Posts Tagged ‘theft’

Make Sense Of Static Caravan Insurance

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Have you ever consider buying a static caravan as a holiday home? They could be the perfect choice. Cheaper than a chalet or cottage, and yet laden with all the creature comforts you could want, and you can return to them again and again to enjoy that hard-earned break. There is also the opportunity to get a return on them by renting them out when you are not using them. If you were to do this though, you would need to ensure that you had a good static caravan insurance policy for your own peace of mind, and safety of pocket.

Static and touring caravans have somewhat differing requirements when it comes to insurance. For starters, as they remain on site you don’t have to consider the risks of the road. And theft of the caravans is pretty much unheard of, so that is another thing that is not required.

There are though other risks to be considered however. Theft of contents and belongings for instance, as you may leave valuables and/or electrical items there year round. So this should definitely be on the radar when considering insuring the caravan. Also there is the risk of accidental damage, particularly is the property is rented out.

Vandalism presents another possible issue, particularly as the caravan may remain unoccupied for periods of the time throughout the year. As does flooding, so it is important to know if the park is situated in a flood area (you can find this out at the Environment Agency’s website). You should also consider storm cover, because although infrequent, the UK can experience fairly damaging storms. And there is also the possibility of damage due to the winter cold weather, in particular fractured water pipes, that can do a good deal of damage especially if they are not attended to promptly.

There are a number of things to consider, but this should not put you off. With the right information you can find just the right static caravan insurance that you require. This is where caravan-insurance-cover.com can help you by providing this kind of information, and access to the best online providers of caravan insurance. If you get your insurance right, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy many years of wonderful holidaymaking in your static caravan.

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Touring Caravan Insurance Makes Sense

Friday, August 20th, 2010

On those lists of ‘things to do’ should be going on a touring caravan holiday. Many people who have tried it once are converted, and will start looking to get a caravan of their own. However, it is important to understand that if you want to get the best from your holiday, you need to make sure you have taken out touring caravan insurance.

Caravans are a substantial investment and insurance is important to ensure you are protecting yourself. You could find yourself deeply out of pocket in the event that your caravan is damaged beyond repair or stolen while you are away. Caravan theft is unfortunately an all too common thing, with over 3000 being stolen each year.

Having a fully comprehensive policy can seem an expensive luxury, that is until the day arrives when you need to claim. In such an unfortunate circumstance you with be thanking your lucky stars that you had the foresight to protect yourself. Fortunately there are ways in which you can reduce your premiums, the easiest being to get decent security devices.

You will find that you have to have a certain amount of security before being accepted for most touring caravan insurance policies,  normally a hitchlock and/or a wheel clamp. This will offer both yourselves and your insurers some peace of mind. And the more security you add, the lower will be your perceived risk to insurers, and the real risk that you are likely to claim. Bear in mind that security will only offer you a certain amount of price reduction on the policy however.

Another option is to install an alarm on the caravan, as this will attract discounts also. There are also satellite tracking devices available, which have an excellent record for retrieval of stolen caravans. This can be costly, but they can offer a substantial discount, and will act as a great deterrent to a great many thieves who realise their effectiveness.

You don’t need to break the bank to get a decent touring caravan insurance policy, but you could break it if you don’t cover yourself. And if you investigate and take necessary precautions, you can save  yourself a decent amount of money.

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Why Should I Buy Caravan Insurance?

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Ahhh…. Summer…. The time of year when caravanners will be dusting down their gear, getting their caravans out of storage, and dream of sunny days on the open road. Unfortunately a lot of these people will do so without having any kind of caravan insurance cover. And for a section of these this will prove an expensive oversight.

Those dreams of carefree days can turn to a nightmare if disaster befalls, and adequate precautions were not taken prior to setting off on your trip. And the strange thing is that there is not actually a legal requirement to insure a caravan. Indeed may people rely on their household insurance.

Nigel Coppen, spokesman of the Camping and Caravanning Club says, “Many people are surprised there is no legal requirement to insure a caravan, but you are covered under your motor insurance in the case of an accident on the road.” However he sagely adds that “Personally, I wouldn’t own something that can cost up to £20,000 and not insure it.” We’re with you on that one Nigel.

Ian Crowder of the AA says, “Most motor insurance policies do allow the driver to tow a caravan or trailer,” adding that, “you should check with your insurer.” He also points out that there are “tough rules about which cars can tow which size of caravan.” And it is wise to stick rigidly to this, or risk losing out.

Having good insurance is very important for at least two reasons: firstly, you could find yourself very out of pocket if things go wrong; secondly, you are going to have a rotten holiday if something goes wrong. And bear in mind that many insurance policies will cover for alternative accommodation, so you can continue to enjoy your holiday without the financial burden.

Also bear in mind that contents left inside a locked car are not covered by your car insurance. So if your car is broken into and valuable gear is stolen, you will have no protection.

And for those relying on their home insurance policy, these items could add up to a hefty sum, which your insurance may not cover, and could also push up next years premium by a hefty amount.

We have said it before many times, and we say it again. Be sure you have an adequate touring caravan insurance policy. That is what we here at caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk are here to help you with, find the right insurance at the right price.

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The Importance of Static Caravan Insurance and Security

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

static caravan insurance

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.

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Cheaper Caravan Insurance?

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

The caravan insurance industry will be breathing a collective sigh of relief today as a four Irish travellers have been found guilty of conspiracy to steal, following a three-month trial at Winchester Crown Court.

In the twelve months following their arrests in March 2007 there was a nationwide drop in caravan thefts to the tune of 47%! Good news not only for caravanners, but for the people who insure the caravans.

Detective Inspector Matt Davey, from Wiltshire Police described the investigation as ‘long and complex.’ Close to £1 million worth of caravans and personal possessions were recovered as part of the investigation. This haul included vehicles, cash, jewellery, china and crystal.

Overall, nineteen police became involved in the operation to catch them, which culminated in a raid in March 2007 on their site in Gloucester. And a second raid involving 120 officers from Wiltshire Police was carried out on another site near Swindon in October 2007.

In total they discovered £970,000 of stolen goods, including £700,000 worth of vehicles, £70,000 cash,  £80,000 of china and £20,000 of crystal, and £100,000 of jewellery.

So caravan owners and insurers will be able to rest easier as these scum bags have been taken out of circulation, hopefully for a long while. Now, given that there are fewer thefts of caravans, this means there are fewer insurance payouts, which in turn should mean that it should lead to cheaper caravan insurance… that makes sense doesn’t it. I wonder if this will be the case?

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