Here in the wonderful county of Essex half term starts this afternoon and I even find myself having two days off next week, back to work on my birthday though which was bad planning on my behalf!

I am taking the clan up to the Natural History Museum on Monday and we are all excited by the trip – something I have not done since I was a child. No doubt it has changed alot since then.

I saw Watford win Tuesday which was great although it was very cold.

The trip to Nottingham was good both for business and pleasure as we met our largest insurer.

The weekend holds a wonderful retail trip to Bluewater – easily pleased me!

Have a good weekend.

Rich

We are pleased to announce that on Monday our new Insurer, Novae Syndicates Ltd, goes live on our Static Caravan Insurance product.

Novae are a Lloyds of London Syndicate and therefore bring with them the security and professionalism you would expect from this leading market.

You will find their rates competitive coupled with high levels of policy cover.

We have a very close relationship with the team at Novae and welcome them to Cover4Caravans!

Richard

Static caravans and static caravan insurance may seem like a bit of a specialist subject. For example, once you get your static home, how can you keep it secure?

And what about insurance? Knowing what is the right cover for you; your insurer’s expectations; and ways that you can get potentially discounted static caravan insurance premiums can seem like a lot to take in!

However, our short guide here may help you!

Location, location, location

Insurance is all about risk and there are different risks for different types of caravan.

With a touring caravan for instance, the major risk as far as insurance is concerned is probably theft of the caravan itself.

For a static caravan though the most likely cause for problems is flooding or fire – which is why static caravan insurance discounts are typically offered if your caravan is kept on an approved site or at a location far from the sea, rivers or lakes etc.

With many sites closing over the winter season, finding a secure location for your static caravan is important. CaSSOA storage sites are widely recognised and approved as safe sites for static caravans. There may be less scope for incidents on these sites, so if you use one, you may see an attractive discount on your premiums!

Keeping your contents safe

The same basic security precautions that you may carry out without thinking for your permanent home still make sense for your holiday home caravan. These include making sure that your doors and windows are closed and locked when you are not in the caravan thereby helping reduce the chance of burglary or theft.

Contents cover for static caravans may include things like clothing, baggage and televisions in addition to the regular fittings and fixtures, but may exclude items like portable telephones, laptops and computers.

Removing valuable items from the caravan, particularly if it is to be empty for long periods of time, is typically a sensible idea. Installing a burglar alarm is generally also considered a wise precaution.

Don’t be tempted to under value your possessions to keep static caravan insurance premiums down! If there is a problem you may find that your insurers pay out based on your (too low) valuation.

Awning cover

Many static caravan insurers may not include awnings under the general static caravan insurance cover. They may only provide insurance for an awning if it is insured in its own right.

Special conditions may then also apply. Storm damage to the awning, for example, may only be covered if you are present when it happens – unless you have fully stowed the awning beforehand. If you leave the awning out and it is damaged while you are absent, you may find that you are not covered.

General maintenance

As a responsible caravan owner, it is in your own interest to keep your caravan in good condition and well maintained. There are some general maintenance procedures that your insurers may expect you to undertake as part of the terms and conditions of cover.

For example, if your caravan is to be left empty for extended period of time, you may typically be expected to drain down the water and heating systems to reduce the risk of damage as a result of burst pipes.

Static caravans need to be firmly anchored at each corner to a firm and solid base. Regularly checking these anchors from time to time to ensure that have not deteriorated due to wear and tear not only makes sense but you may find it is also a condition of your static caravan insurance.

I have learned over time that you simply never stop learning, I have attended a number of non work related meetings and I have sat back, listening intently with my two ears rather than engaging with my one mouth and I have learnt so much more!

At work I lead alot of the meetings and this prevents you from paying as much attention as you should to the other participants – you can always learn from others even just by watching their body language.

I am off to see Watford play Bristol City tonight – with just one point seperating us it promises to be a very exciting game – alebit a cold one!

Tomorrow sees a trip to Nottingham and an over night stay then back to the office Friday.

The caravan season is fast looming and March cannot come quick enough if for no other reason than the hope of warmer weather.

Have a good day.

Rich

Like just about any other form of insurance, buying caravan insurance online can have its own complexities. It may not always be easy to see whether or not you’re getting the most suitable cover based upon a quick policy read-through – unless of course you’re a caravan cover expert!

Knowing your limitations

Assuming for a second that you’re not an expert in caravan protection insurance, you may find it advisable to recognise that fact and think about finding people that are experts.

Of course, there are caravan insurance online providers around but relatively few of them are dedicated solely to the provision of caravan cover (unlike us!).

Many of them are what may be termed generalists – in other words they provide insurance cover for everything from garden gnomes to health and household contents to huge airliners. Although they may be vast organisations, it may not be too easy to find people that really understand the subtleties and nuances that can affect the caravan owner.

However, there are also specialist providers that concentrate more or less exclusively on the various forms of insurance for touring caravans and static caravans etc.

These companies can typically provide the specialist expertise and market knowledge that are necessary to ensure you’re getting suitable caravan cover – and at an appropriate price.

Opportunities

So, apart from calling upon specialist caravan insurance online providers to improve your protection or reduce your premiums, what other things can you do to get suitable cover? By putting some or all of the following in to place, you could get discounts on the cost of your protection, though do note that some of these may be mandatory in some cases depending upon your vehicle type and insurer etc:

• the fitting of additional specialised security locks and perhaps tracking devices;
• using hitchlocks and wheel clamps;
• the use of approved and secure parking spots;
• reducing your annual mileage and overseas trips;
• stowing external accessories such as awnings when you’re away from your caravan;
• joining a recognised caravan club;
• cutting down on the ages and numbers of drivers or towers etc.

This is only a sample. In practice a specialist provider of caravan cover will typically be able to provide a wealth of information and ideas that may prove invaluable in helping you get the most out of your insurance.

The specialist providers

If you’re looking to know more about how you can get the most value out of looking for caravan insurance online, then specialist providers typically offer contact through their websites or over the phone. Double checking your facts and figures or just asking for general help before you make a decision may be a sensible way to spend a few minutes of your time.