won’t have to pay you out.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Just to clarify- a tank strapped in, using the manufacturers anchor points is NOT a modification. That's what they are there for- to secure a load and the purpose of a van is to carry loads. It doesn't matter whether you insure online or not. If your van is not modified and there is no request to supply information regarding a water tank or stated within a given insurer's list of assumptions then you ARE fully insured. As FULLY insured as you Nigel.

[RPCCS]

Im with Admiral so will check the policy docs, renewal due on. 22/1

Spoke to my insurance today, mentioned the water rank and that it was not in a cage bolted to the chassis, just secured to tje loading anchor points, they said that was fine.

[֍Winp®oClean֍]

Im with Admiral so will check the policy docs, renewal due on. 22/1

Spoke to my insurance today, mentioned the water rank and that it was not in a cage bolted to the chassis, just secured to tje loading anchor points, they said that was fine.

Did you ask them to double check.... 'cos there's an industry expert on a tinternet forum says otherwise? 😬
Next time, just convince them that your van's a death trap and you may be fortunate enough to be graced with the privilege of paying through the nose for your next policy!!👍😄

[KS Cleaning]

If I didn’t mention I was carrying water I could get my policy down to 200,with a tank in the back I pay around 440.

You really want to shop around then.....I declare a bolted in water tank in my van, but prefer to use insurance companies who don’t rip you off for doing so.  A plan, Alexander Swan etc etc are having a field day!!

[EandM]

When I first tried to insure my pickup with a water tank, about a decade back, it was a no go.
If the tank was bolted down they wouldn't insure it because it was a modification.  If it wasn't bolted down it was an insecure load.

Eventually, I connected with Gladiator and Adrian Flux who found underwriters that didn't have an issue and life progressed.

In recent years, and with the increased number of WFP equipped window cleaners, the situation is much easier but there are still plenty of companies that will not insure a water tank in a vehicle.

And to clarify the point about modifications: After lengthy conversations with a number of companies, it seems that a MODIFICATION is anything that a particular insurance company doesn't like on an arbitrary basis.

Some are very balanced and reasonable and will, after disclosure insure just about anything at reasonable rates with no special conditions.
Other companies, I've argued with, consider a modification to be ANYTHING that the vehicle didn't have when it left the factory. Some have objected to window stickers, the wrong stereo, different wheels and tyres, uprated headlights etc. These companies are obviously best avoided but they are out there and there are many of them that I've dealt with.

A final thought is off road cover, only usually applicable if you have 4wd. Most companies will not cover you to go off road for the purpose of work or otherwise,  which I do daily. In my case, it had to be a specific request from me to the insurer to get cover.
Insurance companies attitudes varied from a simple "no" to a threat of the entire, annual policy being void if I were to ever drive across a field. Quite how they were going to enforce that is still a mystery
 
The insurance companies are a law to themselves and can make up their own individual and pedantic sets of terms and conditions.

All are different. Some may object to everything and others to nothing.

Everything depends on the specific company.

Just tread carefully.

[NWH]

Yeah as above tread carefully those online forms are tempting to just not tick the box.

[Pete Thompson]

This issue is not as complex as it may seem.

If your tank is INSTALLED (ie bolted to the floor of the vehicle) then that's obviously a modification.  If you don't declare that to your insurer because you think it ISN'T a modification, then you may have to justify that in court.  You'll fail.

If your tank is just strapped in with ratchet straps etc, then it may be easier to argue that it's cargo (rather than a modification) BUT if that's the case then you'll have to follow the regulations for load securing:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/load-securing-vehicle-operator-guidance/load-securing-vehicle-operator-guidance#load-securing-the-basics

In particular, section 2.7"
"The combined strength of the load restraint system must be sufficient to withstand a forwards force not less than the total weight of the load to prevent the load moving under severe braking, and half the weight of the load moving backwards and sideways."

So your rear tie-down points (as these are the ones that will take the force under severe braking) together have to be able to withstand the total weight of the load.  So if your tank is 700 Litres, they have to be able to withstand 700kg etc.

I just looked at the ones in my van, they look ok, but not particularly strong.  There's no mention of how much load they can secure in the specifications, I wonder if any testing has ever been done.

[NWH]

If you strap down with or on the anchor points in a van and you are carrying say 300ltrs upwards good luck  to you when you pardon the pun anchor up lol,Can someone please tell me how you can safley strap down 5-1000ltrs safley.
If people are saying you can do this please expalain to me how it’s done coz I’m miffed about that,I suppose someone will come on here now and say it won’t lift and be propelled forward in an instant stop accident.

[harleyman]

end of the day get the correct insurance stop gambling with saving a few quid, you all know it makes sense to get properly covered, don't forget its your livelihood your gambling with god forbid any thing happens.

[Stoots]

I think most would agree that a tank should be bolted and fitted securely through the chassis to be safe and should be declared to the insurance to cover yourself in the event of an accident.

But a lot will just buy the cheapest insurance possible and strap a tank to the anchor points even though they know its not the best thing to do, probably because they have been doing it years and never had a problem.