Comparing touring caravan insurance

Even if you are a seasoned touring caravanner and have few complaints about your current insurance deal, it is still likely to be worth your while comparing the alternative touring caravan insurance policies currently on the market.

That’s because nothing ever stays entirely the same.

For example, over the years you might have:

  • changed your caravan – you may have spent money refurbishing it;
  • changed how and where you use your caravan;
  • if you have more time to yourself these days, then you may take longer holidays than previously and venture further afield – does your existing policy still offer value in terms of cover outside of the UK and are your annual estimates for days abroad and mileage still accurate;
  • perhaps if you have moved house, you may now be able to park your tourer in your driveway rather than leave it parked on the street;
  • if your caravan is being kept in a more secure location when not in use, you could see a reduction in your touring caravan’s insurance premium – and here at Cover4Caravans, we will be pleased to offer a discount of up to 20% on your touring caravan insurance if you choose such a CaSSOA-approved site;
  • you might have improved the security of your caravan by fitting a tracking device and possibly an alarm system – these changes may all result in lower premiums (If you compare insurance for touring caravans, you may find that some policies insist on some types of security as mandatory, such as the use of wheel clamps and hitchlocks in certain circumstances);
  • if you are on a touring holiday in your caravan and breaks down, you potentially have lost not only your means of transport, but you may also have lost your holiday accommodation – so, when you compare touring caravan insurance, you may wish to review the provision your current policy makes for these circumstances against what may be available elsewhere.

These are just some of the very many changes that may have happened over the years, any of which may have a bearing on your caravan insurance. Before you buy any kind of insurance, including your touring caravan insurance, you are likely to start making comparisons between policies not only on the basis of their price but also on the strength of whether a policy continues to meet your needs and the current risks and perils.

Using a specialist broker

Although that process of comparison might seem simple and straightforward, you might be surprised how relatively easy it might be to overlook some important aspects of the cover you need and, so, run the risk of getting inappropriate insurance – something you might only later discover to have been an expensive mistake.

By the same token, you might find the sheer number of products and the insurers offering them to be more than a little bewildering. You might have made your own shortlist of the most likely providers, but what if you have overlooked the policy that suited you down to the ground? Another costly mistake might be in the offing.

A specialist broker – like us here at Cover4Caravans – has the experience and expertise to make sure that no stone is unturned when it comes to identifying your needs and requirements. We have gained considerable insight into what individual touring caravan owners are likely to want – and have arranged insurance for very many of those customers as a result.

Our ability to match customers’ needs with the products available relies, of course, on our intimate working knowledge of this niche in the insurance market. Matching your particular, individual needs and requirements to the appropriate product on the market is our number one priority.

The cost factors

Your concern about the cost of premiums is natural but it is sometimes intuitively difficult to grasp that comparing your caravan insurance is not a question exclusively focused on the price of a policy.

For many people, that suggestion runs a little against the grain. We live in a society where cost containment is, for most people, a major daily imperative. Trying to suggest otherwise can sometimes be a challenge.

However, in the context of caravan insurance, it’s extremely important to remember that the cost of a policy will be entirely irrelevant to you in a situation where you are considering making a claim. In such circumstances, your focus will be 100% on the nature of the cover the policy provides and the amount you may have paid for it won’t be a consideration.

Nevertheless, although price is not the overriding factor, it is sufficiently important for us to ensure that the caravan insurance appropriate to your needs is also competitively priced.

Comparing the cover offered

Different caravan owners are likely to need different types of cover – some more basic and others fully comprehensive. Within these parameters, there are likely to be several common threads:

Theft of the caravan

  • the mobility of your touring caravan is a big plus for you – unfortunately, it makes it a tempting and attractive target for thieves too;
  • theft is one of the major risks typically covered by any type of touring caravan insurance – it is a critical safeguard because security specialists Tracker on the 3rd of June 2021 reported that thefts of caravans had increased by 50% during the first year of the pandemic and is set to continue unabated;
  • to help mitigate against this risk, you are likely to be required (under the terms of your insurance policy) to employ a hitchlock and wheel clamps when you leave it unattended and still attached to the towing vehicle or wheel clamps at least when it is unhitched;

Accidental damage

  • even relatively minor mishaps may lead to extensive damage that is expensive to repair;
  • cover against accidental damage, therefore, is something you may wish to check is included in your touring caravan insurance;

