Caravan insurance

The right insurance is an essential part of being a static caravan owner and there are several key reasons why you need the best insurance in place. Static caravans are particularly vulnerable to the elements and damage caused by bad weather is a major risk. Having the right insurance will protect your static caravan against the cost of repairing damage caused by storms, flooding, lightning, frost and falling trees. As most holiday homes are left unattended at times during the year, there is also the risk of theft and damage caused by break-ins or vandalism. Aside from the threat of damage, proof of insurance might also be required by your holiday park. Some parks insist that you have a certain level of insurance cover and may ask for proof of insurance as a condition of you having a plot there.

For most caravan owners, the most important insurance cover is for the caravan itself and its contents. Also known as ‘home and contents insurance’ by some insurance companies, this covers the caravan itself, as well as the contents, against loss or damage caused by fire, lightning, storm, flooding, frost, theft, accidental loss or damage, vandalism and malicious damage and falling trees.

The cost of your static caravan insurance will depend on a variety of factors such as where your static caravan park is located (some locations are at greater risk from flooding), the value of your holiday home and contents, and the levels of cover you decide to select.

You’ll know better than most that there are risks and potential hazards when you own a holiday lodge, cabin or chalet. The weather can play a big part and is one of the main things you’ll want to protect your property against. Damage caused by vandalism, theft or break-ins can also cause worry and expense, particularly if you live far away and can’t be immediately on-hand to keep your property secure. Getting any repairs fixed quickly is also a benefit of having insurance as left exposed to the elements, the damage could quickly get worse and end up costing more to put right. Damage to your property also means that it could be out of use for a while, resulting in cancelled holidays and lost bookings, causing even more financial strain. As well financial protection and your own peace of mind, most holiday parks will make insurance a condition of your agreement with them, and you might have to provide proof of insurance each year to remain on site.

Most holiday lodge and cabin insurance policies cover the ‘basics’ of home and contents cover, including damage to the building itself and damage, loss or theft of the items within it, for example freestanding furniture and electrical goods. As well as this, most holiday home owners add extra cover for their personal possessions and sports equipment, hotel and caravan hire or loss of rent.

The price of your holiday lodge, cabin and chalet insurance policy is determined by a number of factors, including the type of property, the value, location and the levels of cover you choose.

Whilst the freedom and thrill of the open road is a major attraction for caravanners, travelling from place to place and leaving your holiday home parked and exposed to the elements can carry risks. There are the obvious weather, theft and accidental damage risks which could occur at any time and leave you with an expensive repair bill. But your caravan or caravan equipment could cause injury to another person or property damage, which could lead to expensive claims against you. Your car insurance may provide some liability cover for your touring caravan, but it's likely to be minimal so it’s advisable to check the exact cover and limitations before you start towing. Our caravan insurance would not provide any liability cover when the caravan is being towed.

Touring caravan insurance usually covers the caravan itself, the contents and any awnings from loss, damage and theft. As well as this, most touring caravan insurance includes Public Liability cover, to provide protection against any claims for injury to another person or property damage caused by your negligence.

There are certain factors which will be used to calculate your touring caravan insurance premium. The value and age of the caravan are taken into account, plus specific details about your caravan security and where it is stored.

The legal requirements have altered over the years and are based on when you passed your driving test:

Licences issued before 1st January 1997
If you passed your driving test before this date, you will automatically have categories B+E included, which means you can drive a vehicle and trailer up to a maximum combined weight of 8.25 tonnes. This generally covers most touring caravans but you should check if you are unsure.

Licences issued between 1st January 1997 and 18th January 2013
If you passed your driving test between the above dates, you will have category B on your licence. This means you can drive a vehicle up to 3,500kg and tow a trailer up to 750kg. You can tow a trailer over 750kg, providing that the combined weight of the trailer and vehicle does not exceed 3,500kg in total. To drive anything heavier than this, you will need to pass a further test to have categories B+E added to your licence.

Licences issued from 19th January 2013
You will have category B on your driving licence, which means you can tow small trailers which weigh no more than 750kg. You can tow a trailer over 750kg, as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle does not exceed 3,500kg. To drive anything heavier than this, you will need to pass a further test to have categories B+E added to your licence.

Most touring caravan insurance requires that your caravan must be secured by a chassis-receiver, wheel clamp, hub/wheel locking device, hitch lock, security post or a selection of these when not in use. You will also need to confirm where the caravan is stored, for example at a Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) approved site.

Although more rigid and more robust than traditional camping tents, trailer tents, folding campers and folding caravans are still exposed to the elements and are at risk from weather damage. Damage can also occur in transit, or whilst parked. You should also consider the risk of theft. Despite security measures, trailers by their nature are easily transportable and are often targeted by thieves.

The insurance for your trailer tent, folding camper and folding caravan will usually cover accidental damage, theft and vandalism. Public Liability is also usually included, offering cover against claims from people who may have been injured or suffered damage to their property caused by your negligence. There is also the choice of adding extra cover to protect your contents from theft and accidental damage. You might also wish to include some additional cover for any awnings that you might use with your trailer tent, folding camper or folding caravan.

As with any insurance policy, the cost will depend on a number of factors. The location, type of security devices you have and the replacement cost and of the trailer tent, folding camper or folding caravan will be used to calculate the premium. The exact cover you need and the limits you choose will also determine how much you pay for your insurance.