A Useful Guide To Caravan Insurance Happiness
November 13, 2012 by admin
Filed under Holidays, Insurance, Motor Insurance
Guide To Caravan Insurance Happiness
Caravan Insurance is important because with a caravan, either new or second hand, is a major investment and one that you will want to fully protect.
Around 1,200 caravans were stolen in the UK last year and it is shocking figures such as this that remind us just how important is it to have the right caravan insurance in place.
On our forums you will find a great deal of useful advice about caravan insurance and also stories of caravan insurance pitfalls and problems.
We’ve taken some of the most useful information submitted by our members to create this guide and we hope it will help you when insuring your caravan.
CRiS registration
Any caravan manufactured after 1992 will have its VIN registered on the Caravan Registration Identification Scheme (CRiS). This 17 digit VIN number (usually starting with an SG) is stamped on to the chassis and on later models etched into the windows. This check will confirm the true identity of the van as well as report if it has outstanding finance, reported stolen, or has previously been recorded as an insurance write off.
This is for caravans that will be towed behind another vehicle, so if you plan to take your caravan on road trips then this is the option for you. You’ll typically be covered for a whole year’s worth of touring within the UK. So you can deposit your cats in the nearest luxury cattery (thebluecat.net is a perfect example) and travel the length and breadth of the UK.
Many touring caravan owners like to take their caravans abroad for European holidays, and most touring caravan policies will include cover for trips within the EU. However, the majority of policies will also have a time limit in place, usually 90 days, so if you plan to holiday for longer than this you will probably have to pay a little extra.
As well as receiving discounts dependent on your towing experience, most insurers will offer discounts in exchange for higher security on your caravan, typically having an alarm and tracker fitted will dramatically reduce your premium.
A tracking device will allow the police to easily locate your caravan in the event of a theft, making it much more likely to be returned to it’s rightful owner should it be stolen.
Mechanical devices such as wheel clamps and hitch locks are a visible deterrent which make thieves think twice about stealing a caravan, and are essential for most insurers. If you leave your caravan unattended for more than 2 hours, you must fit both a hitch lock and a wheel clamp.
Caravan contents insurance
It is a good idea to check your household contents insurance as it should cover the personal effects (such as clothes, small items of jewellery and laptops, etc) you keep in your caravan. Remember to check the detail including what is and what isn’t included and covered.
Items purchased specifically for the caravan, such as gas bottles, crockery cutlery, cooking utensils, sleeping bags and so on will usually not be covered by your household insurance. If these items are not covered by your existing caravan insurance you may wish to take out an additional policy to cover these items.