Flooding and storms

  • you might reasonably expect your caravan insurance to cover major risks such as fire, theft, impacts (by other vehicles, or from falling trees and branches), and vandalism;
  • two areas where some insurers may impose special restrictions, or even exclude cover altogether, are flood and storm damage – even though careful advance planning of your touring itinerary may help to mitigate the risks, it is important that you understand your insurer’s policies towards them;

Replacement

  • it is also important to know your insurer’s policies on settlement in the event of the total loss of your caravan;
  • if the caravan is less than a certain number of years old (say, 5 years), some insurers may make settlement on a new for old basis – allowing you to replace the destroyed caravan with a completely new make and model;
  • do note, however, that the sum insured needs to be the replacement value and not the resale value;
  • the alternative is likely to be settlement based on the assessed value of the caravan immediately prior to the incident;

Contents and equipment

  • cover for the theft, loss, or damage of the contents of your caravan and the equipment you need whilst touring is likely to be important and may save you a considerable cost in repairs or replacement when things go wrong.

When comparing caravan insurance, not all these elements may be relevant or necessary. Keeping them in mind, however, may help to ensure that you secure the cover you need at a competitive price.

Comparing additional terms and conditions

In addition to the specific areas of cover offered by your touring caravan insurance policy, you will also want to pay close attention to the following terms and conditions:

Look carefully at the excess

  • for a policy to carry an “excess” is perfectly normal – it is the sum of money that the policy provider will expect you to contribute towards the cost of any future successful claims;
  • however, the level of that mandatory excess can vary considerably – a policy that looks to bring with it an almost unbeatable ticket price might carry a commensurately high excess – in the event you need to make a claim against your policy, suddenly it might not appear to be quite so cheap after all;

Consider your own situation versus the policy’s stipulation on ages

  • policies may contain several different clauses relating to the minimum or indeed maximum ages of owners or towing drivers;
  • your family circumstances will naturally dictate the extent to which this is significant;

Overseas travel inclusion

  • when undertaking touring caravan insurance reviews, you may see that some policies might not automatically include cover for use outside of the UK;
  • although many policies might include such cover, there may be considerable differences in terms of how many days of overseas cover is included per annum or whether or not the maximum duration of an individual trip outside the UK is restricted too;
  • it’s worth checking because again, a lower-cost policy might not seem to be quite such a good deal if you need to start paying for lots of additional cover every time you take a caravan holiday abroad;

Awnings

  • another potential area where cover can differ is that associated with protecting external items when they are in use;
  • awnings are a particular case in point – some policies may not cover them at all, others may do so but only for certain specific types;
  • yet other policies may cover awnings in terms of the general category but only if you meet certain usage conditions when out and about in your caravan (our Guide to Awnings may be worth reading);

Campsite and pitch requirements

  • almost all touring caravan insurance will contain some conditions relating to what is or is not permissible once you unhitch your caravan and start to use it onsite;
  • however, some policies may contain more demanding provisions in this respect including specifying the minimum security features a site must have before their cover will be considered to be in force;
  • it is important to understand any such stipulations and much more importantly, that you will be able to comply with them when you are out and about using your touring caravan;

Further discounts

  • you may discover when you compare touring caravan insurance quotes, that some providers may offer discounts if you are a member of a recognised caravan club, as they believe that this is an indication of a serious and responsible caravan user;
  • These are often referred to as “caravan club insurance discounts” – which we at Cover4Caravans also offer.

Reviewing your current touring caravan insurance

Some people have argued that caravan insurance reviews aren’t important because – broadly speaking – all caravan insurance is more or less the same. That sentiment is simply incorrect – caravan insurance policies can vary significantly from one to another.

Essentially, the key message is that what you are getting for your money may differ considerably from one insurance provider to another.

Caravan insurance reviews are important for another reason.

Insurance providers regularly change what they call their “cover propositions”. In other words, what their policies cover, and their associated terms and conditions can change from one year to another as they bring out new products.

It therefore only makes sense, assuming you are interested in maintaining the most appropriate cover possible for your particular caravan, to check the market regularly to see what’s out there (we can do that on your behalf at Cover4Caravans, using our “get a quote” button).

It’s perfectly possible that – reasonable as your existing policy may be – there are currently more suitable ones available.

Caravan insurance reviews allow you to compare your existing degree of protection against more up-to-date offerings in the marketplace. It’s perfectly possible, of course, that your existing policy remains the most suitable fit for your current situation. However, it might be better to know that with some degree of certainty and confidence, rather than just to assume it.

Finally, remember that at Cover4Caravans, we are always here at the end of the telephone to help you with any questions or concerns you have regarding your touring caravan insurance, or to get a no-obligation quote.