February 23rd, 2010
One sure-fire way of lowering the costs of caravan insurance is the no-claims discount - along of course with making sure you compare caravan insurance online. Achieving this is the result of sensible and responsible preparation and driving on the part of the caravan owner.
With the credit crunch encouraging more people to consider caravan holidays this year, the Caravan Club have teamed up with the Driving Standards Agency to advise UK motorists to brush up on their driving and caravan towing skills before they hit the roads this summer.
The DSA’s Chief Driving Examiner, Trevor Wedge says: “Anyone who has not towed a caravan for a number of years should make sure they are familiar with any changes that may have taken place before they get in the driver’s seat. Handling, manoeuvring and vision is different for a driver when towing.”
The Caravan Club offer training courses for both motorhome and caravan drivers who want to refresh their skills before they set off on their summer holidays. Along with the DSA they highly recommend that drivers check a few things:
- If you passed your driving test before 1997, you are allowed to drive any car towing any caravan as long as the combined weight does not exceed 8250kg.
- If you passed your test after January 1997 then additional restrictions apply. You need to check these restrictions, and dependent upon the size of car or caravan you are driving or towing, you may have to take a further driving test.
Some further things you should consider is that over the years caravans have tended to become heavier, so you should make sure your car and caravan are a correct match. If they are not they could be unsafe and maybe even illegal. You should also make sure you are au fait with the technology features you have, for instance stability control systems.
Towing a caravan, if not sensibly undertaken, can be dangerous to yourself and to people around you. People towing caravans have a responsibility to ensure they have taken the necessary precautions to reduce this risk as much as possible. Courses like these, and forethought on behalf of people towing caravans go a long, long way to reducing that risk.
Tags: caravan, insurance, online
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February 21st, 2010
For the second of our tips on how to save money on caravan insurance we turn to the question of storage.
A good deal of caravan owners choose to store their vans on their drive at home. Whilst it is clearly the cheapest way of storing it, it is not necessarily the safest.
In terms of earning premium reductions on caravan insurance policies the best choice is to keep the caravan in a secure storage facility. And the good news is that there is even an association dedicated to this very thing. The Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA) were set up in 1999 to help ensure caravan owners were getting good security from storage providers. They evaluate sites on a number of different criteria and award them Gold, Silver, or Bronze Awards based on their security.
These awards are recognised by a number of the caravan insurance companies and attract premium discounts on their policies. These discounts can be up to 15%.
The association has over 550 sites nationwide, which between them store over 80,000 caravans. A figure which is constantly growing. To find a site near you, have a look on the association website at www.cassoa.co.uk.
For a more in depth discussion of secure caravan storage have a look here: secure caravan storage
Tags: caravan, insurance, save money, secure caravan storage, security, storage
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February 17th, 2010
Online caravan insurance providers Towergate Bakers have announced plans of a new range of ‘Green’ caravan insurance polices that will allow their customers to offset their carbon emissions they produce on their caravan holidays.
They have teamed up with world leading carbon consulting and carbon offsetting business The Carbon Neutral Company to produce the policies, which will be available from September 2009. They will not be charging extra for these policies as they plan to make these policies available online only, and will use the savings made on postage and processing to pay for the carbon offsetting.
The average amount of carbon produced each year from towing a caravan will be offset by investing in projects such as forestry projects, and renewable energy projects (wave, biomass, wind).
This is very much in line with a recent study that suggested that caravan owners are particularly environmentally-conscious, and with caravanning holiday numbers set to increase this summer to 14 million, this is a very timely and intelligent development. Bookings at caravan parks in the UK are up by about 25%, while passenger numbers at airports in the UK have slumped. The National Caravan Council believe that many new caravanners have changed from taking a holiday in Europe, and the flight that often entails, choosing instead to stay in the UK. Meanwhile the more experienced caravanners are taking the now-well-established ’staycation’.
Green credentials are further enhanced when you consider that the average return flight to Europe produces somewhere between 250 and 500 kilos of carbon dioxide per person (of course depending on: how far you fly; the age of the plane; the type of the plane). This compares with the 38 kilos per person produced by 4 people in an average sized petrol car travelling 250 miles, towing a medium-sized caravan. If this were a diesel car, this amount would be even less.
