Do I Need Caravan Insurance?

There are many reasons why caravanning is a popular pastime in the UK. It's a sense of freedom that you don’t get with other holidays.

However, a caravan holiday can be thrown into disarray after events like theft, accidents or natural disasters. If these situations occur, do you need caravan insurance to protect yourself?

In this guide, we’ll explore whether caravan insurance is necessary and the benefits it can bring.

Legal requirements for caravan insurance

You’ll find lots of different types of caravan across the UK. However, what are the legal requirements for insuring each kind?

Touring caravans

In the UK, there isn’t a legal requirement to insure a touring caravan. However, for peace of mind, it is recommended that you make sure third-party liability coverage is part of your caravan insurance policy, as an increasing number of sites across the UK are requiring this to be part of someone’s insurance to holiday/store caravans on their site.

Towergate offers up to £5 million public liability cover as standard on our touring caravan insurance policy.

As caravans increase your size on the road significantly, it is far easier for accidents to occur. This might be one of the reasons you take out insurance.

Static caravans

For static caravans legal requirements may vary. Some holiday parks require insurance for all caravans on their land, which covers fires, theft and extreme weather.

Discuss this with the landowner to find out their policy.

Types of coverage provided by caravan insurance

Depending on how you use your caravan, including where you take it and where you store it, you may only need a basic level of insurance. Let’s explore which insurance might work for you.

Market value coverage

Market value caravan insurance policies provide coverage based on the current market value of your caravan at the time you make a claim. This means that payouts will reflect the caravan’s depreciated value rather than the price you originally paid.

Market value policies do not cover damage resulting from gradual wear and tear or poor maintenance.

New for old

New for old policies are when the insurer will replace your damaged caravan with the same make and model, or the closest equivalent. The thing to look out for with these policies is that they only apply to caravans within a certain age limit.

New for old policies do not cover damage resulting from gradual wear and tear or poor maintenance.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance covers the things inside your caravan, from furniture to personal belongings, electronics to camping equipment. This can be particularly important on long trips as there may be more risk of thieves targeting your caravan.

Towergate caravan insurance includes contents insurance as standard.

Benefits of having caravan insurance

Each coverage is different but the benefits of policies can be many and varied.

Financial protection

Of course, caravan insurance can provide financial protection if things go wrong. Both repair costs of your caravan after theft, vandalism and fire, or legal costs if you have damaged something that didn’t belong to you, can be financially crippling without relevant insurance.

Peace of mind

Being covered in the case of accidents, theft, damage or more can bring you essential peace of mind when staying in a static home or taking your caravan on the road. It means you won’t have to worry about financial woes if something goes wrong and you can concentrate on having a good time and keeping yourself safe on the road.

Support in emergencies

Depending on your policy, insurance can provide essential support after or during an emergency. Whether it’s roadside assistance or towing, a great policy can be crucial when you need it most, especially when travelling to remote areas or unfamiliar places.

Towergate’s touring caravan insurance doesn’t provide cover for roadside assistance but emergency removal is included as standard (where we’ll reimburse the costs of recovering the caravan from the scene of a road traffic accident).

For static caravans, we also offer a homecare emergency product as an add-on to your standard cover.

Compliance with site requirements

As mentioned, some caravan parks require proof of insurance for your caravan to enter their grounds. Having a policy in place can allow you to stay at more sites around the country.

Risks of not having caravan insurance

As many benefits as there are to having insurance, there are as many risks not having it.

Financial loss

As discussed, caravan insurance can be crucial in preventing harsh legal costs and compensation if you have damaged or injured something or someone outside of yourself or family. It can also help you deal with a financial hit if your uninsured caravan or property inside is damaged or stolen.

Legal liability

Not having caravan insurance can leave you open to legal claims. Tackling the claim in court or paying compensation for said claim can be more financially damaging than simply replacing your own contents or repair costs.

Limited access to parks and sites

Lack of public liability insurance in your policy could stop you from entering certain caravan parks and sites – and note some policies only offer a limited amount of cover so ensure you have sufficient cover to meet caravan park and site rules. If you weren’t aware, this could spoil your holiday plans and force you to find new accommodation at the last minute.

Factors to consider when deciding on caravan insurance

Now you know the positives and negatives of caravan insurance, but there are a few more factors to consider before choosing your policy.

Value of the caravan

You must consider the actual value of your caravan and the potential cost of repairing and replacing it, the interior and the contents. Consider how you want a claim settled - market value or new for old.

Frequency of use

How often do you use your caravan? The frequency you take caravan holidays can inform you of how much insurance you may want to take out. Infrequent use may allow for lower-cost policies with more limited coverage. For example at Towergate the caravan insurance you pay is affected by how frequently you use it on the road.

Storage and security

The place you store your caravan and the security of this place can also be paramount in how much insurance you should look at. Closed storage like a garage or gated property will usually require less protection than a caravan that is stored in an open space. Towergate’s touring caravan insurance does have a minimum security requirement for both the storage locations and the van itself.

Personal preference for risk management

All things considered, maybe you would just prefer greater or lesser than average protection for your caravan. It can give you peace of mind and absorb potential losses, but you might just be okay with taking a risk.

Do you need caravan insurance?

While it isn’t technically a legal requirement, having caravan insurance in any form can give you peace of mind, save you from financial implications and can even support you during emergencies.

Whether you want to protect a family holiday home, give yourself a financial safety net or something else, explore our caravan insurance options today.

Caravan insurance from Towergate

Get a specialist caravan insurance quote from us today, either online or by phoning us on 0330 808 9130.

About the author

Adam Summersby is a respected leader with 11 years’ varied experience in niche personal and commercial lines insurance, including caravan, site operators and excess reimbursement, with proficiency in leadership, sales and account management.

Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems we recommend that professional advice be sought.