Touring caravan insurance

What to look for when buying Touring Caravan Insurance
Caravan theft is an increasingly real and frightening issue with Police Forces and insurers estimating that over 3,300 tourers were stolen last year. Although not a legal requirement, it makes sense to insure your caravan to protect it against theft, accidental damage and storm damage. Here's our checklist of things to look out for when choosing an insurance provider for your touring caravan.

Secure caravan insurance discounts 

New for old cover - This ensures that if your caravan is stolen or damaged beyond economical repair your caravan will be replaced with a new caravan. Most insurers offer new for old cover for caravans up to 5 years providing the owner insures the caravan at what it would cost to replace with a new caravan. For caravans over 5 years old market value cover will apply whereby at the time of a theft or write off, the insurer would pay whatever the caravan was worth at that time. Using Glass's guide, insurance providers such as Caravan Guard can value your caravan for you free of charge.
Remember when insuring on new for old basis you must get the value correct. Also don't forget to add a sum for equipment such as awnings, gas bottles, pots, pans and security devices.

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Personal effects - These are items taken from the home on caravanning holidays. Some can be covered on a caravan policy, yet it is advisable to check that such items are not already covered under your household insurance policy.

Storm Damage - Some policies exclude storm damage to awnings. With some awnings costing in excess of £1000, it is important to check that cover is included. At Caravan Guard we cover storm damage to awnings so long as the awning is covered in your sum insured.

European use - If you travel abroad with your tourer select a caravan insurance policy with such cover included. At Caravan Guard we automatically cover you for 90 days per trip, as many trips as you like.

Emergency Accommodation Expenses - This provides funds for alternative accommodation should your caravan be stolen or damaged to a point where it cannot be used for a booked holiday or whilst away on holiday. At Caravan Guard we provide up to £50 per day for 14 days.

Underwriter - Every insurance policy will be backed by an insurance company, for example Caravan Guard's is backed by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc (for policies commencing after 1st October 2006) and AXA Insurance UK plc (for policies commencing prior to 30th September 2006). Look out for policies underwritten by a well known insurer so you can be sure they'll be paying out when you make a claim.

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Difficulties insuring? - Some German caravans (Hobby, Tabbert, LMC, Roma) are hard to insure due to high theft rates. Although unable to insure such caravans themselves, Caravan Guard can put you in touch with insurance providers who can.

Safeguard your pride and joy - Preventing theft not only keeps your no claims bonus intact, substantial insurance discounts are on offer. Think beyond wheelclamps and hitchlocks, think secure storage, drive posts, alarms, tracking devices and you will get your rewards.

Still unsure? - If you're still unsure which policy represents the best choice for you, call the various companies - ask them questions, even request a specimen policy booklet and read up on everything in detail. Look out for what is and what isn't covered under the policy.

Outsmart the thieves with our guide to securing your caravan
Caravan theft is an increasingly real and frightening issue. Theft is now estimated to have reached over 3000 tourers per year – around a tenth of the Country's annual production of touring caravans.

Although when theft occurs insurance companies act to replace the caravan and items of value within, the emotional strain and loss of treasured personal items can cause much pain.

It is therefore within a caravanners' interest to protect their pride and joy using various security devices.

We can make a series of recommendations to help new and experienced caravanners stave off the threat of having their caravan stolen or broken into.

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1. Mechanical Security devices - Hitchlocks and wheel clamps are very often considered the minimum required security level by insurance providers, acting as visible deterrent to opportunist thieves.
   Remember when buying a wheel clamp that the heavier and harder it is to get onto the wheels, the more difficult it will be for the thief to remove. Also be aware that you will have to manoeuvre your wheel clamp at holiday time, so make your wheel clamp a practical choice too.
   The idea of the hitchlock is that it prevents the thief from hitching the caravan onto their vehicle, and although it doesn't prevent theft, it makes the manual haul of the caravan yet another barrier.
   
2. Corner steady locks lock down the rear corner steadies of touring caravans preventing the front of the unit from being raised. As a result of this anti-lift device, thieves cannot hitch the caravan to their towing vehicle.
   
3. Electronic Alarms - give your caravan audible security. The most comprehensive will use a combination of infrared PIR detectors and motion sensors, which will cause the siren to sound if a thief enters or tries to move the caravan.
   
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4. Tracking devices - Locks and alarms are easily bypassed by the more professional thieves and can be removed in seconds. Tracking devices offer the best possible way of quickly recovering a stolen caravan without damage and consequently recovering those precious valuables inside and keeping that insurance no claims bonus intact. Traditional tracking devices designed for the car industry did cause problems as power supply was difficult when a caravan was laid up. There are now tracking devices on the market specially designed for fitment to caravans with low battery drain meaning the use of a leisure battery is sufficient. One such device is the Phantom tracking device – www.phantom.uk.net
   
5. Tagging systems - Devices such as the CRiS tagging scheme found on all British caravans manufactured since 1998 and the Stoptheft system hide tags within the caravan which police can scan for if they suspect a caravan to be stolen.
   
6. Approved security devices - Electronic alarms and tracking devices are often regulated by the Thatcham Vehicle Research Centre whereas the Sold Secure approval of mechanical devices such as wheelclamps and hitchlocks is definitely something to look out for. Both Thatcham and Sold Secure subject security devices to rigorous testing procedures.
   
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7. Storage - Home is very often considered the safest option. At home security such as a locking gate or drive post can vastly reduce the theft of touring caravans, as can chaining the caravan to the ground.
    •  Remember drive posts are only as secure as their mounting into the ground so make sure you seek advice when carrying out installation.
    •  For those who simply don't want the caravan in the way or don't have enough space to store it at home you may want to consider using a storage site. The Caravan Storage Site Owners Association (CaSSOA) regulates the standards of storage sites. Prior to the recommendation of CaSSOA sites one caravan insurance provider found that caravans were twice as likely to be stolen from storage site than from home, this figure has now reduced significantly with the best sites being regarded as equal to or better than home storage.
    •  If you do decide to keep your caravan in storage whilst not in use, please bear in mind that you get what you pay for. Consider good, secure location with CCTV, perimeter fencing, controlled entrance and exit, an on duty warden and adequate security lighting. Find your nearest CASSOA approved site at www.cassoa.co.uk
   
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8. Keep those documents safe - Don't leave the caravan registration documents inside the caravan. These will only serve to assist the thief in selling a stolen caravan without arousing suspicion from innocent buyers.
   
9. Take some snaps - When you buy your caravan, take a series of photographs from the front and both sides of the exterior as well as front and back interior shots. Any distinct markings or personal touches will then be recorded and may help police identify your caravan if stolen.
   
10. Remove valuables - Remember when your vehicle is in storage don't forget to remove valuable items which may otherwise provide extra incentive to break in and even steal your caravan. Should you leave items of any value in the caravan, security mark them with your home postcode – you could use a UV security marking kit.
    
11. Time takes its toll - Please consider that your security devices will not last forever, especially as they are exposed to the elements throughout the year. Physical deterrents such as wheel clamps, hitchlocks, hitchposts and drive posts lose strength if they are left to rust and corrode. Alarms will need to be regularly tested to make sure they will effectively sound if a thief enters your caravan. If a security device is faulty or inadequate, be sure to replace it as soon as possible.

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