Archive for September, 2010

Caravan Insurance For 2010

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Having just experienced the coldest winter for about a quarter of a century thoughts are not surprisingly turning to thoughts of holidays in the summer. There are many caravanners out there who are not aware of the savings they could make on when searching for their caravan insurance, as they just don’t realise the best way to go about it.

There are many companies out there offering a vast range of caravan insurances, and it is very useful to be able to compare what each has to offer. This is where online companies like www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk come in extremely useful, providing access to a variety of different insurers as well as a wealth of information to help you come to informed decisions when purchasing your insurance.

There is vast exposure for insurance companies that offer insurance comparisons and it may be useful  to know that Insure My Caravan are an online company that also provide this service. Regardless of what insurance cover you are looking for there are caravan users that want to feel comfortable with the cover they have received.

Just like any home, there are many different ways a caravan can be damaged, but owners can overlook this and go without insurance, exposing themselves to the risk of ending up heavily out of pocket.

Of course, there are many disasters that can cause damage to a caravan just like within the home yet many people have ignored the need for insurance which can cause relieve the financial difficulty if problems do arise.

Whether it’s fire, vandalism, theft or other natural disasters, then insurance is the single most important step you can take to help you deal with such problems.With the New Year comes a new start and if you don’t yet do it, hopefully a new resolution to ensure you are adequately covered for all eventualities. Here at www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk our aim is to help you find the right insurance at the right price, whether you are renewing your insurance, or have just bought yourself a new caravan.

Like most things in life, preparation is key. And if you do one thing in 2010 make sure you are aware of the risks your caravan, you and your family are exposed, and make sure you are properly protected against them by getting the right caravan insurance.

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The Perils of Snaking

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Caravan insurance specialists Safeguard have issued a warning to touring caravan owners to take great care when on the road. This comes as a result of a number of accidents apparently caused by what is known as ‘snaking’.

Snaking is when in essence the caravan is trying to steer the car, resulting in the whole rig weaving from side to side, and is particularly dangerous. There are several different causes of snaking:

  • Side winds: The caravan is blown to one side by a gust, and subsequently tries to return to its natural tendency to follow the car. Another gust will push it sideways again, and so on.
  • Too much speed. This is not surprisingly a common cause of snaking. Let’s face it, a caravan on its side halfway down a long hill is not an uncommon sight. To protect against this you should aim to descend the hill at around 10mph slower than you would normally. Indeed on French roads they impose a reduced speed limit on lorries and caravans for precisely this reason.
  • Being overtaken by large vehicles such as lorries or coaches. As an HGV or coach pulls alongside a caravan while overtaking, the airflow around the lorry/coach initially pushes the caravan away from it (called the bow-wave), but then the air pressure drops and the caravan is sucked towards the lorry/coach.

To reduce the chances of snaking occurring there are several things you will need to ensure:

  • That your vehicle has a professionally fitted tow bar that is specifically designed for your type of caravan
  • That the tow bar weight capacity of your towing vehicle is adequate for the weight your caravan needs for stability (the optimum weight is about 7% of the caravans laden weight)
  • The the caravan is correctly loaded, with the heavier things over the axle and towards the front, and the lighter things in overhead compartments and to the rear
  • That the towing vehicle and the caravan are a well matched rig

Safeguard report that the have seen “an increase in reported incidents of snaking,” they identify some of the causes of this as “excessive speed when travelling downhill, incorrect tyre pressures, side winds and being overtaken by large vehicles.” They are keen “to urge all caravanners to be safe on the roads this summer to avoid serious accidents and costly insurance claims.”

This is of course a sentiment we echo at caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk. Getting the best from your caravan, and your caravan insurance is not only about getting the best insurance, but doing your best to have to avoid claiming on it.

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