A guide to caravan insurance
Whether you buy a touring or static caravan, you’re making a major investment. So, safeguarding that investment with caravan insurance is an important consideration.
If you’re wondering “do I need caravan insurance?”, the answer is possibly “yes”. Caravan insurance can help protect your investment against hazards and unforeseen risks, offering you financial security and peace of mind. In this guide, we’ll run through what to consider about caravan insurance and provide you with practical tips for your next adventure.
What is caravan insurance?
Caravan insurance combines a range of policies designed to offer financial security if it’s damaged or stolen. It also helps protect against injury to third parties or damage to their property.
Do I need caravan insurance?
Caravan insurance isn’t a legal requirement, but without it, you could save a little and risk a lot. Owning a caravan can come with significant risks, especially surrounding theft and damage. Without insurance, you could be financially liable if your caravan is broken into or damaged.
Driving a touring caravan can be hazardous. Windy weather or misjudging the whereabouts of a gatepost might cause severe and expensive damage. A touring caravan can also be vulnerable to theft or damage while standing outside your house.
For static caravans, holiday parks usually request that you get suitable insurance. It’s also a wise precaution when caravans are left unoccupied or used by tenants. The public liability component of Intasure Caravan Insurance can be vital if you rent out your caravan, as it covers injury to third parties or damage to the property.
What are the different types of caravan insurance?
At Intasure, we offer policies tailored to various caravan types to help provide suitable cover.
Touring caravan insurance:
Touring caravan insurance is designed to cover caravans you tow behind your vehicle and park at various locations. Your motor insurance may include third-party cover when you’re towing, but ordinary car insurance won’t protect you against many of the risks of owning a caravan. Only specific touring caravan insurance can cover the caravan against theft or damage—and provide third-party cover when it’s not being towed.
Static caravan insurance:
Static caravan insurance covers caravans permanently situated at a single location, usually a holiday park. Although they look like prefabricated bungalows, this type of holiday home is still frequently called a static caravan. Most holiday parks require static caravan owners to have insurance, and there’s a strong case for having this protection for your property, even when it isn’t compulsory.
We also offer static caravan abroad insurance for people who own a mobile home or static caravan in France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, or Spain.
Mobile home insurance:
Mobile home insurance is another name for static caravan insurance, covering prefabricated holiday homes with one permanent location. Even though they rarely move (if ever), static caravan holiday homes are still commonly referred to as mobile homes.
Park home insurance:
Park home insurance is a specific policy for all-year-round permanent residences. Park homes are typically situated in residential locations, which operate similarly to private gated communities.
What does caravan insurance cover?
Our Caravan Insurance includes cover for theft, accidental damage, and various other perils. This includes both the caravan itself and the contents. Policies can include the following:
- Cover during unoccupied periods
- Cover for malicious damage or vandalism
- New for old or market value cover
- Optional accidental damage cover for family and tenants (static caravans only)
- Public liability cover up to £2.5 million included as standard
- Protection for hot tubs
- Subsidence or landslip of the land that your static caravan stands on (static caravans only)
- Loss of use – up to £250 per day following an insured incident (touring caravans only)
- Personal accident cover – up to £20,000 (touring caravans only)
- Emergency removal cover – removing a disabled caravan following an insured loss (touring caravans only)
- Cover for furniture and awnings if lost or stolen – up to £500 (touring caravans only)
- Cover to get you, your car, and your caravan home following a serious injury or illness – up to £1,000 (touring caravans only)
- European cover – up to 180 days as standard, which can be increased to 270 days (touring caravans only)
Intasure’s Caravan Insurance policies can be tailored to your specific caravan type. For example, touring caravans may need EU cover, while static caravans that reside in a UK holiday park likely won’t. To get your bespoke quote, speak to an Intasure advisor on 0345 111 0680 or start your quote online.
Policy limits and exclusions may apply, please see the policy wording for full terms and conditions.
What isn’t covered by caravan insurance?
While caravan insurance is designed to provide an additional safety net, it doesn’t cover everything. Most caravan insurance policies won’t include protection against wear and tear or damage caused by insects and vermin.
Additionally, some insurance providers include clauses to your policy that only cover you if you’re not at fault. For instance, if your caravan is burgled and you left the doors and windows unlocked, you may be considered at fault. As such, you may not be covered.
Will the contents of my caravan be covered?
Intasure’s Touring Caravan Insurance and Static Caravan Insurance policies can cover loss or damage to your caravan’s contents. This cover can also be extended across Europe for touring caravans.
You may already have a certain level of cover via your home insurance. You can confirm this by checking the wording of your policy to see if it includes valuables. If it does, items such as personal computers, cameras, and sports equipment are often covered up to a certain value while they’re with you in your caravan.
How much does caravan insurance cost?
The cost of caravan insurance varies, so you’ll need to seek a personalised quote to ensure you have the cover you need. Insurers consider various factors, including:
- The type of caravan —not just whether it’s static or touring, but also the precise make and model
- The value and age of the caravan
- Your caravan’s security, including locks, cameras, and tracking devices
- Where the caravan is kept when not in use
- How much the contents are worth
- Your location, age, and claims history
The simplest way to discover the cost of insuring your caravan is to get a caravan insurance quote.
How to lower the cost of your premium
Making your caravan as secure as possible may help to reduce the cost of your insurance. Ground anchors, hitch posts, and wheel clamps on a touring caravan can deter thieves. Many people also use trackers and cameras on more expensive touring models, but they’re a wise investment even on a less expensive caravan.
Do you need to insure a caravan while it’s parked at home?
Not necessarily, as caravan insurance isn’t a legal requirement. That said, caravan insurance can still be a worthwhile investment to help protect it against theft and damage. Some home insurance policies may cover your caravan, but they may not provide cover against every risk, and some may impose strict limits on the amount you can claim.
Will my car insurance cover my caravan?
In many cases, car insurance policies cover your vehicle while towing a touring caravan. But they may not protect against damage to your caravan in the event of a collision. As always, check the precise wording of your policy. You will likely find that caravans are expressly excluded, so specialist insurance is important to consider.
The sole purpose of this article is to provide guidance on the issues covered. This article is not intended to give legal advice, and, accordingly, it should not be relied upon. It should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and/or market practice in this area. We make no claims as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained herein or in the links which were live at the date of publication. You should not act upon (or should refrain from acting upon) information in this publication without first seeking specific legal and/or specialist advice. Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited trading as Intasure accepts no liability for any inaccuracy, omission or mistake in this publication, nor will we be responsible for any loss which may be suffered as a result of any person relying on the information contained herein.
FP1072-2023
