Posts Tagged ‘online’

Responsible Caravan Towing

Sunday, March 11th, 2012

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.

Caravan Insurance and Security Guidance From Safeguard

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Caravan InsuranceOnline 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.

Online Green Caravan Insurance Policies Have Arrived

Tuesday, February 21st, 2012

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.

Guide to Touring Caravan Insurance

Friday, February 17th, 2012

Caravan owners need to be sensible when considering touring caravan insurance, to avoid the risk of costing themselves money. It is very wise to cover the caravan, regardless of the fact that insurance is not a legal requirement. 3,000 caravans are stolen annually in the UK, a fact to make you stop and think. This article will point you in the right direction to make sure you are adequately protected should you have cause to claim.

Price and what the policy covers are the main aspects to consider when looking for caravan insurance. You may have a nasty shock that you are not covered for what you are expecting if you just buy the cheapest policy on offer. So before looking around for the best price, you need to know what coverage you actually require.

The best tip to saving money when buying touring caravan insurance is to use the internet. It is far easier to find the information you need when you are next looking for insurance by going online. There are a whole host of companies on the web ready to provide you with a wide choice of policies.

Shopping around is the way to make sure you get the best price, as with any shopping. You may well find that you end up paying over the odds if you don’t ask for quotes from several providers. Another great thing about buying a policy online is that there is almost always a discount provided. As mentioned earlier you should be aware of you require from a touring caravan insurance policy, as there are several elements to consider.

There are 2 main types of coverage, ‘market value’ and ‘new for old’, deciding which you want is one of the main choices. If you take out a ‘market value’ policy, and need to replace it you will be reimbursed to the amount that it would cost you to buy an equivalent caravan. This is often the only choice of policy available to owners of caravans older than about 5 years. If you have a ‘new for old’ policy and need to replace it, it will be replaced with a brand new caravan of the same (or equivalent) range.

Before deciding which policy you want you should consider if continental cover is something you are going to require. If you do take your caravan overseas you should ensure that you have cover for a long enough period, if you stay in the UK you needn’t buy continental cover. Check how much coverage there is as it can vary quite widely between different insurance policies.

You may well find that a variety of things are not included on the touring caravan insurance in terms of personal effects. It is worth checking your household insurance to see what it covers, as your jewellery will not be covered by the caravan policy. So you should be clear what is covered by the caravan insurance, what is covered by your household insurance, and anything else that you feel should be protected will require an additional insurance.

In the event that your caravan becomes damaged beyond being livable in you will need to find somewhere else to stay whilst away. Whilst a lot of policies will cover you for this, you should make sure that the coverage is enough.

When buying touring caravan insurance there are a number of ways of reducing the premiums. If you join a caravan club you will find that the insurers will reduce the amount they charge to insure the caravan. Things like axle locking devices, alarms and tracking devices, which provide added security are the other main way of reducing the cost.

Making sure you get the best price and the correct cover for your caravan requires some thought and research but is well worth it. You may end up with completely the wrong coverage at way over the odds in cost terms if you just buy the first policy you come across. So for peace of mind, spend a little time and effort when searching for insurance for your touring caravan.

Caravan Insurance Online

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

If you are choosing online caravan insurance then you are probably going to save yourself a fair amount of time and money. There are quite a number of specialist caravan insurance companies out there vying for your trade. The thing is how do you find out which one best suits your needs? This is where www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk can help you.

The website is dedicated to static and touring caravan insurance in the uk. It gives you general information about caravan policies, helping you to understand what your requirements are, so you can work out what you need, and also what you don’t need. It also provides you with links to the insurers so you don’t have to do the legwork to hunt them down.

Of course shopping around is always the key to a good deal, so from the site you are able to compare what companies have to offer. So for instance if you need a certain number of days cover for touring on the continent, you can see what the companies listed on the site have to offer in this respect.

Buying your caravan insurance online is the sensible way to go, as you will likely have the usual premium discounts afforded to online customers. Knowledge is power they say, and the aim of the site is to give you facts about caravan insurance, to give you this power to make the right decision.

Online Static Caravan Insurance

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

If you already own or are thinking of buying a static caravan, then you should be buying your static caravan insurance online. It is important that caravan owners get an insurance policy that adequately covers their needs. To get the right policy you need the right information, and the internet is an invaluable resource for this.

Caravan owners are well advised to make use of the large number of caravan insurance companies providing policies online. The companies sites provide loads of helpful information and documents which will outline what their policies provide. And the beauty of this is that it is easy for owners to compare one company with another. Going for the cheapest policy is often a false economy as a lack of adequate cover could come back to financially haunt the policy holder.

Touring and static caravan insurance policies differ somewhat, as each sort of caravan is prone to some of its own particular risks. Static caravans are often left unoccupied for fairly lengthy spells which make them prone to being broken into. Public Liability and loss of income cover should certainly be in the equation if the caravan is rented out. Not only this though, as residents will require alternative accommodation should a rented caravan become unfit to stay in. Winter also provides a challenge for static caravan owners as when they are unattended they can be prone to suffering burst water pipes. When considering a policy these are the types of things that need to be evaluated.

Knowing what you need to cover and for how much it should be covered is the key to getting the correct caravan insurance. You can then make sure a policy is right for you using the resources available on the internet to compare between what is available. You can also save money by getting several quotes from some of the many available online insurers.

