Anybody that has experience of caravanning and insurance will typically know that historically Hobby caravan insurance can be something of a problem area. It was something that may have caused some Hobby owners to lose a little sleep from time to time!

The good news is that through our services, we can now find and provide insurance cover for these great caravans.

The history

The Hobby caravan originates in Germany.

Over time it has become a byword for quality and design. They are typically highly desirable and stylish caravans with a very high level of quality fixtures and overall finishing.

They’re also relatively valuable and prestigious models.

Great as that all sounds and is, it led to a problem because not only Hobby owners plus casual admirers appreciated the Hobby – unfortunately so did thieves.

To make matters worse, as the Hobby has expensive fittings, in the event of an accident, replacements often had to be shipped in from overseas at considerable expense.

The effects

All this meant that traditionally, many insurers were reluctant to provide Hobby caravan insurance and some didn’t – full stop. Some owners were restricted to looking for specialist niche insurance cover or sourcing it exclusively through the dealer networks.

Predictably, limited choice also may have meant higher prices. Some potential purchasers may even have been put off selecting Hobby caravans for this reason.

However, we decided that this wasn’t right and spent quite a bit of time speaking to Insurers in order to obtain cover for Hobby Caravans. We believe that with the right security devices in place, these caravans deserve a realistic premium to be offered.

The good news is that we can now help provide you with cover for your Hobby that may be both suitable and cost-effective.

It will provide you with all the classic elements of cover against risks such as natural disasters, unwelcome human attention from burglars and third part liability protection.

Of course, the risk of a Hobby Caravan being stolen is typically still higher than that of any other manufacturer and because of this certain conditions will apply to a policy, such as an unattended the caravan being secured by a wheel clamping device and a hitchlock; and the caravan being stored, when not in use, either at your home address on your private driveway or on a CaSSOA Registered Site etc.

Getting covered

If you’d like to know more about how we could help you protect your Hobby caravan as a valuable asset, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email.

We’d love to hear from you and tell you what our Hobby caravan insurance options could do for you.

Good morning

Well I woke up at 2am Sunday morning and felt terrible, I have a cold and I really do not like being ill though it does not slow me down! As I like to say if you stay at home feeling sorry for yourself you feel worse, and having kids does not allow for illness!!

We have a weekend away which will be nice, nothing too dramatic but this may include a lie in on Sunday morning and spending a day in Madame Tussauds.

Monday is here and as bad as I feel I am getting better, we have had lots of meetings today so that’s all fun!

I’m sure Sophie will be blogging about the Autumn Fair soon as it was an enjoyable weekend for those who attended.

Have a good week

Mike

Dear All

Well Sophie, Jade and Sian are off to the Cover4Caravans Autumn Fair in Newark today and are looking forward to meeting as many caravanners as possible. I would have gone myself but I have daddy duties over the weekend and also I am playing golf with a mate of mine.

I do hope as many of you visit the Fair as possible, I did go to the 2009 March event and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent there. I spoke with Neil who is part of the organizers and he said they hope the event will keep growing and growing. The other major benefit is the outdoors section, which was great for some fresh air and a nice walk.

Apart from that it’s a quiet weekend spent with my family, my son is now toddling around the place and it’s great to see. I am very proud of him and it is a great testamont to my partner who looks after him exceptionally well while I am at work.

We had our monthly Team meeting this morning to motivate ourselves for the last caravanning month of the year, here’s to a good month!

Enjoy your weekend

Mike

Sometimes, some caravan owners can become a little bit confused over park home insurance.

Let’s get some clarification underway!

Caravan types

You may know that there is something called static caravan insurance.

As the name suggests, that protects a static caravan parked on a site and some caravan insurance policies may insist that the site is registered, secure and possessing all services.

A static caravan is typically one that you’ll spend a few weeks or perhaps months in each year, enjoying it as your holiday retreat or letting others use or rent it for similar purposes.

However, if you are living in a structure permanently that’s based on a registered park home site, everything changes.

At that point you need to start thinking of your premises as a dwelling or more correctly, a park home.

The insurance issues

There are specific policies to cover various types of caravans including tourers, statics, motorhomes and trailer tents etc.

There is also a specific policy to cover park homes – ie. somewhere you live on a permanent basis.

Why is cover different to that you’d expect for a static caravan?

It relates simply to the fact that your risks are different.

A park home insurance policy will need to take into account things such as:

• park homes, as permanent residences, will typically have a higher level of fixtures, fittings and contents, than many statics that are only used for a few weeks each year;
• as it’s your home, you may keep personal possessions of higher value there than you would in a caravan;
• park homes are typically more expensive than a static caravan;
• for all the above reasons, you may be a little more attractive to thieves and vandals than perhaps would a caravan.

The park home insurance policy

This will typically provide you with insurance cover for the classic perils of natural disaster plus issues arising from theft via forced entry etc.

Some policies may also offer discounts if you take certain commonsense precautions such as fitting alarms and additional locks/bolts etc.

You might also benefit from lower premiums if your site is located in an area that has no prior history of flooding. Something perhaps worth checking at the time you’re thinking about buying or a park home.

Living nature

Many people select a park home because it will bring them into closer touch with nature and perhaps rural green living.

Keep in mind though that this tranquillity shouldn’t lull you into thinking that misfortune only strikes in urban environments.

Some forms of problem are perhaps even more likely in a park home environment (storm damage etc) than they would be in a town or city.

So, keep in mind that park home insurance may be necessary one day.

Hello

It only seems yesterday when Sian and I agreed to attend the Autumn Fair, and with another team member Jade joining us it should result in another great trip! Leaving tomorrow from work and heading up to Newark, Nottingham, I have been begged by the girls to go to MacDonalds for the roadtrip (not that I needed much persuading)  then a 3 hour trip commences. We actually enjoyed ourselves last time and I know I sound surprised but for two 20 year old girls it is quite a change for us at a weekend. We are also giving away a great pair of camping chairs every hour so please stop by and submit your entry or just to say hello.

It is the most important day of the year next week 7th September (my birthday if you haven’t already heard), and I think its causing a lot more pressure on my boyfriend than he originally thought. My fussy ways are starting to take its toll on him and I can see he will crack soon, but as long as I get something nice I am fine. I am really not spoilt but I like and dislike certain things and have not mastered how to hide a disappointed face yet. So I will wish him luck and be grateful in whatever I receive.

I am sure I will be on here soon telling the tales of the birthday event and the Autumn Caravan & Motorhome fair,

Take Care

Sophie