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As the weather starts to warm up, you may already be planning your next trip away. But before you hitch up and hit the open road for the new touring season, ensuring your caravan is properly protected is the first step to a stress-free trip.
With hundreds of providers offering varying levels of cover, finding the right policy can be challenging. Whether you’re a veteran tourer or a first-time owner, this guide breaks down exactly what to look for when choosing touring caravan insurance.
Understanding core cover: What’s included?
While every caravanner has unique needs, the most robust policies generally bundle several key protections together. Here is what you should expect as standard:
- Theft and damage: This covers your caravan against theft or damage during an attempted break-in. It also includes “whoops” moments under accidental damage, such as clipping a kerb or miscalculating a turn near a low branch.
- Storms and flooding: With the unpredictable UK weather meaning that storms and flooding can never be ruled out, your policy should protect your caravan from the elements.
- Fire: In the event of a fire caused by electrical faults, cooking accidents, or issues with gas appliances, you’ll be covered.
- Vandalism: If your caravan is targeted by third parties, resulting in broken windows or graffiti, this ensures you aren’t stuck with the bill to put it right.
- Public liability: Covers legal costs and compensation if your caravan causes injury to others or damages their property while detached or pitched.
- Contents and awnings: Ensure your personal belongings, gas bottles, and outdoor furniture are covered. Many people forget to check if their expensive awning is included in the total sum insured!
- Breakdown and recovery: Specialist recovery is often required for caravans, as standard car breakdown cover rarely extends to the towed unit.
- Emergency accommodation: If your caravan becomes uninhabitable mid-trip due to a claim, this covers the cost of a local hotel or B&B so your holiday isn’t cut short.
New-for-Old vs Market Value – Which is right for you?
One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is how your insurer values your caravan if it’s written off or stolen (known as a “total loss”):
- New-for-Old: If your van is stolen or destroyed, you get a brand-new equivalent model. This is ideal for newer vans but usually comes with an age limit (often up to 10 years).
- Market Value: You receive a payout from the insurer based on the caravan’s worth at the time of the incident. While this leads to lower premiums, it may not be enough to buy a like-for-like replacement.
Your touring caravan policy checklist
Before you commit to a provider, double-check that the policy includes everything you need.
- Where is your caravan kept when not in use? Does the insurer require a CaSSOA-registered storage site?
- What security is required? Will you need a specific hitch lock, wheel clamp, or tracker?
- Are you heading outside of the UK? Is European cover included as standard, and for how many days per year?
- What are the exclusions? Are you covered for vermin damage, or tyre blowouts?
- Who is driving? Are friends and family allowed to tow the caravan under your policy?
- Can you afford the excess? Check both the compulsory and voluntary excess levels before signing.
Don’t just go with the cheapest premium. Research an insurer’s reputation for claims handling, as a policy is only as good as the support you receive when things go wrong.
Looking for Touring Caravan Insurance?
Forces Mutual are pleased to introduce Compass Insurance who are a specialist provider of holiday caravan and residential park home insurance, with over 45 years’ experience, so they can help you find the right cover for you.
Compass Insurance is part of the Bspoke Insurance Group Ltd, which also includes Forces Mutual, so you know you’re in safe hands.
You can get a quote here.