Recently, news has come of the formation of a new multi-party group to try and tackle the ongoing problems of caravan-related crime.

The new group is called CSSG standing for the Caravan Safety and Security Group and it has a strong police involvement and support*.

The basic idea is that a number of parties will be working together to try and identify initiatives and actions that may help bring down the levels not only of crime but also accidents that involve caravanning.

One of the first deliverables will be a new website full of useful information about how you may be able to help prevent caravan-related crime and accidents.

It is also intended that the group will be able to co-ordinate the development and promulgation of new ‘best practices’ and security or safety products etc.

While several of the groups associated with the endeavour have been at pains to show that caravan crime has come down over recent decades, nevertheless the figures remain high and the formation of this group confirms that.

While everyone will wish success for the new CSSG, it does remind us all of how vulnerable our caravans may be.

Whatever precautions we take and however clever the technology is, the war between thieves and caravan owners is likely to continue for the future. It might be optimistic to the point of being unrealistic, to assume that it could never happen to you.

So while preventative steps are critically important, and some insurance for caravans providers reflect that in their price discount incentives, nevertheless the possibilities of problems remain.

It’s therefore a prudent step to make sure that you have appropriate insurance for caravans in place covering the risks that apply specifically to your caravan type, but also the relatively general risk of theft and burglary.

However effective the CSSG proves to be, it seems unlikely that, in itself, it will deter many thieves overnight. For the time being, crime is an ever-present possibility and caravan insurance may be an important part of the portfolio of steps you can take to try and protect yourself.

*Source: Camping and Caravanning Club 12th October 2010

http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/news/2010/oct/industry-goes-offensive-tackle-caravan-crime/

One of your main considerations as the owner of a caravan is how to keep your asset and its contents as safe as possible. Having good insurance for caravans may therefore be a sound move.

Not in use

No matter what type of caravan you have, one of the greatest threats to it may be from theft.

A caravan used for holidays is going to be empty for a fair portion of the year but it may still contain some fairly valuable items – and this may make it an attractive and possibly easy option for thieves.

If you have a tourer you may find that you have the additional problem of protecting your caravan itself from being stolen.

What you can do to help

Taking some simple precautions may not only help protect your caravan and its belongings but also reduce your premiums. Possible examples include:

• removing all high value items from the caravan when no one is using it;
• fitting an approved security alarm and making sure that door and window locks are fit for the job and working properly;
• if you have a tourer, using a hitchlock to keep your caravan securely attached to your vehicle when unattended and if the caravan is unattached, making sure that a wheelclamp is fitted too (note that under the terms of your caravan insurance, you may be obliged to do this anyway);
• when your caravan is not in use over the winter, storing it at an approved site or at least keeping if off the public highway to reduce risks of vandalism etc.

It might be worth noting that a condition of cover may be that all water and heating systems are properly drained down while your caravan is not in use.

Be realistic

Getting as accurate a picture as possible of the value of the fixtures, fittings and other personal belongings in your caravan is essential to get a realistic figure for contents cover. Too little and you may find yourself under-insured and having to pay out for replacement items yourself. Too much and you may be paying for insurance for caravans cover you don’t actually require.

Using our site to find out more about insurance for caravans may help you find the right protection for your asset – or why not give us a call? We are happy to assist you, whether you need further information, a quote, or you simply need an answer to a question about your caravan cover.

The first step when you are buying insurance for caravans may involve getting all of the information together about yourself, your caravan and where it is kept.

The location of the caravan

Whether you have a static or touring caravan, insurers may ask for the following information when deciding how much to charge for insurance for caravans:

• the site’s postcode (or the postcode of where your touring caravan is kept when not in use) ;
• whether the site has a history of flooding (if applicable);
• whether any security measures are in place.

What does the caravan insurance cover?

The structure of touring and static caravans may typically be covered from the following risks, although providers may vary on the exact list of perils they cover:

• storm;
• flooding;
• fire;
• explosion;
• earthquake;
• accidental damage; and
• malicious damage.

Whilst some of these risks may seem unlikely, insurance exists to cover things that would be the worst case scenario.

Contents insurance for caravans

Contents insurance for caravans may typically be included in a policy with cover for the structure, although you may wish to check that this is the case before signing up in case your provider sells contents cover separately as a policy in its own right.

For touring caravans, you may find that cover may not be available for the contents of the fridge. Other exclusions and limitations may typically include a restriction on cover for awnings and their contents, although the extent of cover may vary between providers.

Another important limitation for both touring and static cover is a single item limit. This means that the insurer may not pay out over a certain amount for a single item that is left in your caravan. This may be worth bearing in mind before you leave your laptop or camera behind on a daytrip!

