Why is my caravan insurance quotation cheaper/more expensive than yours, given that we have almost identical caravans?

This is a tricky one but may relate to one or both of two factors:

• the insurer you are using;
• the way that you use your caravan.

Insurers typically assess the risks involved in a given policy, quite differently from each other. As a result, pricing variation is only to be expected.

You may also see significant differences in price if, for example, you use your caravan either far more or less extensively than another caravanner with an identical caravan.

How can I reduce the cost of my caravan insurance quotes?

This is something that is relatively easy to answer because, in essence, you may find that you have two options:

• to perform periodic caravan insurance reviews and look at a number of other options for your insurance, some of which may prove to be more cost-effective than others – in other words, to shop around;
• to adjust aspects of the way you use your caravan so as to take advantage of explicit or implicit opportunities to save money.

The second point relates to things such as:

• trying to reduce your annual mileage if you have a touring caravan or a motorhome;
• garaging your caravan when not in use;
• avoiding caravan sites that have a known history of flooding;
• fitting additional security devices etc.

Is it better to have your own policy that is purchased from the insurance marketplace or to use the site owner’s cover?

There cannot be a single answer to this question; however, it may be in your interests to treat the site owner’s insurance proposition in exactly the same way as you would any other caravan quotation.

In other words, to critically evaluate it against your requirements and to compare it against other caravan insurance quotes and policy options that you may have sourced yourself through the open insurance marketplace.

%%Caravan insurance quotes – a question and answer session%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

Contrary to what you may believe, not all touring caravan insurance is more or less the same.

No short article of this nature can give a full overview of points to look for, however, there are a few things worth noting in general terms.

Mileage allowances

Policies may differ significantly in terms of their allocation of what they consider to be a standard annual mileage.

If your real usage is likely to be higher, then you may have to pay an increase in premium. By contrast, if you suspect that your mileage is likely to be considerably lower, you may be paying for cover that you do not need.

Parking restrictions in use

Some policies may have very precisely defined conditions relating to where you may or may not park your caravan overnight when in use.

If you are typically able to comply then fine, if however this does not meet your real typical usage, then your insurance may not be suitable.

Continental driving

Similarly to the mileage point made above, it may be prudent to check what the policy covers in this respect and whether or not that is actually how you plan to do things with future overseas journeys.

UK usage

Some policies may stipulate that use of your caravan is restricted to the UK mainland.

At the risk of seemingly giving a geography lesson, it may pay to note that this may exclude places such as Anglesey, all of the Scottish islands, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and even the Isle of Wight.

If you have no plans to visit these locations with your caravan then fine, if you do however, your insurance may need some attention.

Live-in usage

Touring caravan insurance is typically written to cover holiday use. If you decide to move into your caravan for a lengthy period (e.g. whilst undertaking rebuilding work on your property) you may wish to consider the insurance implications, as such use may not be covered by some policies.

%%Matching touring caravan insurance to your reality%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

Of course, there is also the question of cost and for some people the best caravan quote may be that which is the cheapest.

So, is it possible to definitively state which is the best caravan insurance quote?

In practice, this may be difficult, bordering impossible.

The fact is that no two people are likely to have the same idea of what best means in terms of their caravan insurance. What is best caravan insurance for one of us may not prove to be best for another.

We may all like to believe that we aim to protect our caravans with the broadest and most comprehensive cover we can but comparatively few of us may be in the fortunate position of being able to totally discount the cost factor.

Almost inevitably, therefore, we are lead into a careful balancing of trying to find cover that allows us to sleep a little more easily at night and that which protects our fragile bank balances.

If compromise is inevitably necessary, then we may be able to achieve that to a greater degree of satisfaction if we have multiple options to weigh up against each other, so as to decide which genuinely offers a suitable mixture of effectiveness and cost-attraction.

This isn’t always easy. Wading through multiple policies trying to compare the fine detail of one against another, may perhaps be regarded as at best unexciting and at worst, a cure for insomnia.

Fortunately, there are sites where it is possible to secure multiple quotations from different insurers in the one go.

It is also sometimes overlooked that we may have some degree of control over our own destiny in terms of how much we pay for our insurance.

Some policies may allow you the ability to reduce your premium by taking actions, such as fitting additional security devices to your caravan or parking it off road when not in use.

For some, the best caravan quote may be that which offers the greatest scope for such savings.

%%Aiming for the best caravan quote%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

Hobby caravans and insurance

Hobby caravans are made in Germany and they managed to establish and maintain an enviable track record for quality built and precision engineered models.

Unfortunately, an entirely unwanted by-product of that reputation was the model typically also attracted thieves who were keen to own one but without going through the sordid business of actually needing to pay for it.

It was also the case that if damaged in an accident, Hobby parts may have been expensive to obtain as they were made in and imported from Germany.

