What is lodge, cabin and chalet insurance?

Whether you’re enjoying adventure-filled weekends away with your loved ones or earning an income from renting out to others doing the same, there’s an immense sense of freedom and joy that comes with owning a holiday home, such as a lodge, cabin or chalet.

However, it also comes with its fair share of risk. Although the average owner typically only spends three to four weeks in their holiday home each year, lodges, cabins and chalets remain potentially vulnerable to things like theft and damage all year round.

That’s where lodge, cabin and chalet insurance comes in.

What is lodge, cabin and chalet insurance?

Lodge, cabin and chalet insurance is a form of financial protection that covers your lodge, cabin or chalet against the risks associated with ownership.

For example, let’s say…

• your lodge is damaged in bad weather, meaning you’re unable to visit or you have to cancel bookings
• your holiday home is broken into and vandalised, and some of your possessions are stolen while you’re not using it

Specialist lodge, cabin and chalet insurance can step in to help cover the costs you may incur as a result of repair work or—in the worst-case scenarios—a complete replacement.

It’s designed to give holiday home owners peace of mind and protect them and their investment should the worst happen.

Read more: Lodge Insurance Booklet

What does lodge, cabin and chalet insurance cover?

Lodge, cabin and chalet insurance can cover you and your holiday home for various scenarios and eventualities.

Most policies will cover the building itself and its contents as standard, plus Public Liability to protect you in the event of third-party claims.

Through Ripe, lodge, cabin and chalet insurance covers the following as standard:

• building and contents (including theft and damage)
• new-for-old replacement (for holiday homes up to 10 years old)
• £2m worth of public liability (you can choose to upgrade to more)
• underground services (including accidental damage to underground pipes and cables)

However, if you’re in the market for this type of insurance, one thing you might want to be wary of is pre-bundled packages. These can often leave you paying for additional cover you might not necessarily need or benefit from.

For example, if you don’t own any sports equipment, there would be no reason for you to be paying for its cover as part of your lodge premium.

At Ripe, however, we believe you should only ever pay for the cover you need. That’s why when you take out a policy through us, you’re presented with a list of optional extras that you can add to your policy if you need to. If you don’t need them, simply leave them out.

Optional extras through Ripe include:

• personal possessions
• upgraded public liability up to £3m or £5m
• rental cover and loss of rent
• temporary accommodation
• no claims protection
• legal expenses
• sports equipment

For a much more in-depth guide on what lodge, cabin and chalet insurance through Ripe covers and what you can choose to add on top, check out our separate blog here as well as the Lodge Insurance Booklet we mentioned earlier.

Why should I consider lodge, cabin and chalet insurance?

As we’ve already discussed, the freedom and excitement that comes with owning a holiday lodge, cabin or chalet is second to none, but like anything—it’s sadly not risk-free.

Your holiday home is more exposed to the elements than a bricks-and-mortar home, especially if made predominantly from wood. The materials used to build lodges, cabins, and chalets mean the risk of damage from things like storms, floods, and cold snaps can be greater.

That’s why you might want to consider taking out lodge, cabin and chalet insurance to protect you should the worst happen. Theft and damage are covered as standard through Ripe to give you peace of mind year-round.

For further reading, visit:

• Holiday cabin insurance
• Holiday chalet insurance
• Lodge Insurance Booklet

How much does lodge, cabin and chalet insurance cost?

Several factors are at play when determining the cost of insuring your lodge, cabin or chalet through Ripe. These include:

• your holiday home’s age
• its location
• security measures in place
• the value of your holiday home and its contents
• your chosen level of cover
• your no claims bonus

The easiest way to price up your policy is to get an online quote.

Specialist lodge, cabin and chalet insurance through Ripe

For peace of mind when it comes to your holiday home, you might want to consider specialist insurance.

Through Ripe, you can choose cover that protects your holiday home from theft, loss, or damage up to the value of £500k and your Public Liability up to £5m.

If you bought your lodge, cabin, or chalet new and it’s less than 10 years old, it can also be covered on a new-for-old basis, so you never have to worry about losing out on your investment.

Click here to learn more, or get an instant online quote today.