The National Caravan Council gave their seal of approval to the project stating, their Director General John Lally: “We applaud this initiative from Towergate Bakers. More and more people are becoming “green savvy” and we’re delighted that caravanners who want to help fight climate change can now match their principles with their holidays.”
Towergate Bakers director Paul Havenhand commented: “We are proud to be leading the charge in carbon offsetting amongst the caravan community. With recent research indicating that people who go on caravan and camping holidays are indeed more likely to be environmentally aware, we feel it is a natural progression to offer a greener way of holidaying. Caravanners can continue to drive with a conscience and do their bit to help climate change.”
We at www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk also applaud this development and wish Towergate Bakers luck with this. Hopefully other insurance providers will follow their lead and such policies will become more widely available.
Tags: bakers, caravan, carbon, green, insurance, offsetting, online, towergate
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February 15th, 2010
So why should I buy my static caravan insurance online?
An excellent question, and one that has these compelling answers:
Information: The internet is an excellent source of information (of course we include www.caravan-insurance-cover in that statement!). ‘Knowledge is power’ the saying goes, and it is an important truism when researching your insurance. Our aim on this site is that you should be able to find out pretty much all you need to know before buying your insurance without leaving the site. To help you understand the elements of static caravan insurance, to ensure you are buying the right policy.
Choice: The internet is essentially an enormous virtual shopping mall, one you can browse without leaving the comfort of your armchair. Easy access is available to various static caravan insurance providers, so you can see what each has to offer, and compare policies before investing your hard-earned money. This allied with the information I mentioned earlier puts you in a far better position to get the right insurance policy for your static caravan.
Price: This is the big one for most people. Many caravan insurance providers offer discounts for buying insurance online. So, you know what you need (information), you know where you can get it (choice), and you know where you can get it the cheapest (price).
All in all the chance to research and buy your static caravan insurance online is one that puts the buyer in the position of power. It is our aim here at caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk to help you get into that position of power, to make sure you get the right static caravan insurance policy at the right price.
Tags: caravan, insurance, online, static
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February 15th, 2010
With spring (hopefully) just around the corner, thoughts turn to dusting off the caravan (indeed it could probably do with a good spring clean), and hitting the road. I know I can’t wait for the cold winter to become a memory, and start looking ahead to getting out and seeing some more of our beautiful country.
Spring is also a popular time for renewing of caravan insurance. Maybe it’s time for a bit of a spring clean here too. Have you had the same insurance for a number of years now? Do you just get one of those reminders through the post a few weeks prior to renewal that tell you ‘you don’t need to do anything!’ and the insurance will just carry on? Well that tells me you probably do need to do something… you need to check that you’re not paying too much for your caravan insurance.
Do you actually know how much you pay for your insurance? If not you should do. Check if you don’t. It is very likely you can save yourself some, if not a good deal of, your hard-earned money if you go about it the right way. And by the right way I mean making the most of the internet, and shopping around to check you are getting the best deal. Shopping around to ensure you are getting cheap caravan insurance.
However don’t confuse cheap with good. Buying caravan insurance just because it is the cheapest can be a false economy, because come the day when you actually need to use it, you may find that it doesn’t adequately cover you. This could well cost you a lot more than spending the extra few quid in the first place to get the right cover.
What you are after is the best caravan insurance, which is where cost meets cover to give you the right caravan insurance at the right price. This is where www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk can help, by providing you with relevant information so you can understand what you need from your insurance, so you ensure that you get it. It also enables you to access online caravan insurers for quotes, so you can find out who is offering the right deal.
So pay us a visit and have a look around, there is useful information not only about saving money, but also about improving security, aimed to help you make informed choices when getting your next a static or touring caravan insurance policy.
Tags: caravan, clean, insurance, spring
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February 10th, 2010
Online Caravan Insurers Safeguard are advising drivers to remain on their guard despite a notorious gang of caravan thieves being taken off of the streets. Reckoned to be responsible for nearly half of the UK’s caravan thefts, the gang was recently convicted for their crimes.
