This blog discusses what you need to know when getting a static caravan insurance quote including special considerations when choosing your cover.
The static caravan
A static caravan is one that typically doesn’t do much travelling. It’s parked onto a single location, the wheels (if any) are then jacked off the ground and the caravan securely anchored.
It is typically used for holidays and breaks, amounting to a few weeks or perhaps months over a year as a whole.
It is not permanently occupied nor is it anyone’s permanent place of residence.
These are all-important facets of a typical insurance definition and will be implicit (or perhaps stated more clearly) in a static caravan insurance quote.
We will gladly use our expertise to help you understand whether your particular caravan is covered by the standard static caravan definition.
Your static caravan insurance quote
A static caravan is perhaps not at significant risk of a road traffic accident given that it is largely sited in one place, but it does stand at risk in other classic areas. Therefore, your static caravan insurance quotation should typically outline cover for you against:
- various forms of natural disasters arising from the elements;
- fire and flood;
- burglary and theft; and
- the sometimes-overlooked risks of third party liability claims (where someone holds you responsible for injury or property damages they’ve sustained as a result of your caravan).
Limitations
Your quotation may also highlight specific things that it wishes to bring to your attention. These may be terms and conditions, exclusions or opportunities – perhaps a mixture of all. These may be:
- terms and conditions – the basis of the quotation that’s being put forward and that may include your obligations if you accept the quote and purchase cover;
- exclusions – things that the policy will not cover;
- opportunities – some policies may offer cost reductions if you take certain actions such as fitting alarms etc.
It is sometimes easy to regard these as ‘the small print’ and to skip over them. That may be a mistake and it’s typically advisable to read these conditions etc closely.
Comparing static caravan insurance quotes
Depending upon the age of your static caravan, you may expect to see quite different results when you compare one static caravan insurance quote against another.
One possible reason for this may be due to the fact that, when it comes to static caravan insurance, UK providers may use different age-based criteria when working out specific features of caravan cover.
For example, new for old replacement provision may typically be based on criteria relating to the age of your static and the number of owners it has had:
- some policies may have the age limit set to three years if you have been the sole owner since new;
- other policies may have a higher age limit of five years, reserving the three year limit for static caravans which have had more than one owner;
- the value you choose to insure your static for, will determine the level of new for old replacement that you may be eligible for – as a general rule, the insurance value should reflect the current purchase price of your static caravan.
Differences such as this may have a major effect on your claim, if your static caravan were to be damaged beyond the point where repairing it made economic sense.
Considerations when choosing your static home insurance
You may also wish to bear a couple of points in mind when reviewing your static caravan insurance quote:
- if your caravan is your primary place of residence then static caravan insurance is not the product you need;
- specific park home insurance policies exist, which take account of the different conditions and values that typically prevail when considering insurance for your permanent rather than your holiday home.
Awnings
Another area where one static caravan insurance quote may differ from another is in the cover provided for awnings.
Some policies may not cover these at all. Others do though but you may find that this cover may be conditional on you following some common-sense precautions.
So, for example, storm damage may only be covered if you are present at your static when it happens. Stowing your awning away, whenever you are not present at your static, may typically therefore only be good practice. Read more: Guide to Awnings.
Look out for static home insurance discounts
If you have a static caravan, you may be looking for the most appropriate static caravan insurance without having to break the bank to put it in place.
You may find that there are providers of insurance for statics such as ourselves at Cover4Caravans who may be able to offer you opportunities for discounts, which may help you to keep the costs of cover for your caravan as budget-friendly as possible.
Static safety
The risks that a static caravan may face differ from those of a tourer but it may still be possible to find static caravan insurance offering discounts if:
- you can use a static site where there is a good history when it comes to being flood free;
- your static caravan site has a round the clock supervisory presence;
- your caravan is fitted with an alarm system and approved door and window locks.
Excesses
You may also find that discounts on your static caravan insurance may be available if you can agree to accept a higher excess on your policy. This may mean that, in the event of a claim, you may have to pay a higher amount. But you may find this may be more than covered by the reduced premiums up to the point you made the claim.
Do I have to buy my static caravan insurance from the site provider?
In most cases, you are not obliged to buy your static home cover from the site owner. They may require proof that you are adequately insured before allowing access to their site and they may even charge you an administration fee for processing your policy.
If this is the case, you may find that, provided you have shopped around for your static caravan insurance quote, your own-sourced static home policy may still represent a more cost-effective option for you.
Next steps
Once you have read your static caravan insurance quote and considered how it may apply to your specific situation, then you’re ready to make your selection and purchase the insurance. Or, if you prefer, why not call one of our friendly Cover4Caravans team, who will be happy to help you find cost-effective, appropriate cover?