Terms and conditions

Just like any other kind of insurance policy, insurance for caravans may come with terms and conditions attached.

Both static and touring caravans are unfortunately at risk of break in and theft. Accordingly, your provider may insist that you fit a wheel clamp and a hitchlock to your touring caravan, to deter and prevent criminals seizing the vehicle.

For static caravans, year round cover may be available, notwithstanding that the site may close for the winter time when the traditional holiday season is over.
However, winter insurance for caravans may be dependent on you draining the heating system before you shut the van up for the cold weather. This may decrease the risk of a problem with the pipe work, which in turn may decrease the risk of you making a claim on your policy.

Insurance for caravans isn’t simply a nice to have. It may be a virtual necessity – unless you’re very wealthy of course! Most caravan owners may be many things but few are, in fact, fabulously rich.

Caravans – our investment

Most of us have had to work hard to find the finances to purchase and equip our caravan of whatever sort or however humble. Losing it or having it badly damaged without insurance could leave us facing not only heartache but also severe financial embarrassment.

In the case of some caravans (eg. motorhomes), some forms of insurance are required by law. Yet even if this weren’t the case for your particular type of caravan, would it make sense to try and economise by skimping on caravan insurance or trying to avoid it altogether?

Caravans – the risks

To put it bluntly, your caravan is vulnerable – that’s why insurance for caravans exists.

Although it may make slightly gloomy reading, a whole list of things could go wrong:

• it could be damaged in a storm or by another natural disaster;
• burglars may find your caravan to be a very appealing target – particularly if it’s parked on a site without security;
• if under tow, it may be damaged in a traffic accident;
• if you let out your caravan and someone has an accident on the premises, they may try and sue you for damages;
• some types of tourers are particularly attractive to thieves (which is why some insurers demand the fitting of hitchlocks and wheel clamps).

This list is only a taste of what may befall your prized caravan if your luck suddenly runs out.

Caravans – the costs

Once again, you probably don’t need to be told how expensive it can be to replace interior fittings and furnishings if a thief has stolen or a vandal destroyed them.

Repairing a caravan that has suffered structural damage due to natural disaster or road traffic accident may also prove to be very expensive.

Clearly, if you don’t have a policy providing insurance for caravans then you’ll typically need to have a very large bank balance to cover the cheques you may have to write to get your caravan back up and running!

Reducing your risks

If having good caravan insurance protection means your financial risks are lowered, then you may also be able to reduce the costs of that insurance by taking a few common sense precautions.

The use of hitchlocks has already been mentioned above. Some insurance providers also look favourably on things such as alarms, security locks on windows, immobilisers and membership of an approved caravanning association. These may all help reduce the price of your caravan cover.

All things considered, insurance for caravans may be something best seen as less of a luxury and more as a way of helping you drift off to sleep each night with a little more carefree ease!

Insurance for caravans is a wide subject. After all, there are a number of different types of van available – touring, static, motorhome and campervan. Each type has its own specific insurance requirements, but if you are undecided about whether you even need any cover at all, ask yourself this: can you afford not to have it?
For both touring and static caravans the main risks are theft, damage from fire, flood, and storms. Accidental damage and malicious actions of vandals can also be a threat. An insurer may cover all or some of these risks.

What affects the premium?
The things that might affect the premium are the location of the caravan (from the point of view of the kind of neighbourhood it is kept in), its age, model and make (from the point of view of its value) and the security measures you have taken to keep it safe.

Insurance for caravans does assume that the caravan owner will take certain steps to make sure that the risk of theft is a low as possible, with wheel clamps and/or hitchlocks being compulsory for some insurers.

Discounts may be available if you have taken extra measures. You may also be able to seek a reduction if you have joined a caravan club, and if you have a no claims bonus from previous policies. After all, these bonuses prove that you are a careful person, who takes care of their things.

Exactly what is covered?
Before you take out a caravan insurance policy, make sure that you are certain about what is covered. For example, some insurance for caravans automatically offers contents cover. But for touring caravans, does this include items that are stored in awnings or the actual awnings themselves? Also, is there a limit on the value of single items that can be claimed? How does the insurance work if the items are also insured elsewhere?

For static caravans and park homes the questions that you might consider asking are slightly different. Some static caravans come with a garden area. In which case, sheds and fences are rarely included in the cover.

What else should you take into account?
Finally, you need to consider what level of customer care you will receive. If you are ever in the unfortunate position of having to make a claim, you will appreciate a UK based team of staff who have been well trained to assist you with your problem. Likewise, you might ideally look for insurance for caravans that is sympathetic to your requirements. If your caravan is damaged while you are on holiday, your provider may typically pay the cost of the damage if appropriate, as well as costs for alternative accommodation so that you can continue with your break (up to pre-agreed policy limits).