litium and insurance quotes

[roadroamer]

Just a quick question my ins is due in 14 days time, so as you do, you start shopping around for quotes, fill in all the questions same as last year and got good prices! then filled in again and declared I have had fitted solar panels and changed over to lithium leisure batteries the premium jumped up by £120 per year. was also told if lithium batteries are not declared and I am involved in a accident my ins will be null void, any body come across this or do I just pay up? this was quoted to me by Jack at AIB insurance and I know a lot of us in Motorhomer use AIB ins

 

[Molly 3]

I asked my nsurance company is it OK to fit solar panels the reply no problem if professional fitted

 

[Carrerasax]

Just had a letter from Scenic 0333 035 8998 claiming to be the bees knees for MH cover. 15 days too late for me
I know nothing about them
I wonder if they are

 

[St3v3]

IIRC @Admin had contact with someone in insurance who said lithium won't matter. Phil?

 

[RichardHelen262]

I was asked on my last renewal if I had fitted lithium batteries, as it happens I haven’t,

 

[wildebus]

A lot of the Leisure Vehicle insurance rules tend to take their cues from Marine Insurance.
The following is a copy of what one of my customers sent me when he raised the question prior to fitting some Fogstar batteries on his boat....

I have some good news: My boat insurance company have given me the go ahead. They said "As Lithium Batteries are relatively new on boats the information and expertise is limited. The Insurance market is currently working with the British Marine federation to try to get some clear guidelines in place which will assist all parties involved. You appear to have more than adequate experience in lithium batteries. Whilst the information we currently have is that the marine experts do not encourage mixing battery types we have to bow to your better judgement. As you state, technology is moving and improving all the time. We are happy to confirm that your insurance cover will remain in force".

I guess the last sentence is the important one!

When I had self-builds, the insurance companies had no interest in the type of batteries fitted any more than the brand of gas stove. All they wanted to know and cared about was if the mechanical parts of the base vehicle had been altered.

 

[TimTom]

A lot of the Leisure Vehicle insurance rules tend to take their cues from Marine Insurance.
The following is a copy of what one of my customers sent me when he raised the question prior to fitting some Fogstar batteries on his boat....

I have some good news: My boat insurance company have given me the go ahead. They said "As Lithium Batteries are relatively new on boats the information and expertise is limited. The Insurance market is currently working with the British Marine federation to try to get some clear guidelines in place which will assist all parties involved. You appear to have more than adequate experience in lithium batteries. Whilst the information we currently have is that the marine experts do not encourage mixing battery types we have to bow to your better judgement. As you state, technology is moving and improving all the time. We are happy to confirm that your insurance cover will remain in force".

I guess the last sentence is the important one!

When I had self-builds, the insurance companies had no interest in the type of batteries fitted any more than the brand of gas stove. All they wanted to know and cared about was if the mechanical parts of the base vehicle had been altered.

Interesting and thanks.

I think with boats (and unlike the vehicle MOT) the BSS is able to comment on things like hybrid battery setups and so why some insurance Co's get cold feet around saying yes when the BSS doesn't directly endorse such things.

"Don’t mix and match

Different battery chemistries should not be connected in parallel or in series. This is because the load characteristics and capabilities of these batteries are drastically different which can lead to safety issues.

Tell your insurer

If you install lithium-ion batteries and/or battery systems on your vessel, you must tell your insurer, or risk being left uninsured in the event of an incident."

 

[nabsim]

Lithium-ion is a very different beast to what most people on here refer to as lithium, (lifepo4)

 

[TimTom]

Lithium-ion is a very different beast to what most people on here refer to as lithium, (lifepo4)

Agreed ... but I think because 'lithium' is used as a general term, bodies like the BSS and Ins Co's are just very wary of it in general?

 

[wildebus]

Lithium-ion is a very different beast to what most people on here refer to as lithium, (lifepo4)

Indeed so.
I would not install any [currently available] Lithium Batteries other than LiFePO4 Batteries in any Boat or Motorhome.

And that reply from the insurance company would have been in response to a question regarding the installation of LiFePO4 Lithium Batteries I can guarantee as I don't support any other kind of Lithium Battery in the Hybrid setups.

 

[gasgas]

By hybrid setups do you mean a lead acid battery for the engine starter and Lifpo for the habitation, or do you mean one lead acid plus one Lifpo in parallel in the habitation? LA + Lifpo in the hab area makes no sense but I guess some people will do it. Likewise you wouldn't fit a lifpo to the engine would you?
I suppose if we are getting paranoid about what insurance companies will use to get out of paying, we will have to declare that we have a spare wheel fitted, where it was not in the original manufacturer's spec. Anyway who was the original manufacturer? Fiat or Autotrail? I am being biased towards NFU insurance because I think they are a sensible outfit. I am paying them £996 pa (£83 / month) for my £70,000 Autosleeper plus my mercedes benz car, and they don't charge any extra for monthly payments. They didn't ask any silly questions when I took it out, so far as I recall. They paid to rebuild my father in law's farmhouse when it blew up from a gas escape - which in my opinion knowing father in law, and me being a retired gas man, I suspect was due to them being negligent in servicing and/or doing some farmer-type of mod to the gas system.

 

[Frogman]

Another vote for NFU Mutual. I asked specifically about lithium batteries and they were not a consideration. NFU were recommended to me by the owner of a motorhome repair company in Bawtry, who'd had a similar major claim paid out promptly. I shall add the car when it's renewal time.

 

[Hymer Snobs]

Another vote for NFU, as well as all the above they also will issue a green card for Morocco at no extra cost or time limit