Finding appropriate insurance for static caravans isn’t necessarily difficult but it may be made a little more so by the actions of some site owners who may try and insist that you take their insurance cover. But more about that shortly!

First of all, what defines a static caravan?

Definition of a static caravan

Exact definitions may vary by insurance provider and there’s no substitute for checking.

However, for clarity they typically are:

• caravans that although on wheels, are typically anchored and secured into a single location on a single site (they may be raised off-wheels and that may be a requirement with some policies);
• occupied occasionally through the year for holiday or holiday-rental purposes.

When is a static not a static

If you start to occupy your caravan permanently as your main home or wish to rent it out for extended periods, you may automatically invalidate your existing caravan insurance.

It is typically highly advisable to seek insurance advice before contemplating any such move. You may also need to consider local council byelaws as these differ between caravans used for holiday purposes and those occupied for extended periods.

In such circumstances, it may make sense not to seek a static caravan insurance quote, as that will not provide the cover you need.

Site owners’ policies

It is possible that some site owners may try to pressurise you into purchasing their insurance for static caravans. However, in most cases, you are free to choose your own static home insurance.

You are entitled to search for the insurance that is most appropriate to your requirements and if you are being told that you must take a specific policy, this may be infringing upon your ability to do so.

In practice, purchasing your own insurance for static caravans may provide more suitable cover and be more cost-effective.

Administration charges

Some site owners may also look to charge an additional administration fee if you use your own insurance.

However, it might be worth keeping in mind that having your own static caravans policy and paying the site owners’ admin fee may still be more cost-effective than purchasing their caravan insurance in total.

Static caravan insurance – some tips

When you’re looking for a static caravan insurance quote, remember that some characteristics of statics may be worth keeping in mind:

• you may have a relatively high level of fixtures, fittings and contents that need to be protected;
• some providers may offer discounts if your caravan is parked on an approved and secure site;
• you may be obliged to drain down water systems when the caravan is not in use;
• you may be able to obtain discounts if you use additional security locks and alarms etc.

Looking around

Looking around for insurance for static caravans may be important if you’re to find those suitable deals and using our service can show you some options. And remember, it is not generally obligatory to take the site owner’s cover, so by shopping around, you could save yourself some money!

Whether you use your static caravan yourself during the summer holidays or rent it out for an extra income, insurance for static caravans may be worth considering.
As with any insurance product, it’s a question of knowing where to start. If you follow the guidelines in this article, you may find some helpful hints to choose a policy that suits your individual needs.

Not necessarily the site owner’s!
As a static caravan owner, to a certain extent you are a captive audience to a site park owner. Some park owners may try to insist that you purchase insurance cover from them. However, you are not legally obliged to do so. This means you are free to shop around for cover and cherry pick the policy that provides what you consider to be good value.

Once you do buy your static home insurance elsewhere, the site owner can insist on seeing a copy of your schedule of insurance and charge you a fee for not taking their cover. However, you could still find that you are quids in on the cost of your static home cover, so it may be worth seeing what is on offer.
So how can you make sure that you are getting something at the most suitable price for your needs?

How much will the policy cost?
The cost of insurance for static caravans may vary according to a number of issues including:

• the location of the site (from the point of view of flooding and crime risks);
• the security measures the site owners have taken;
• your personal details such as age, any previous claims, etc;
• whether the caravan will be let out; and
• the make, model and age of your static home.

Depending on your circumstances, you may also be able to negotiate a discount. Some insurers may offer a discount on the basis of no claims bonuses you may have on other policies. Others may reward any extra steps you take to secure your caravan with up to date alarm systems.

Your obligations as a caravan owner
Given that insurance for caravans typically provides cover for the cost of repairs to the structure, as a caravan owner you may have certain responsibilities as set out in the policy. As a careful caravan owner you may maintain the caravan in any event, but you may also wish to check any specific requirements your insurer may have for maintenance and any other obligations. For instance, while the site may be closed for winter, insurance for static caravans may continue to be valid as long as you drain the heating system of your static home.

What you get for your money
Finally you may wish to consider the cover that is included in the policy. A typical list of risks covered may include events such as fire; flood; storm; earthquake; theft; and, with some providers, malicious damage. (Do note that with the latter event, we are unusual in that we will provide cover for this).

Whilst hopefully none of these terrible things will happen to your precious caravan, it may be better to be safe than sorry if the risks are covered by insurance for static caravans.

Many people who own static caravans may be accustomed to buying their insurance from the owners or managers of their site. Some may even think that this is somehow mandatory if they want to use those particular facilities.

It may be perfectly understandable that site owners need to ensure that static caravans using their facilities are properly insured and insisting that you buy their insurance is certainly one way of achieving this.

This method of doing things may undoubtedly also be convenient for caravanners but in common with some other situations where you may feel you have no choice, the deal you get may not be the most competitive around.

Old thinking

This state of affairs for the provision of insurance for static caravans is similar in some respects to the situation that used to exist for products like mortgage or loan insurance.

In these cases lenders typically, and sometimes falsely, gave borrowers the impression that their request for a loan would only be approved if they took out loan insurance from the lender as well.

This gave rise to borrowers taking out what could be very expensive cover that they typically may have been able to buy at a more attractive price elsewhere.

The Financial Services Agency stepped in to give borrowers a fairer deal and the introduced new guidelines for the sale of loan protection products by the lenders. These guidelines meant that borrowers could look elsewhere for their loan insurance without the fear that they may be jeopardising their application for the loan itself.

