What does motorhome insurance cover?

Whether it’s the thrill of hitting the open road with family and friends or the sense of achievement that comes with renovating, your motorhome plays a huge role in your life.

Not only will your motorhome have cost you a substantial amount of money to buy, but the costs involved in running and maintaining it can also add up.

Motorhomes are big investments, so they deserve protection that reflects that. The last thing you want is for your pride and joy to be damaged, broken into, or stolen.

That’s where motorhome insurance comes in—a form of financial protection for you and your vehicle. In this blog, we’ll look at the ins and outs of motorhome insurance and what it covers.

 

What does motorhome insurance cover?

Theft and accidental damage

As is common with most standard vehicle insurance policies, motorhome insurance protects your vehicle from theft and accidental damage.

Given their high value, motorhomes are sadly a common target for thieves and can be expensive to repair if badly damaged.

When you take out a motorhome insurance policy through Ripe, you’ll also be covered for damage resulting from fires and floods.

More information can be found in our Motorhome Insurance Booklet.

 

Injury to another person or third-party property

Again, as with standard vehicle insurance, motorhome insurance protects your liability to other road users and members of the public through Public Liability cover.

Let’s say your motorhome is involved in an accident, causing an injury to somebody else or damage to third-party property—you could be left to pay any necessary costs from your own pocket without insurance.

Motorhome insurance through Ripe provides unlimited cover for death or injury caused to a third party. It also provides £20m worth of cover for damage caused to someone else’s property and £5m cover for any associated legal costs that may arise from claims of this nature.

 

Equipment and accessories

If you’re heading off for a fun-filled weekend away in your motorhome, you’ll likely take some equipment with you. And although your equipment and accessories probably aren’t worth as much as the motorhome itself, you’ll probably still want to protect them.

Motorhome insurance through Ripe also covers additional items kept in your motorhome, such as awnings, utensils, and camping equipment.

Check out our Motorhome Insurance Booklet for more information on equipment and accessories cover.

 

New-for-old replacement

‘New-for-old’ is a form of insurance that works on a ‘like-for-like’ replacement basis. It essentially means that if you ever make a theft, loss or damage claim, you may be able to replace your lost, damaged, or stolen item with a brand-new one of the equivalent value.

When you take out motorhome insurance through Ripe, you’ll get new-for-old cover as standard, providing you bought your motorhome new, it’s less than two years old, and has fewer than 12,000 miles on the clock.

If your motorhome was not purchased new, you may be able to get it replaced at its current market value. More information can be found in our Motorhome Insurance Booklet.

 

Emergency accommodation

Motorhome insurance can also cover the cost of emergency hotel accommodation or replacement vehicle hire if your motorhome is stolen, damaged, or becomes uninhabitable when you’re more than 50 miles from home.

 

Motorhome insurance: optional extras

If you’re in the market for motorhome insurance (or any kind of insurance, for that matter), one thing to be wary of is pre-bundled packages. These can leave you paying for add-ons you may not need or want.

However, at Ripe, we believe you should only ever pay for the cover you need. That’s why when you take out a motorhome insurance policy through us, you’ll be given the option to add extra layers of cover should you need them, rather than paying for them when you don’t.

That way, you can choose cover that’s right for you based on your lifestyle and preferences.

Optional extras for motorhome insurance through Ripe include:

• personal accident—provides cover for serious injury or death following an accident in your motorhome
• legal expenses—covers legal costs or expenses to assist the recovery of uninsured items relating to personal injury or damage
• Continental Europe—extended cover to include travel to a range of European countries for up to 90 days in one trip or 180 days in the year
• enhanced windscreen cover—provides cover for your motorhome windscreen in the event of damage
• key cover—covers your keys and locks up to £1,500 following damage or theft

Read our Motorhome Insurance Booklet for more information on cover.

 

Motorhome insurance FAQs

Can I drive a motorhome using my car insurance?

Some motorhomes can be covered under car insurance if they are quite small. However, the vast majority of insurers will require you to take out specialist motorhome insurance. Contact your car insurance provider if you require more information.

 

Is motorhome insurance a legal requirement?

Motorhome insurance is a legal requirement if you drive your motorhome on public roads. If you keep your motorhome off the road permanently, then you can apply to the government for your insurance to be waived. However, you will still need to purchase insurance in the future if you take your motorhome onto public roads.

 

Do I need a special licence to drive a motorhome?

The type of licence you need to drive a motorhome depends on the weight of the vehicle and when you obtained your driving licence.

If you passed your driving test before 1^st January 1997, you will be able to drive the vast majority of motorhomes without a special licence. However, if you passed after 1^st January 1997, you can only drive vehicles that weigh up to 3,500kg (with a trailer weighing a maximum of 750kg).

If your licence is not valid to drive your motorhome, then you need to obtain an entry-level HGV licence.

 

Does my home contents insurance cover items in my motorhome?

If you have out-of-home cover included in your contents insurance, then some items will be insured while inside your motorhome. However, this does not apply to everything and won’t usually cover items that are in your motorhome full-time.

Related: Does my home contents insurance cover items in my motorhome?

 

What's the difference between a motorhome and a campervan?

Motorhomes have permanent fixtures and clearly defined areas for driving and living. On the other hand, campervans tend to have very basic facilities and are a lot smaller.

 

How would I be covered if I crashed my motorhome?

To be protected by your insurance in the event of an accident, you will need comprehensive cover. This cover could also include arrangements to get you, your motorhome and your possessions home if your vehicle is written off.

However, cover can vary, so make sure you check your policy documents carefully.

 

Specialist motorhome insurance through Ripe

Your motorhome is your pride and joy, and here at Ripe, we know that you, understandably, want to make sure the investment you’ve made in it would be covered should the worst happen.

After all, all it takes is a split second, and you could face losing it all without the right protection in place. Through Ripe, you can protect your motorhome from theft, accidental damage, fire, flood, and more.

You can also get cover for your motorhome equipment and accessories, giving you complete peace of mind on the road.

Find out more about specialist motorhome insurance through Ripe or get a quote online today.