Buying the right insurance for your caravan can be time-consuming and somewhat confusing; however, it is well worth your time and effort in choosing the best insurance for your needs. You will first determine whether your caravan is static (stays in one place) or touring (a vacation home on wheels) in order to choose the proper camper insurance. You will then decide how much coverage you want and then find an insurance broker who can save you time and money.
Static Caravan Insurance
You may have a static vacation caravan located near a resort area or on private property. If you have decided that you don’t need insurance on your caravan because you only use it at certain times of the year and the other times it stands empty please reconsider.
There are several things that can happen to your static caravan when you’re not there. Your caravan could develop a leaky roof that can cause damage to the inside structure and any furniture or other belongings. High winds may cause a tree to fall and cave in the structure. A fire could be started from a lightening strike.
If any of these catastrophes happen while you’re away it may be weeks or months before you are even aware of the damage. The elements will cause further damage because the interior may be exposed. A good static caravan insurance policy will protect your investment from loss or damage.
Prepare Your Caravan to Get the Best Rates
You will want to shop for the best insurance rates. The safer your caravan appears to insurance companies the best price quotes you’ll receive.
Have smoke detectors installed and you’ll get a lower quote for fire damage. If you have a property management company to check regularly on the condition of your caravan you will get a lower quote because it appears to be safe and not abandoned for long periods of time.
You can also pay a higher excess than the policy requires. A higher excess means you will pay more out-of-pocket for any damages the static caravan might incur. This lowers your policy costs considerably.
When an insurance company gives you a quote for your caravan they will consider these factors and many more such as the age of your caravan and whether you want maximum or minimum coverage. The less risk your property presents to the insurance company the better your quote will be. Get several quotes in order to get the best quote for your money.
Touring Caravan Insurance
Specific caravan insurance is not required by law in the UK because your car insurance policy covers towing a trailer. However, a car insurance policy may not cover the damage done to the caravan itself nor does it cover the replacement of a caravan due to theft. Therefore, it is in your best interests to have a touring caravan insurance policy to protect this major investment.
Travelling by caravan has increasingly become a popular way of vacationing in the past few years. With this increase of popularity comes an increase in thefts and accidents. There is a wide variety of coverage to choose from that not only includes coverage for damages to the caravan itself but coverage for travelling expenses that may occur due to an accident, theft or fire.
You may choose to add coverage for emergency accommodations while away. You also may decide to have storage protection. A ‘new for old’ policy will replace your caravan with a brand new caravan if it is stolen or totally damaged. Of course you will pay more for this type of policy.
Your quotes will be determined by how far you will be travelling. If you plan to only tour the UK you will not need European coverage which will save you money. If all of Europe is your destination your policy will include towing, repairs, and hotel accommodations.
You will need to contact several insurance companies to get the best quote for your needs. Finding companies on the Internet and submitting your applications one by one is one way to find caravan insurance.
The suggested time saver is to contact an insurance broker who can give you several quotes from several insurance providers. This method eliminates the need to contact each insurance company individually and then get calls or posts in the mail from each one.