Owners should be cautious not only of the organised gangs however, but aware of the threat the opportunistic caravan thief presents.
Safeguard manager Rita Sadler spoke of how pleased the company are that this gang have been stopped but warned that caravan owners “still need to be wary of the risks and take appropriate measures to ensure the security of their property.
“Organised crime rings often target larger, luxury models on a ’stolen to order’ basis. We find that the vehicles are at their most vulnerable when left unattended and unsecured, for example in driveways whilst owners are loading their caravans and also at motorway service stations.”
Sadler also spoke of the increasing sophistication used by caravan thieves, warning that “Locks and alarms are no longer a security guarantee.” Caravanners themselves need to start using more sophisticated forms of protection, like “specially designed tracking devices and mechanical devices such as wheel clamps can greatly reduce the risk of theft. As well as deterring thieves, security conscious caravan owners are likely to receive discounts on their insurance premiums.”
Safeguard themselves make the following recommendations to help protect your caravan:
- make sure you install an approved alarm and tracking device
- if you put your caravan in storage, ensure it is at a secure site approved by the Caravan Storage Site Owners Association (CaSSOA)
- if you keep it on your driveway, ensure you have a locking gate or drive post
- Make sure no valuables are left where they can be seen in your caravan
- preferably ensure your caravan has audible security
- bear in mind that wheel clamps are the absolute minimum requirement for insurance, and should be fitted at all times when the caravan is unattended.
- Lock down the rear corner steadies of touring caravans with a good quality hitchlock. This will help prevent the front of the unit from being lifted onto a vehicle and taken away
It of course goes without saying that you need a good caravan insurance policy. No amount of security can fully protect you from a determined thief, and in the event that your caravan should get stolen, you should be able to rest assured that you have suitable cover to ensure you won’t be left out of pocket.
Tags: caravan, insurance, online, safeguard, security, tips
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February 7th, 2010
Caravan insurance needn’t cost the earth. In the third of our money saving insurance tips we talk about the importance of shopping around. Like when you are shopping for anything, if you just buy the first thing you see that you like in a shop you are guaranteed to walk 50 yards down the road to another shop and see either the same thing but cheaper. Or instead you find something you would rather have had, but you’re stuck because you were too hasty.
Human nature means many of us are prone to do this, when with a little patience and thought we could find exactly what we need at a price we can afford. There are many caravan insurers plying their trade on the internet, so there are plenty of ’shops’ for you to look in (and you don’t even have to get wet!). And like high street shops there are cheap shops and there are expensive shops, so even if you find something that suits you down to the ground, it doesn’t mean you won’t get it cheaper elsewhere.
A key to this is being clear precisely what it is that you need. Questions like… how much cover do you need for belongings?… if I’m intending to rent the caravan out, how much public liability should I have? These are the kind of things that you should be looking to answer before putting your virtual pen to paper on your new static or touring caravan insurance policy (I’m assuming you’re using the internet, because if you’re not then you’re highly likely costing yourself money).
So you may find when you shop around that a policy has cover that you maybe don’t need, and you could save yourself money by getting a different policy that doesn’t have that cover on it. A little common sense and a bit of thought goes a long way here.
Okay it may take you a bit of time to have a look at what the different insurers are offering, but this is time well spent as you will not only be getting cheaper caravan insurance, but you will also have the peace of mind that you have the coverage you need.
Shop around, shop around, shop around. Good advice in all areas of life, and especially so when it comes to getting your caravan insurance policy.
Tags: caravan, insurance, save money, tips
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February 5th, 2010
One of the best ways to keep down the cost of your caravan insurance is not to make a claim on it. Fairly obvious I know! But the question is what can you do to make this more likely?
