Explaining park home caravan insurance

There’s no doubt that the insurance industry may appear a little guilty of using some confusing terminology. Although not perhaps quite in that category, the term ‘park home caravan insurance’ can sometimes lead to misunderstandings.

Here’s the explanation – though keep in mind that exact definitions may vary between policies and insurance providers. It would be sensible to check your own policy and situation.

A static caravan

A static caravan is typically a specifically designed caravan. It’s used for holidays, weekend treats, short breaks and so on.

They will typically have wheels and may be notionally mobile, for example for short-distance moves on a site, but they’re not typically regarded as a vehicle to be towed around on touring type holidays.

They are often permanently or semi-permanently located on a designated static home site.

Some policies may define it a little further and state conditions relating to the jacking of their wheels and securing techniques and fittings to be used.

A static caravan, in insurance terms, is typically not regarded as being suitable for permanent occupation and static caravan insurance will typically be needed in order to protect it.

The park home

As a complete alternative, the park home is typically a building that has been designed and built to be located on a registered and approved park home site.

It is typically occupied permanently and will be your permanent place of residence. In this case, specialist park home insurance will be required.

Park home cover

As a general rule, insurance providers typically won’t see static caravans and park homes as being the same thing in terms of insurance. The risk profiles are quite different and specific policies (park home insurance and static caravan insurance) exist to deal with each of them.

What are risk profiles?

That really relates to the way the insurers may see the risks associated with a given caravan or property etc.

For example, in the case of park home insurance, it may mean that (e.g.) statistically the insurance provider will assume that a typical park home may have higher levels of fixtures, fittings, contents and personal possessions, than a static caravan.

That comes about because it is somebody’s residence rather than occasionally used leisure accommodation.

Also, if you are a static home owner who lets out their static caravan during the Summer season, special public liability insurance will typically need to be in place to protect you from possible third party claims from your tenants.

So, as you can see, the risk profiles, while being the same in relation to some things, may be different in other respects and that is why specific caravan insurance will be needed depending on whether you have a static caravan or a park home.

In summary

So, to sum it up, you typically won’t have to worry about the finer points of definition between a park home and static caravan – and you’ll have to worry even less about the exact science and statistics behind risk profiles!

What is important is to understand that park homes and static caravans require specific forms of insurance and that such cover exists.

So, the next time you see park home caravan insurance advertised, you’ll know what it is!