A guide to when to update your touring caravan insurance

After taking out and paying for your caravan insurance policy it’s easy to forget about it, especially if you’ve enjoyed lots of trouble-free trips away.

But if there are any changes to things such as your security or storage, you move home or even change your caravan, then you need to be letting your insurance provider know to make sure you’re fully covered in the event of a claim.

Here we remind caravanners of some instances when they need to update their caravan insurance…

Many insurers, including Caravan Guard, will offer discounts for a variety of safety and security devices, such as alarms, reversing cameras and tracking devices. So, it’s worth contacting your insurer if you add a security device as you might get a discount on your premium.

Also, if a security device stops working or gets damaged, be sure to replace it or let your insurer know, as it could affect your premium and level of insurance cover if it’s not fitted. When you take out your insurance policy, your security devices are listed on your schedule, so it’s vital you inform insurer if they change.

Tracking device subscription

Many caravan owners claim an insurance discount for approved tracking devices. If during your insurance policy term, your caravan tracking device subscription has expired and you don’t intend to renew it then you’ll need to tell your insurer, as you will no longer qualify for the premium discount. It’s always worth checking your device subscriptions are up-to-date all-year round for that extra peace of mind and so you remain insured.

Change of address

If you keep your caravan at your home, your insurance premium could be heavily influenced by the postcode of your home and any security features, such as driveposts or locked gates. If you move home, meaning the place where your caravan is kept changes, your insurer will need to be informed. You might have moved to a lower or higher risk area, or the security at your home address might have changed. For example you might have had locked gates at your old home but not at your new home. Your insurer will also want to make sure they can contact you at renewal time to remind you when your cover is about to expire!

Change of storage site location

Similarly, if you keep your caravan away from home, be it a storage site or holiday park, moving to a different storage location postcode might affect your insurance premium. Your insurer will certainly want to check they can still provide cover for the new location.

Here at Caravan Guard we’d also want to know if there’s a change to the level of security at your new storage location. For instance, maybe your old secure storage site had 24 hour CCTV but your new one doesn’t. Or if you’ve moved your caravan to a holiday park onto a seasonal pitch, perhaps the park has 24 hour access control barrier whereas your old storage location didn’t.  Any extra storage site security features could lead to a reduced premium and vice versa.

If you move your caravan to a different storage location and it’s damaged or worse still, stolen, and you’ve not let your insurer know, then you run the risk of not being covered.

But remember, this advice only applies when you are storing your caravan. You don’t have to let us know each time you go on holiday to a different location, as long as you’re staying in the caravan!

And if you have a seasonal pitch, then be sure to tell us so you can benefit from our dual storage cover.

Also note, the Caravan Guard policy states that if your home address is not the caravan’s permanent storage location, it’s okay for the caravan to be stored at home for two nights to allow for emptying, loading, cleaning and servicing purposes.

Change of caravan

If you decide to change your caravan – new or old – then contact your insurer so your sums insured and value of the caravan are accurate and up-to-date. At Caravan Guard, we’ll make sure both the old and new caravans are covered for the changeover process.

New equipment

If you’ve bought any new caravan equipment, such as a motor mover, an awning or a caravan cover, then you’ll want to increase your sums insured value straight away so you’re fully covered in the event of any damage to these items, or if they’re stolen.

Going abroad

A Caravan Guard insurance policy usually includes European cover, giving you the freedom to take trips abroad for up to 180 days per year. But if you specifically chose to remove this cover when you bought your policy and then you decide to go abroad, you’ll need to call and add it so you’re fully covered should you have an accident in Europe.

And if you plan to spend more than 180 days abroad then make sure you have our extended European cover which permits up to 240 days of touring.

If you’re unsure what cover you have for European use, always check your policy schedule.

Winter wheels

If you’re putting your caravan into storage out of season and fit winter wheels then let your insurer know so they can make a note of it on your policy. And don’t forget to store the caravan wheels away from the caravan. Winter wheels mean you also don’t need to fit a wheel clamp or wheel lock.

Check your documents

A Caravan Guard insurance policy is a 12 month contract so we do offer a 14-day money back refund from the cover start date, to give you time to check all the policy details are correct. If you want to make any changes after this time then a small administration fee will apply. While this is standard for most insurance companies, at Caravan Guard we try to make sure our fees are some of the lowest in the market.

We also urge our customers to read their documentation thoroughly so you understand exactly what your policy provides and what you are covered for. Not advising your insurance provider of changes could invalidate your policy and any future claims,  so it’s always worth making a call to make sure everything is in order, no matter how small the change.