One possible way to achieve this is to improve your caravan manoeuvring skills. The Camping and Caravanning Club provide one day courses aimed to achieve just this. The course costs £95 for club members (non-members should include the cost of joining the club) and breaks down into the following Syllabus:
- Towing a Caravan
- Caravanners and the Law
- Loading a Caravan
- Hitching and Unhitching
- Reversing with Safety
All trainers are qualified driving instructors. And there is a restriction of only twelve participants per course. This gives a ratio of four participants for each instructor.
To take the the course all that is required is a full drivers licence, caravans are provided to complete the practical elements of the course. At the end of the day all participants receive a course certificate and a free copy of the handbook “Safe Towing for Life”.
To book a course, or make an enquiry, you can call the club on 0845 130 7412.
These improved skills will help make you safer when in transit, and when siting the caravan on site, reducing the likelihood that you will find yourself in a situation where you have to make a claim on your caravan insurance.
Tags: caravan, insurance, manoeuvring, save money, towing
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February 4th, 2010
Static Caravan Insurance and Security were highlighted in the press recently with a report about a series of thefts from 28 static caravans at Porthkerry Leisure Park near to Barry in South Wales. The thieves were targetting flat screen TV’s and managed to make off with a number of them in a van they had parked near. Officers have been appealing to locals to report anyone trying to offload any tellies.
An inherent risk of static caravans is that they can be left unattended for periods of time, making them an easy target for burglars. To protect themselves owners need to be thinking primarily of two different things:
- Insurance: When purchasing static caravan insurance it is important to ensure that you have adequate coverage. For instance, in the case of the owners of the Barry caravans, they should have made sure that their flat screen TV’s were covered, as they were valuable items, and a particular favourite of burglars. If any of these owners didn’t have such coverage, and the TV’s are not recovered then they stand to be out of pocket, as they will either have to not replace their TV, or fork out themselves for it.
- Security: This is the first line of defence for owners. Put simply, make your static caravan as hard to break into as you can. To achieve this there are a number of different measures you can take. Invest in some good window and door locks to help prevent the intruders gaining access in the first place. Also install an alarm, so if they do get in the noise of the alarm will cause them to flee. Even the option of a dummy alarm acting as a deterrent is better than nothing.
Static Caravan Insurance and Security do go together hand-in-hand. Indeed good security is an excellent way to help keep your insurance premiums down to a minimum, as you are reducing the risk to the insurance company.
It is advisable for owners to do some investigation to ways they can improve their static caravan security. These needn’t be expensive to be effective. Even things as simple as ensuring any items that may catch the eye of a burglar are stored elsewhere when not in use. Such things as soft furnishings, and of course electrical items are the kinds of things that thieves can easily remove and sell on later.
The key is to put some thought and investigation into it, as a little effort upfront can go a long way to saving a lot of hassle and money, and hopefully having to claim on your static caravan insurance policy.
Tags: caravan, caravans, insurance, security, static, theft
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February 3rd, 2010
With the increasing popularity of static caravan ownership in these economically challenged times, the issue of insurance for static caravans becomes ever more relevant.
From pre-owned starting around £2,000 (a site called Park Holidays UK were earlier in the year offering them for free!), new caravans starting around £20,000 and top-of-the range costing up to £85,000, there is a price to suit a broad range of pockets.
Similarly there are a range of insurance policies available for the range of budgets.
The main things to bear in mind when insuring a static caravan are :
- The geographical risks specific to the park (in particular you should be know what the flooding and storm risks are)
- Theft. make sure you don’t leave valuables there when unoccupied: ensure you have adequate cover for items: check you know what isn’t covered, and if necessary insure them separately
- Accidental damage.
- Loss of rental income. What will happen if the caravan becomes unusable during the peak summer months?
- Liability. If someone should get hurt as a result of something that is deemed your responsibility, you may have to pay some hefty compensation.
These are a few brief pointers to the considerations the static caravan owner needs to make when insuring their caravan, you will find more in depth coverage elsewhere on the site.
Remember always to shop around and compare not only prices, but also coverage when looking for static caravan insurance. Owning a static caravan for your own pleasure and for rental can be rewarding both personally and financially, especially if you have the security and peace of mind of a good caravan insurance policy.
Tags: caravan, insurance, static, tips
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