Choosing where

The FSA doesn’t have to step in to regulate insurance for static caravans. Static caravanners already have a choice about where they can buy caravan insurance.

There are already a number of alternative caravan insurance providers, many with internet sites, where details of suitable policies can be found with just a few clicks of the mouse. With our service, our online quote and buy service is also backed up with a telephone service too, so we can help you choose the most suitable static home insurance for your needs.

Having the choice of a number of policies may mean that you get the policy that is suitable for you and your caravan taking into account all those important variables such as:

• the age of your caravan;
• new for old replacement;
• site location;
• contents cover;
• security alarms;
• etc.

You may also be able to see at a glance whether or not the suppliers offer discounts that you may be eligible for. These could include things like membership of caravan clubs, no claims bonus etc. (Again, we can discuss this with you if you prefer).

What about the site fee

You may find that some static home site owners will try to charge an administration fee to caravanners who have made alternative arrangements for insurance for static caravans.

The good news is that even once this fee has been taken into account, you may find that you are typically still better off than you would have been if you had purchased the site owners’ insurance.

There may be some people these days that would opt for convenience over potential savings. When it comes to insurance for static caravans though, it may be a fair bet that some caravanners would prefer the savings!

Your first contact with insurance for static caravans may be when the site owner asks for proof of your insurance. Some site owners may push hard for you to purchase static caravan cover from them. However, they cannot insist that you buy insurance for static caravans from them, though may charge you a fee if you get your cover elsewhere. Still, you may wish to shop around to see what deals are available as you may still make savings on the cost of your static home insurance, even after you have paid the site owner his fee!

When you first start looking for a static caravan insurance quote, you may find that insurers may want to know the following things about you and your caravan before they can give you a price:

• the make, model and age of the caravan;
• where the caravan is located;
• the caravan’s security credentials; and
• whether the caravan is let out to non family members.

The answers to these questions help providers of insurance for static caravans to assess the risk of covering you and your property, and to come up with an appropriate price.

The price that is first quoted may not always be the lowest that the insurer can offer. If you are a member of a caravanning club, have various security measures attached to the caravan and have a no claims discount, you may find that the insurer may offer a more attractive deal for your individual needs.

What might the cover include?

Insurance for static caravans may typically include a structural and a contents element. From a structural point of view, the following risks may be covered:

• fire;
• explosion;
• storm;
• flood;
• earthquake;
• accidental damage;
• theft; and
• malicious damage.

While some of these risks may seem remote and unlikely, you may wish to compare the risks covered by different providers, to see who offers the most comprehensive cover for your requirements.

Do also note that the cover offered by static home insurance providers can vary, so always check what the cover entails. And look out for exclusions and any limitations too. For example, where an insurer covers malicious damage to your static caravan, if the damage was caused by someone who had your permission to be in the caravan, then that element of the cover would be excluded.

Finally, in addition to the structure of the caravan, you may also wish to consider the contents. The value of your possessions is key here, as some providers may typically impose a single article limit on value. Some may also insist that there was proof of forcible entry and exit between paying out for theft of contents, and others may only cover electrical equipment while in use under their insurance for static caravans.

Buying insurance for static caravans need not be hard work. If you have access to the internet, simply go online and search our website for terms and conditions, and you can have the information you need in front of you in seconds. Would you prefer to talk to a real person? Then telephone for a quote instead. We are always happy to talk through the details of the cover we have available.

What we need to know
The information insurers typically need in order to give you a quote is the address of the static caravan, and a few details about the park where it is kept. Premiums are partially based on postcodes, so that we can judge how likely the area is to flood, or be affected by crime. However, we will also ask for some further details about the site, such as whether there is a security guard on patrol, and whether you have any security devices fitted to the caravan.

What you need to know
The first thing you will want to know about static caravan insurance is what the policy covers. The standard cover typically extends to damage caused by fire, explosion, earthquakes, storm, flooding, theft and sometimes accidental damage. As you can see, some of those risks are more likely than others!

The cover may not only relate to the structure of the caravan, but could also extend to your contents. It does not usually extend to outside structures like garden walls and fences. If you have anything particularly valuable in your holiday home, it could be wise to check specifically that it is covered – there could be a limit on high value items.

Many people concentrate on the financial implications of an insured risk on the value of their investment, but what about your holiday? Alternative accommodation costs may typically be included in insurance for static caravans, subject to maximum amount that you can spend per night, but do check, as not all insurance for caravan providers may offer this.

When you have established what is covered by insurance for static caravans, you will no doubt be keen to compare prices. It is always worth asking what discounts are available. Some caravan clubs have worked hard to secure discounts for their members, so if you have joined a club, you might be pleasantly surprised at the reduction in your bill.

Likewise, if you have fitted any additional security devices to your static caravan, do not be shy about telling your provider all about them. Insurers frequently offer additional security discounts.

Understanding the way that insurance for static caravans works is extremely important. For instance, is there an excess on the policy? This means that you cannot make a claim under this amount.

Do you understand the terms and conditions of the policy? Accidental damage caused by shoddy workmanship to your holiday home may not included, so take care when selecting a tradesman to work on your property.

By giving no claims discounts on our insurance for static caravans, we give a fair deal to careful holiday home owners. Our UK based staff are always happy to hear from customers and potential customers, and take pride in the high quality service that we give.