Van life insurance is one of those topics that most people don’t think about until something goes wrong — and by then, it’s too late. I’ve seen people lose everything because their standard vehicle policy didn’t cover full-time living, or because they assumed their contents were insured when they weren’t. This guide covers what you actually need, what to skip, and how much it costs.
Before we get into insurance, make sure you’ve budgeted for it properly — use VanCalc’s monthly budget calculator to factor in your insurance costs alongside fuel, camping, and everything else.
The Problem With Standard Vehicle Insurance
Here’s something most people don’t realise until it’s too late: your standard vehicle insurance almost certainly doesn’t cover you for full-time van life.
Most policies have a clause that excludes “habitual residence” in the vehicle. If you’re sleeping in your van every night and something happens — a break-in, a fire, an accident — and your insurer finds out you were living in it full-time, they can deny your claim entirely.
This isn’t a technicality that rarely gets enforced. Insurers ask questions when they pay out large claims, and “where do you live?” is one of them. If your address is your van and your policy says otherwise, you have a problem.
What Van Life Insurance Actually Covers
A proper van life insurance policy — sometimes called campervan insurance or converted vehicle insurance — covers things a standard policy doesn’t:
- Full-time habitual residence — you’re legally covered to live in the vehicle
- Contents inside the van — your laptop, camera, solar setup, clothes, everything you own that lives in the van
- The conversion itself — the built-in furniture, electrical system, kitchen, and fittings you’ve installed
- Adventure activities — some policies cover activities like surfing, hiking, and climbing that standard policies exclude
- Roadside assistance — for when things go wrong in the middle of nowhere (and they will, eventually)
Van Life Insurance Options in the US
Roamly — The Van Life Specialist
Roamly has become the go-to insurance option for van lifers in the US, and for good reason — it’s one of the few policies specifically designed for converted vehicles and full-time living. They understand what van life actually looks like, which means fewer coverage gaps and fewer surprises at claim time.
Policies start around $90/month and include the vehicle, your personal contents, the conversion, and roadside assistance. They also cover adventure activities, which matters if your van life involves more than just driving between coffee shops.
Get a quote before you go full-time — don’t wait until you’ve already been living in the van for three months on a standard policy.
Progressive — The Mainstream Option
Progressive offers RV and camper van policies that work for converted vehicles. More widely available than Roamly, and sometimes cheaper depending on your van and driving history. Worth getting a quote to compare.
National General
Another option popular in the van life community, especially for older or higher-mileage vans that other insurers price too high. Worth checking if your van is over 10 years old.
Van Life Insurance in Europe
Europe is more complex because you’re often crossing multiple countries, and insurance rules vary by country.
The Green Card
This is the most important thing to understand for European van life. A Green Card is an international insurance certificate that proves your vehicle is insured. Within the EU, it’s technically optional (EU policies automatically provide minimum cover in other EU states) but it’s strongly recommended — and required in some non-EU countries like Turkey, Morocco, and the Balkans.
Ask your insurer for a Green Card before leaving. Most will provide it for free. Make sure it lists every country you plan to visit.
What to Look for in a European Policy
- Coverage in all countries on your route — don’t assume EU cover includes Switzerland, Norway, or the Balkans
- Contents cover for your belongings inside the van
- Breakdown/recovery that works internationally — European breakdown can be expensive without it
- Liability cover that meets minimum requirements in each country
Check with your national insurer first — in Spain, Portugal, and many EU countries, standard insurers offer “autocaravana” or campervan categories that work well for converted vans at reasonable prices.
How Much Should You Budget?
| Coverage type | US monthly cost | Europe monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Basic converted van policy | $90–$130/mo | €70–€120/mo |
| Full coverage with contents | $130–$200/mo | €100–€180/mo |
| Roadside assistance (add-on) | $10–$20/mo | €10–€25/mo |
These numbers vary a lot based on your van’s value, your driving history, and where you’re based. Always get multiple quotes before committing.
What About Your Stuff Inside the Van?
Even if your vehicle is properly insured, your contents might not be. A $4,000 solar setup, a $1,500 laptop, a $1,200 camera — that’s real money sitting in a metal box parked in a car park overnight.
Check whether your van life policy includes contents cover and what the per-item limits are. Many policies cap individual items at $500–$1,000, which won’t cover a laptop or camera. You may need to add a rider for high-value items or get a separate contents policy.
Also worth knowing: most home contents policies become void when you move full-time into a vehicle. If you had renters insurance before van life, it probably stopped covering your belongings the moment the van became your primary residence.
The Emergency Fund — Your Other Insurance
Insurance covers the big catastrophic events. The everyday van life surprises — a blown tyre, a broken alternator, an unexpected repair — those come out of your emergency fund.
Most experienced van lifers keep 10–15% of their monthly budget as an emergency buffer. If you’re not sure what your monthly budget looks like yet, use VanCalc’s budget calculator and turn up the buffer slider — it’s one of the most useful things on the calculator for new van lifers.
A broken alternator costs $400–$800. A new tyre is $150–$300. A diesel particulate filter clean in Europe runs €500–€1,500. These aren’t rare events over months of full-time driving — they’re inevitable ones. Be ready for them.
Recommended Gear to Reduce Your Risk
Good insurance is one layer of protection. These are the others:
- CO detector (~$32) — insurers may require this if you run any combustion appliance. Either way, it’s non-negotiable.
- Fire extinguisher (~$22) — some policies require one. Costs nothing relative to what it protects.
- Dashcam (~$99) — invaluable for insurance claims. Proves what happened in an accident when it’s your word against someone else’s.
- Garmin inReach Mini (~$349) — satellite communicator for when you break down somewhere with no cell signal. SOS button, two-way messaging, peace of mind.
The Bottom Line
Van life insurance isn’t optional — it’s the thing that stands between a bad day and a financial disaster. Get a policy designed for full-time van living before you go full-time, not after. Make sure it covers your contents and your conversion, not just the vehicle itself. And keep an emergency fund for everything the policy doesn’t cover.
If you’re in the US, get a quote from Roamly first — it’s the most van-life-specific option available and the pricing is competitive. In Europe, start with your existing insurer and ask specifically about campervan conversion coverage and a Green Card.
For more on planning your full van life budget — including insurance, fuel, camping, and maintenance — use VanCalc’s free monthly budget calculator. It takes two minutes and gives you a realistic number before you commit to anything.
Related reads: How Much Does Van Life Cost Per Month? · Van Conversion Cost Breakdown · Best Vans for Van Life