The two things, taken together, meant that some insurers were reluctant to offer Hobby caravan insurance and it remained a specialist marketplace.

Inevitably, as in any situation where choice is limited, there may have been a knock-on effect on insurance prices.

Today

The good news is that today, such insurance cover is becoming more widespread and readily available.

It is now possible to obtain Hobby caravan cover from a wider variety of sources including online.

There may be some conditions of Hobby insurance that are less commonly found elsewhere though.

It may be necessary to carefully read the policy to see what these are in any given case but they may include things such as:

• cover limited to the UK (possibly even the UK mainland);

• a requirement to fit a tracker if one is not fitted as standard;

• the obligatory use of additional security devices including things such as hitchlocks and wheel clamps;

• possible restrictions on the nature of what caravanning sites may be used;

• the need to securely store your caravan off-road when not in use over the winter (some policies may require that it is stored in a secure storage site).

So, the good news for owners is that Hobby caravan insurance is becoming a little more widely available!

%%Finding Hobby caravan insurance%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

• that may be because in the past you may have been led to believe, by your site owner, that you were obliged to buy your caravan insurance cover form them;
• so shopping around to try and find a more appropriate deal may have been a bit of a waste of time for you;
• in fact, you may find that in many cases you may be under no obligation to purchase your static caravan cover from the site owners and you are perfectly free to find your own caravan insurers;
• if you do so, you may find that there are a number of online providers who may be able to offer deals that may be  more cost-effective that the one you may currently have;
• not only that, you may also find that even if your site owner were to make a charge for administering your privately sourced policy, it may still work out to be a cost effective solution for you;
• that may be possible in part because  shopping around may enable you to find policies which may offer discounted premiums;
• in the case of a static caravan, these may be available if you locate your static on a site which has a flood free history or where there is a 24 hour supervisory presence onsite;
• belonging to a caravan club or association, may be interpreted as a sign of responsibility and maturity, which may again lead to discounts on premiums to reflect reduced risk;
• fitting approved locks on windows and doors may also be a security measure that is appreciated by caravan insurance providers;
• wherever you source your caravan insurance though, it may typically be a sensible step to read through the policy documentation, including the terms and conditions because different caravan insurers may place different emphasis  on features of cover and you may need to understand how this applies to your situation and your caravan.

%%Finding the right caravan insurers%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

Finding out what your caravan insurance policy contains, by way of details at the point where you wish to make a claim, may be a bit too late – particularly if the cover provided falls short of what you expect and at the point of claim, what you may need.

When carrying out your own caravan insurance reviews there are a few points that you may wish to look out for.

Are there any terms and conditions relating to things that are your responsibility, when it comes to the security of safety of your caravan?

With a tourer, for example, this may include a requirement to fit a wheel clamp if you leave your caravan unattended while attached to the car. If you detach the car then you may need to fit a hitchlock as well.

With a static on the other hand, since many sites close over the winter season, you may need to ensure that all water and heating systems are drained down to minimise the chances of leaks etc.

Are there any opportunities for you to qualify for a premium discount to help keep costs down?

Some policies may offer discounts if you are a member of a caravan club (often called caravan club insurance discounts) of if you fit approved locks on your caravan doors and windows.

You may also find that premiums may be slightly more attractive if you choose to park your caravan on a site which has a good history of being flood free.

Are there limits that you need to know about?

Different policies may have different financial limits on certain features like the maximum values covered for high value items like computers, electrical goods or jewellery etc. Public liability cover for third party injury or damage may also vary from policy to policy.

Your caravan insurance reviews may typically also tell you whether there are limits on the mileage or number of days that you can travel in any one year, either at home or abroad.

%%Reading through caravan insurance reviews%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

The apprehension

You may think that this is a daunting prospect that is going to entail you in making word-by-word comparisons of pages of legalise – but in fact, that’s typically not the case.

Typical modern policies are written in plain simple English and it may help your comparison if you think about the areas to be compared as falling into one of the following categories:

• the caravan cover provided by the policy;

• its terms and conditions;

• its pricing (remember that it may be advisable to include a consideration of any discount opportunities that are available, when you’re thinking about how much a policy may cost you).

All things considered, a caravan insurance comparison may be easier than you think.

Why bother?

There is occasionally a form of myth around caravan insurance – it runs along the lines that all policies are pretty much the same apart from their price.

In practice, this may not be the case.

The old saying, act in haste and repent at leisure, may be very applicable to the area of caravans and their insurance. That’s why it typically makes sense to carefully check your quotations and to make the effort to perform a caravan insurance comparison.

The apprehension

You may think that this is a daunting prospect that is going to entail you in making word-by-word comparisons of pages of legalise – but in fact, that’s typically not the case.