Caravan owners can be extra sure they are suitably insuring their caravan and protecting their wallets by combining a little thought and effort with some common sense, and allying this with the wealth of information available online. All in all the internet is a powerful ally for caravan owners when searching for static caravan insurance online.

Your Static Caravan Insurance Online

Monday, January 30th, 2012

When you are searching for static caravan insurance online you will want to be sure that you get the cheapest suitable policy for your requirements but also you will need to ensure that the policy covers everything you need covered. You should also compare any limits on the policy as one provider may offer more than another for the same price.

Something you will probably want to check in the policy is whether the freezer contents are covered in the event that the contents are ruined. For instance, if the electricity was to be lost for a period of time and the contents of your freezer defrosted it could be quite costly to replace them. However if these are included in your insurance cover you would receive money towards replacing them.

Whilst your personal belongings will be covered in the policy, you will want to check your static caravan insurance policy to find out if the policy includes cover for any monies lost from the caravan by theft. It may be the case that you have quite a large amount of money if you are on holiday in a static caravan, and if this gets stolen while you were away from the van then you stand to the lose all of the money unless your caravan insurance includes this loss in the cover.

If your caravan insurance does cover you for loss of money, then you should check the policy documents to find out what limits would be imposed on this, as the insurance providers will have a limit as to the maximum amount you can claim.

Time Is Money: Save Them Both When Buying Caravan Insurance

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

We all want more of it, it is money but you can’t buy it. Time, time, time, there simply isn’t enough of it, at least that is how it feels to many of us. Our lives are overflowing with things we need to be doing, places we need to be. The problem with this is that things can easily be overlooked, pushed to the side, or put to the back of a very long queue. An example of this is caravan insurance. It can be very tempting to just buy the first policy you see, but this could well turn out to be not only a false economy, but also a complete waste of time.

‘The right insurance, at the right price’ is our motto here at caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk. If you don’t take the time to find your caravan insurance you will highly likely you will find neither. An insurance that doesn’t cover you for all the things you really need to cover, and maybe covers you unecessarily for things you don’t. And an insurance that costs you a good deal more than it should do. The good news however is that there are ways to minimise this effort.

First up, give the High Street a miss and fire up the internet. Online you’ll find a wealth of information that in the dark days before the internet would have taken you weeks to pull together. Not only that, but you can easily get multiple quotes from a variety of different insurers to make sure you are getting a good price.

Finding out what is on offer from different policies will enable you to make an informed choice about what you need to be covered for, and what you don’t need. Avoiding insuring yourself for unecessary things is a good way of saving money. For instance, if you do not take your caravan onto the continent, then there is no point including that on your insurance.

The easiest way to find multiple prices is to come to a site like www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk, which will enable you to get prices from some of the foremost online providers. This takes all the hassle out of searching around the net, allowing you more time to actually enjoy your caravan time. Being able to buy your caravan insurance online is a massive benefit to caravan owners.

Caravan Insurance Online: Some Observations

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Searching for caravan insurance online makes the task of getting a good policy a whole lot easier. There are quite a number of insurers available with websites ready and willing to sell you their wares. And given how many people have internet access these days, this has become a major market. The internet has been a revolution for so many reasons, and this is one of them.

In some ways this ease of availability comes with a danger, that of buying a policy as a knee jerk reaction. All you have to do is click that button, and you’re sorted!

But you need similar due diligence as in the bad old days of phoning around the various providers. If you make judgements based solely on price you may find you are inadequately covered, and if you buy the first policy that matches your requirements you may well find yourself paying well over the odds. So you need to find a balance.

As an example. Imagine buying a static caravan insurance policy online, thinking you got a bargain, as it was £50 cheaper than the next cheapest quote. Good result? That depends… Let’s say that the static caravan is situated in a park that is on a known flood plane, and the site and your caravan flood. You ring the insurers, but they tell you that it is not covered because it is in a known flood area. That policy for £50 more may well have had such cover. Clearly this is not a good way to save money.

So, you need first and foremost to make sure you have suitable cover, and then you can work on the price. This is where the power of the internet comes into its own. Information is the key, after all it is not called the information superhighway for nothing.

The internet makes it easy to compare coverage as well as price. Identify the policies that cover you adequately, and then compare the prices of them. As we here at caravan-insurance-cover.com like to say ‘The Right Cover, at the Right Price’.

Caravan Insurance Online For The Over 50′s

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

Specialist over 50′s insurers Saga have been advising caravan owners to go online for caravan insurance quotes. And giving that more than a third of the over fifties are intending to go on a caravan holiday this year, this is an important message. They urge people taking a caravan trip this year to ensure they are properly covered by their insurance policy.

Of course it is not the only grey brigade that are discovering the joys of caravanning. There has been a big increase in the last year in the UK of people taking caravan holidays as a great way to get a great holiday at a budget price. The ‘staycation’ is now a word in everyday use, and this is reflected in the fifteen percent increase seen in caravan sales in 2009.

Whilst caravanning is a great way to holiday on a budget, it is a false economy to ignore caravan insurance. Doing so could prove to be a very costly mistake in the event that your caravan gets damaged, broken into, or even stolen. And it is a mistake to believe that car insurance provides coverage, as once you are on site the caravan will not be covered.

The advice from Saga is as true to all caravan owners as it is to the over 50′s, get online to get yourself the best caravan insurance quote you can. This is where www.caravan-insurance-online.co.uk comes in useful, giving you not only access to the best insurers available online, but also the information to help you get the insurance you need at the best price.