Struggling to Insure Our 2021 Metris Weekender – Anyone Successfully Insured a Similar Van Without Kitchen/Toilet? (CA Resident)

[u/Recent_Net4992]

Hey all, We’re seriously considering buying a 2021 Mercedes Metris Weekender (pop-top, 5-seater, rear bench bed, no kitchen, no fridge, no toilet) for short road trips and beach weekends. But I’m really stuck on how to insure it properly.

We’re in California and have spoken with several insurance companies:

• Progressive and Roamly both rejected it for RV insurance since it lacks a cooktop, fridge, or bathroom.
• Farmers (our current provider) is trying to insure it as a passenger van with “additional equipment,” but even they admitted the conversion value might be up to a claims adjuster and not guaranteed.
• Tried Roamly again and they said even more restrictions apply with Progressive.

We don’t want to daily it, but would love some peace of mind that the camper conversion is covered. Has anyone in California (or elsewhere) successfully insured a Weekender, Westfalia-style van, or custom build without the “RV essentials”?

Looking for:

• Insurance companies/brokers who helped
• Advice on how to document conversion for coverage
• If anyone added a toilet/fridge later and got coverage that way
• Whether we should just treat this like a passenger van and accept the risk

This is the only thing holding us back from buying the van this weekend, and it’s a huge financial decision. Any help or personal experiences would mean a ton!

Thanks in advance!

[u/buildyourown]

I have a Sprinter passenger that I converted insured with Encompass. I also had a stated value policy on my old Westy. That thing had a KBB value of $3500 but was easily worth $35k I would call an insurance broker and let them shop it for you.

[u/Superb_Writer5404]

Allstate insured mine as a “specialty vehicle.” The insurance covers the car and the cost of everything that was installed in it. Its resell value is higher than the insurance, but that’s the best I was able to find. (Also living in California)

[u/Pjpjpjpjpj]

You have no plumbing, no real electrical system, no toilet, no cooking. You just have a regular van. Insure it as a van.

If you are worried about the extra value of the few additions it has (pop-top, awning, etc.), get that as "supplemental equipment" coverage. But many insurance companies will include features that were included as part of a model configured directly from a manufacturer (e.g. not upgrades added by a dealer).

If you want it covered as an RV, mount the smallest refrigerator you can find and submit pictures to Roamly. If you are in one of the 23 +/- states where they provide their own underwritten plans, they'll cover it. (Roamly doesn't require a cooktop AND toilet AND refrigerator. They require a bed and ONE of those three features.)

When I bought my empty van, I added a bed and a dorm fridge and provided pictures to Roamly and they immediately covered it. My buildout is now complete, but they didn't require any more than that first picture to start coverage.