Your static caravan may have cost you a fair bit of money and you obviously may be anxious to ensure that your investment is adequately covered by caravan insurance. That is why it can make sense to shop around and compare static caravan insurance quotes – so you can look for the most suitable deal for you.

But before you even start to compare caravan insurance quotes, there are a few things you may wish to bear in mind in order to help reduce your premiums and / or reduce your risk of having to claim on your caravan insurance.

Getting the location right

Unlike touring caravans, which are often most risk at risk from theft, the main dangers facing static caravans may be fire and flood. Specialist caravan insurance providers may offer discounts if you choose to locate your caravan in a site which doesn’t suffer from flooding.

If your chosen site has a previous history of flooding it is important to pass this information on to your caravan insurance provider, even if flood prevention measures have since been put in place. Failure to do this may invalidate any future claims even if they have nothing to do with flooding.

Security and protection

Keeping your caravan and its contents safe is always an important consideration for many owners. Theft from and vandalism of static caravans can be a problem and you can take a number of measures to protect your caravan and your belongings.

There are a number of approved parking locations known as CaSSOA sites where you can store your caravan over winter when it is not in use. Theft and damage risks are typically lower at these sites so discounts for their use may typically be available from some static holiday home insurance providers.

Taking your own simple precautions when your caravan is in use is also important. Installing a burglar alarm can help deter thieves as is using a site where there is a 24 hour warden service.

All these things mentioned so far could help have a positive effect on your static caravan insurance quote.

Special considerations

You should also note that you may have obligations that you have to fulfil in order to get covered. Some insurers may ask that you take particular care over your awning and may insure it separately under your policy. Leaving it out when you are not around can cause problems as weather can change quickly and awnings can be easily damaged in stormy conditions – your insurance typically may not cover that situation.

Your static caravan needs to be securely anchored to flat and solid ground and it may be a condition of your static caravan insurance that you check these tethers on a regular basis to ensure that there has been no deterioration due to wear and tear over time.

Many of the specialist providers of static caravan insurance quotes – such as ourselves – may also offer discounts if you are a member of a recognised caravanning club. We would be happy to provide further advice and information on these matters to help you get the static home insurance that suits your needs – and your budget!

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.

Static caravan insurance may be critically important – at least if you want to sleep peacefully at night!

Static caravans – a benefit and a risk

Your static caravan is hopefully an asset you enjoy using and feel very fond of. You may have many happy memories of stays and holidays in it and probably would hate to think of anything happening to your home away from home.

Unfortunately, few things in life are truly risk-free – and your static caravan is not one of them. The question is how does this affect your views of static caravan insurance?

Static caravans and insurance

Well, you could do nothing and just hope that your luck holds but that may not be the wisest course of action.

In the past some site owners offered caravan insurance but this approach is now being replaced by the purchase of static holiday home insurance cover from specialised providers. This type of policy typically covers things such as:

• the caravan itself including its fixtures and fittings (this may include things such as toilet tents etc);
• its contents;
• public liability;
• cover while it is hired out;
• loss of earnings if the caravan is out of action due to an insured risk happening that renders it uninhabitable.

Exclusions

These can vary depending upon the provider and it’s always a good idea to check caravan cover static insurance policies carefully to ensure that you’re comfortable with the terms and conditions.

In general, many providers will insist that the caravan is kept on an authorised site with the full provision of services such as electricity and security. Typically this form of insurance will not cover your caravan if it is left unoccupied and cash and valuables may also be excluded from cover.

There may be other various limitations on payments and other qualifying requirements – as an example, wilful or malicious damage by people that are renting the caravan.

Getting specialist advice

Finding the right balance of insurance isn’t easy. You won’t want to be under-insured but at the same time, you will no doubt be looking for the most affordable deals possible.

Using the services of a provider that is a dedicated specialist in static caravan insurance may be a good idea.

Good afternoon all

Well the week is almost over and we have been getting busier over the month which is a great sign of things to come. I was lucky to be part of a group of managers whom took part in an excellent course on Tuesday designed to help leaders and managers to improve their skills and I must say that I came out totally invigorated by it. It is refreshing and somewhat frightenening learning what you own style is and I am putting into practice what I have learned, I found the theory of win/lose vs win/learn VERY helpful (You must listen to the course!)

I had a poor start to the day as my son ensured I had just 2 hours sleep the night before as he is teething and this caused a stomach upset. Oh the joys! My weekend consisted of cooking a very nice meal for us on Saturday which was a Chicken Casserole and is now Fliss’s favourite. I dare say I shall be in the kitchen more often now!

Thankfully pay day has arrived and we can now afford things again. I’m more worried about sleep at the moment.

We have a very exciting new Scheme launching soon, please keep your eyes pierced. We are currently in the test development so far and this will continue until things are ready to go live.

Happy touring

Mike