Typical modern policies are written in plain simple English and it may help your comparison if you think about the areas to be compared as falling into one of the following categories:

• the caravan cover provided by the policy;

• its terms and conditions;

• its pricing (remember that it may be advisable to include a consideration of any discount opportunities that are available, when you’re thinking about how much a policy may cost you).

All things considered, a caravan insurance comparison may be easier than you think.

Why bother?

There is occasionally a form of myth around caravan insurance – it runs along the lines that all policies are pretty much the same apart from their price.

In practice, this may not be the case.

In all of the three above areas, policies may contain significant differences.

To give only one example, some insurance providers may not cover caravans that are sited in areas with a known flood-risk whereas others may do so (though perhaps subject to special conditions).

That sort of difference may or not be important to you but you won’t even know it is there unless you take the time to check.

The dangers of inertia

All of us may be vulnerable, to some extent, to the attractions of the status quo and getting to grips with a caravan insurance comparison may not strike you as one of your top priorities. Yet given the possibilities for finding more cost-effective solutions, gritting your teeth and getting it done may be a good idea.

%%Making a caravan insurance comparison%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

If so, it’s a potentially risky approach:

• caravan insurance quotations may not typically contain full policy details and their focus may be rather more on highlighting the price plus some of the terms and conditions – these should, of course, be read and digested but to be sure of what you’ll be getting for your money, you typically will need to read the potential provider’s policy documentation;

• it is really only the policy detail including its terms and conditions, that will be capable of giving you the confidence that the cover you’ll potentially be getting will be suitable for your caravan and the way you use it;

• there may be a number of examples as to why such an approach is important so far as caravan insurance quotes are concerned, for example, while a quotation may say that it covers contents, the policy itself may impose maximum payout or individual items levels, that are insufficient for your needs;

• equally, the full policy may provide information relating to terms and conditions, that may prove critical to your decision making – perhaps, as another example, the Ts and Cs may state that certain forms of caravan will not be covered against some forms of risk if the site is located in an area known for flooding;

• your quotation for caravan insurance may also provide you with information on potential discount opportunities, such as in the case of some policies where they may offer reduced prices if you are a member of a recognised caravanning club or owners’ association etc;

• if the worst happens and you need to make a claim, you’ll typically want to be sure that you have the cover in place to offer you financial protection – the first step in ensuring that is to make sure that you read carefully any caravan insurance quotes including all the policy detail.

%%Why it’s worth carefully reading caravan insurance quotes%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

• caravan insurance cover varies in terms of what it provides – this is an important factor to keep in mind when you’re thinking about what may be the cheapest caravan insurance because what the same amount of money buys you in terms of cover, may not be the same from one policy to another;

• the inescapable conclusion from this is that the cheapest policy may not be of use to you if it doesn’t provide the detail of cover that you require – in other words, what’s good and perhaps the cheapest caravan cover for one caravanner’s situation, may not prove to be the cheapest cover for you and yours;

• this means that it is typically advisable to concentrate on not only the price but more importantly, the cover provided, when you are reviewing caravan insurance quotes;

• for example, some caravan cover may offer static caravan insurance that contains severe restrictions on the types of sites that you can use with your caravan whereas others may be more flexible;

• the caravan cover you decide is the minimum for you, may be affected by a number of factors including things such as the value of your caravan, its type, how often you use it and the value of your contents etc – the point is that a policy may or may not provide cover suitable for you and you will not typically be able to say one way or another by merely looking at its price;

• the bottom line conclusion may be that selecting caravan cover based upon price alone, e.g. searching for the cheapest caravan insurance, may be a risky strategy – as you may discover if you ever have to make a claim.

%%Deciding what is the cheapest caravan insurance%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog

These days, if you have a campervan, leaving it without campervan cover is typically not an option (even if you keep it off road) unless you return your vehicle tax disc to the DVLA and make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

Campervan versus car insurance

Although both are on road vehicles, there are some major differences in the insurance that you may need for a campervan to that required for a car.

For a start, your campervan:

• provides you with what may be very sophisticated and luxurious accommodation and it may be fitted out to a very high standard with a significant level of internal equipment;

• typically may have cost you a whole lot more than a family car;

• is a much bigger vehicle in length, width and weight and so has very different requirements  when it comes to dealing with breakdowns and the like than would be necessary with a standard car;

• may have additional features  like an awning or a  generator and possibly an add-on toilet, which may need to be taken into account.

So regular car insurance just isn‘t going to provide you with the cover that you need to protect your investment in your campervan.

Campervan insurance cover though, doesn’t have to cost you significant amounts of money and discounts may be available if you try to have only experienced drivers on your policy – you’ll typically have to pay more for drivers under 25 or those who have not held their licence for very long.

You may wish to bear in mind though that since campervans are used as recreational vehicles, campervan insurance may typically not provide cover for day-to-day use or commuting.

%%Purchasing your campervan insurance%% is a post from: Caravan Insurance Blog