I have just returned to Landy ownership after an 18 month gap.

Got a very nice 96 110 CSW so thought I would just give my insurers, NFU Mutual, a quick ring to insure it. No chance, they would not touch anything with 11 seats. Asked them if i could just remove load space seats and then insure as 5 seater - said may be possible but would be classed as modified and they would have to speak to underwriters.

Tried half a dozen more and same story, more than seven seats a no go.

Managed to insure with Adrian Flux as modified with 5 seats.

Had an eleven seater for years with NFU with no problems.

I'm 40 with no convictions and 23 years no claims!

Anyone else had problems?

Unlike when us old g*ts passed our driving tests anything over 7 seats can't be driven on a car license anymore.
Therefore your nice 11 seat CSW is possibly classed as a mini-bus.

javert said:

Unlike when us old g*ts passed our driving tests anything over 7 seats can't be driven on a car license anymore.
Therefore your nice 11 seat CSW is possibly classed as a mini-bus.

Click to expand...

Utter bollocks, provided you're not driving for reward or profit and meet a couple of requirements then anyone with a full Category B license can drive certain minibuses.
Driving passenger carrying vehicles (PCV) on a car driving licence : Directgov - Motoring

I have been doing so for the last three years for various club trips and so on at Imperial College.

I did the insurance run-around in may with a 9 seater CSW (no front-centre as it's a cubby-box and a 300Tdi therefore 9/10 seats originally depending on spec) and found that the "Land Rover" specialists would not touch vehicles with more than 8 seats in total due to their underwriters not liking it. Other more "common" companies will accept them.

However, I do have a recollection that newer vehicles once they cross 9 seats (including driver) become reclassified as a neighbour who runs some limos has run into issues with >9 seat vehicles and their method of importation courtesy of that wonderful organisation based in Swansea...

In the crime capital of the north. Here in Manchester England. My original insurer Swinton who brokered for NIG suddenly got the colly wobbles because NIG didn't want to insure the postcode living near the bad postcoders. Hence now with Sabre through Swinton. Certainly more expensive for a 1988 Petrol 3.5 CSW 9 seater. Around £780 from £360 original quote £1200 for a 47 yr old slightly balding and clean teeth. To me this sound more the insurance companies are unwilling to see the driver and vehicle as safe bet. Now using a first time insurance method. This really should be addressed by governments on insurance policies.

NFU are not having a great year this year for LandRovers, I`d been with them 8 years but they wanted a 70 odd percent increase to premium to renew so I shopped around. Try the specialist brokers first - over the phone not on the net - Flux, Pickles, Sureterm then try a couple of commodity insurers from different groups (for example Admiral and More Than). I ended up doing a multi-car deal with Admiral, admittedly on a 9 seater but they didn`t come across as bothered in the slightest whether it had 9 or 11. Do everything over the phone though, if you were insuring a eurobox the bet would be fine

Try a different NFU office , my 86 110 CSW 3.9i V8 5 seats with lots of mods £220 fully comp full ncb rural oxfordshire with NFU (have been for years) 3 other vehs with them mature gent own teeth and hair ! From experience with minibuses (LDV's) found specialist minibus trade insurers are cheapest

javert said:

Unlike when us old g*ts passed our driving tests anything over 7 seats can't be driven on a car license anymore.
Therefore your nice 11 seat CSW is possibly classed as a mini-bus.

Click to expand...

Ooops seems I got my numbers wrong, that'll teach me to try and remember things without looking at the license first.

Car license (B) allows you to drive upto 8 seats, not including the driver and a goods vehicle upto 3.5 tons.

When us old g*ts passed our tests we automatically got class C&D entitlement, goods vehicle upto 7.5 tons (C) and passenger vehicle upto 16 seats not including driver (D). Our class D entitlement allows us do drive an 11 seat CSW without having to take another test.

Sorry for the confusion caused.

Try them again - I'm with NFU- my beast is classed as a 12 seater - 3 front, 3 middle and two bench seats = I've had no problems insuring it with them.

When they tried to increase the premium by a lot last year- just questioned them a bit and hinted that I might look elsewhere and got quote for only a small increase from previous year