Why is caravan insurance important?

Nothing compares to the excitement of owning a holiday home, whether you enjoy road-tripping in your tourer, or you’ve created a cosy hideaway on a static caravan park.

But unfortunately, it doesn’t come without risks, which is why you might want to consider specialist insurance to protect your investment.

If you’re wondering—why is caravan insurance important?—you’ll find helpful details in our guide.  

 

What is caravan insurance?

Caravan insurance is a form of financial protection designed to cover your static or touring caravan against the risks associated with owning a holiday home.

For example, say your tourer is damaged in a collision on the way to your holiday destination, but your car insurance policy only covers damage to your towing vehicle.

Or, say your static caravan is broken into and vandalised during the off-season and suffers thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Specialist caravan insurance is there to help cover the costs arising from repairing or replacing your holiday home in the worst-case scenarios.

 

Why is caravan insurance important?

Touring and static caravan insurance is important from both a financial and psychological perspective.

Not only does it ensure you won’t be out of pocket if the worst happens, but you’ll also have peace of mind whilst enjoying your holidays.

Caravan insurance claims typically fall into one of three categories—theft, damage, or public liability, which we cover in detail below.

 

Theft

Over 1,600 caravans were stolen across the UK in the last three years, and static caravans are regularly a target for break ins during the off-season.

Owning a holiday home is a significant investment, with average upfront costs at:

• £23,649 for a brand-new touring caravan
• £43,333 for a brand-new static caravan

It would be devastating to be faced with a total replacement cost in the event of a theft, and don’t forget—this doesn’t include stolen contents.

Caravan insurance covers the theft of your holiday home and its contents, so you can get back to enjoying your getaways in no time.

Ripe arranges specialist insurance that covers tourers up to the value of £75,000 and statics up to £175,000 for damage and theft, with the option to cover your contents and awnings.

So, you never have to worry about your finances, whether you’re travelling with your tourer or securing your static caravan during the winter months.

You can also follow our guide for improving caravan security for tips on avoiding theft.

 

Damage

Accidental and malicious damage are unfortunately all too common for owners of holiday homes.

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of your holiday and make a mistake. Say you overlook a wall when reversing your tourer onto a pitch—specialist insurance could cover the repair costs if it's damaged.  

Then there’s malicious damage to consider. It’s not as rare as you think since hundreds of caravans are broken into each year, and many are vandalised in the process.

Imagine an opportunist breaking into your static caravan during the low season and damaging your cupboards and upholstery. Caravan insurance could cover the cost of this damage, along with the theft of your contents.

There’s also the risk of disputes arising if you hire out your caravan—selecting rental cover could be important for protecting your caravan’s contents if you have a difficult tenant.

Read more:

• Touring Caravan Insurance Booklet
• Static Caravan Insurance Booklet

 

Public Liability

Holidaying around others means there’s a risk of third-party claims for injury or property damage.

Or you could run over another person’s foot whilst manoeuvring your touring caravan onto your pitch.

Public Liability cover through Ripe Caravans could cover the costs of any claims that arise out of these situations, including legal costs if you must defend yourself in court.

It includes £2m of cover as standard, with the option to upgrade to £3m or £5m for an additional fee. So, you can thoroughly enjoy each holiday without unnecessary stress.

 

Caravan insurance FAQs

Is it illegal not to insure a caravan?

Specialist caravan insurance is not a legal requirement by law. However, if you don’t have a policy in place, you will usually have to pay for any repairs or total replacement costs completely out of your own savings.

Don’t forget, if a third-party makes a claim against you for injury or property damage, you’ll have to foot the bill for this too.

You might want to consider insurance for reassurance that if the worst happens, your finances are protected.

 

Does my car insurance cover my caravan?

Typically, most comprehensive policies will cover your car whilst towing a trailer or caravan, but only in instances of third-party damage or injury caused during the collision.

This means any damage to your caravan wouldn’t usually be covered under a car insurance policy, which is why many choose specialist caravan insurance to accompany this cover.

If you’re a touring caravan owner (or will be soon), here’s our full guide on this topic.

 

Does caravan insurance cover accidental damage?

Typically, yes—this form of caravan insurance is important to many holiday goers. Specialist caravan insurance through Ripe includes accidental damage as standard.

 

How much is caravan insurance roughly in the UK?

It’s difficult to determine the cost of an individual’s caravan insurance as there are several factors that affect it, such as:

• the age of your caravan
• where your caravan is sited (for statics)
• the value of your caravan and its contents
• security measurements in place
• your chosen level of cover
• your no claims bonus

You can get an online quote today to discover the cost of your caravan insurance.

 

Specialist caravan insurance through Ripe

Now you know why caravan insurance can be important for protecting your finances, you might want to consider getting an online quote and protecting your own holiday home.

At Ripe, the cover protects tourers from theft, loss, or damage up to the value of £75,000 and static caravans up to the value of £175,000. You can also opt for additional cover to protect your contents and awnings.

Click here to learn more about how we can help or get an instant online quote today.