Insuring the Conversion, Not Just the Van

A mobility conversion can represent a large share of a vehicle's total value, and it is exactly the sort of equipment a standard policy is least likely to have accounted for unless somebody told it to. This page is about making sure somebody tells it.

What counts as adaptive equipment

• Lowered floors, raised roofs and modified door openings.
• Ramps and lifts, powered or manual.
• Wheelchair securement systems and transfer seating.
• Hand controls, left-foot accelerators, steering aids and pedal extensions.
• Modified driving positions and remote control systems.

Why it needs declaring

Physical damage coverage is generally built around the vehicle as delivered. A conversion performed afterward is added equipment, and if it is not declared and valued, a settlement is likely to reflect the unconverted vehicle. On a heavily converted van that is a very large gap. Declare the conversion, provide the invoice, and ask specifically how it will be valued at a total loss.

The questions that matter

1. Is the conversion included in the vehicle's insured value, or scheduled separately?
2. At a total loss, does the settlement reflect replacing the conversion or its depreciated value?
3. If the vehicle is in the shop, does the policy contemplate an accessible rental rather than a standard one? These are not interchangeable, and this question is frequently overlooked.
4. Are hand controls or other driving aids noted on the policy so there is no argument later about how the vehicle was operated?
5. Is there coverage for the equipment while it is out of the vehicle for service?

The rental point deserves emphasis

Standard rental reimbursement contemplates a standard car. If you cannot drive or ride in one, that benefit does not solve your problem. Ask before you need it what the carrier can actually arrange, and what the limit looks like against the cost of an accessible vehicle.

Documentation

Keep the conversion invoice, the installer's certification, photographs of the installed equipment, and any manufacturer documentation for the driving aids. Store it away from the vehicle. If the van is destroyed, that folder is what proves what was in it.

Adapting a vehicle you already own

Tell your insurer before the work is done rather than after. It is a much simpler conversation in advance, and it gives you time to move the policy if your current carrier is not comfortable with it.

Send us the conversion details and we will make sure the policy is covering the vehicle you actually have.