UK travel

One in ten drivers want to ditch their home for full-time van life

More than one-third of drivers are have shown interest in buying a campervan or motorhome following positive travel experiences this summer, a new survey has found.

The findings show that 37 per cent of people would like to buy their own leisure vehicle after spending time in one since the first lockdown in March 2020 on a staycation.

Over 40 per cent of drivers have changed their opinions on motorhomes and campervans and now find the on-the-road lifestyle more appealing.

Over one in 10 drivers have said they want to ditch their homes and commit to life on the road.

Emma Orlando has been living and working on the road during the pandemic and has praised the van life.

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She said: “When the pandemic hit and I couldn’t travel overseas anymore, I decided to explore the UK whilst running my own business.

“So far, it’s been an absolute dream parking in some beautiful spots – wild camping in Scotland was incredible, and I got to wake up in the most beautiful places.

“I wouldn’t trade the lifestyle for anything.

“If you are someone that can work remotely, I highly recommend giving it a go.”

Around 64 per cent of survey respondents think that van life is glamorised by the media after trying a trip for themselves, but many are still keen to experience more.

Peter Cook, floor manager at Sterling Insurance said: “It’s great to find that so many Britons have loved their campervan and motorhome experiences, and we expect to see interest continue to grow into 2022.

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“We think it’s exciting that many are keen to take to the road more permanently and brave the van-life.

“There has been a clear shift in people’s expectations and attitudes over the last couple of years.

“Refocusing on experiences to improve their wellbeing and quality of life.

“And we wanted to help people achieve their ambitions with our new van-life insurance.

“A policy specifically for those making a life-changing switch, and who may find it difficult to get insurance without a permanent address.”

It comes as the UK set a new record for motorhome and campervan sales in August, with 16,608 new motorhomes registered with the DVLA between July 2020 and June 2021.

It has been estimated that the total value of sales of new motorhomes is the highest it has ever been, now nearing £1.15billion per year.

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Sterling Insurance offers specific policies for modified and converted vans that can be lived in permanently.

The insurance covers all makes and models, including self-built and completely unique campervans and motorhomes.

As many drivers work remotely when living the van life, cover for personal possessions is included.

Further add-ons are available for breakdown cover, camping gear, keycare and even cover in the event of a driver misfuelling the vehicle.

With borders slowly starting to reopen for international travel, motorists can benefit from European cover for up to 90 days.

They are able to cover drivers for longer, especially when travelling in the EU, with breakdown cover also included when travelling Europe.

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