All About Touring Caravan Insurance

"The world is your oyster." That's something that's said a lot when it comes to travelling. And to an extent it's true, but it's even truer when it comes to touring in a caravan. It literally is a case of the open road; it's possible to pitch up literally anywhere, as travellers are not confined by the restrictions of public transport and accommodation.

However, it's still important to have protection. Things can, and do go wrong with caravans, and that's why touring caravan insurance has to be taken out. This is something that's as important as personal travel insurance.

What is touring Caravan Insurance?

This type of insurance is just a type of caravan insurance. The only difference is that touring caravans are caravans that move. They are the caravans commonly seen driving down the motorway whilst attached to the back of another vehicle. Static caravans, the other type of caravan, are the type of vehicle that stays right where it is. It doesn't move anywhere and is usually protected on a designated camp site.

Most of these policies will offer cover for trips around Europe, so when a relaxing tour of Normandy is on the cards, then the caravan owner doesn't have to worry about taking out another policy. They also cover conventional things such as liability and damage cover.

What Does a Normal Policy Cover?

• Touring caravan insurance policies will nearly always provide cover for any damage caused to the caravan, or any of the contents inside of it. This includes any damage caused by fire, floods, storms, theft, or accidental damage.

• Around £2 million to £5 million is provided in indemnity insurance, so if a legal case is brought up by a third party, the insurance company will cover any legal costs.

• European cover, enabling touring caravans to go into Europe whenever they want.

However, it should be noted that other continents usually require a personalised policy as this is not generally provided as standard.

Most policies also offer a range of optional extras, plus the opportunity to specify the level for your claim excess.

Lowering Insurance Premiums

Travelling around the UK or Europe in a caravan is designed to be a relaxing experience, but it's more enjoyable if you know your caravan is fully protected, and that you haven't had to pay an extortionate premium for peace of mind, with your caravan insurance. The good thing is that travellers can reduce their touring caravan insurance costs by doing some of the following:

• There are discounts on most insurance policies if no claims are made; up to 15% could be saved straight away.

• Add security devices on to the caravan. This will protect it against theft, and will make it easier to recover a lost caravan if it is stolen.

• Have a clean driving record. If the driver is safer, then there's going to be a lower chance of having an accident. Although this might not be viable for some people, every little helps. Even if the driver hasn't had an accident in just five years, the discounts will still provide some value.

• Join a caravan club. Some have negotiated preferential rates for members, whilst others offer their own club insurance.

Caravan Insurance - Some Crucial Information About The General Conditions

We all know the old saying when dealing with financial products that you should "check the fine print" and this can also be extended to caravan insurance, after all these are contracts of law and the potential pitfall of not complying or understanding policy conditions can be very costly.

Caravan insurance, like many others, normally consists of a general policy wording (which applies to all policyholders) and a schedule of insurance which notes the specifics of you as the policyholder, the basis of the contract, your personal and caravan details and any specific endorsements (conditions that you need to comply) applicable to you.

There are basic conditions that would apply to any insurance contract, such as taking all reasonable steps possible to reduce the amount of a loss (effectively if you damage the van you can organise necessary urgent repairs as this will reduce the size of the claim), and if the claim is in any way fraudulent or exaggerated then the cover could be cancelled from the start of the claim declined.

There are also conditions that are applied by different caravan insurers, for example most insurers have security requirements. This can vary from the basic hitch-lock and wheel clamp, to alarms and trackers on higher value vans. Most insurers will insist that if the caravan is left unattended (that being if all of the people in the towing vehicle) and detached then there must be wheel clamp and/or a hitch lock attached to the van. If the van is left unattended whilst attached (say at a service station when you get out to have a coffee) then the general security is to ask for a wheel clamp to be attached.

It is important to check your policy conditions in respect of security, as insurers can decline claims if this is not complied with. Many insurers ask for trackers on certain makes and values of caravans, as an example Hobby Caravans have been difficult to insure in the recent past due to a high theft risk.

Another important note is that if you have an awning you must not leave it up unless the caravan is in use, as in you need to be holidaying with the caravan. The reason behind this is that awnings are not steady and not designed to withstand wintry and stormy conditions.

Almost every insurer exerts an excess into the policies, that being an amount that is deducted from the final claim amount, typically £100. When a claim is settled this figure would automatically be removed from the total.

Insurers would also have, if contents are added onto the policy, a single item limit similar to household insurance. This means that the insurer will not pay more than the agreed amount, typically £250 for the item. Regarding contents, all insurers deduct an amount for wear and tear and to take account of the drop in value.

It must be noted that the above is not an exhaustive list and we will be back with more important points very soon!