Static Caravan Insurance Buyer's Guide

Most holiday parks will require you to have a basic level of cover including public liability insurance, but it is not a legal requirement. However, as your ‘holiday home’ investment, there are more reasons to insure your static caravan than simply complying with your park’s terms. This guide explains the ins and outs of static caravan insurance.

What is static caravan insurance?

If you own a caravan that is permanently sited, i.e. with plumbing and a permanent electrical link up, you can insure in a similar way to your main residence. Put simply, static caravan insurance can: protect the caravan itself against adverse weather conditions and accidental damage; reimburse you for stolen or damaged contents; and cover other items on your pitch.

What does static caravan insurance cover?

Static caravan insurance cover can include:

• Storm cover – Your static caravan or leisure home can be insured for damage caused by storm for when the weather gets rough, excluding damage caused by frost. We can also cover items on your pitch boundary such as decking, veranda and outside furniture, but excludes hedge, gates and fences.
  
  
• Static caravan contents cover – The permanent fixtures and fittings in your static caravan are covered as part of the caravan itself. However, we also cover items such as TVs and cooking appliances, plus non-permanent furniture such as lamps and ornaments.
  
  
• Re-siting costs – If your property is damaged beyond repair by an insured incident, we will cover the cost of removing any debris, re-installing the utilities for a new caravan and any fees charged by the site.
  
  
• New for old replacements available – When you take out a policy with us, you can choose to select new for old cover if your property is under 20 years old. If you choose our new for old cover, should your caravan be damaged beyond repair, you will be provided with a new or equivalent value replacement model.
  
  
• Renting out your static caravan – If you choose to let or lend your static caravan or leisure home when you’re not there, you can select additional cover for hiring out. Which will provide cover against accidental damage, theft or malicious damage whilst let or lent, not available in your standard policy.
  
  
• Excess protection – Our standard excess on static caravan insurance is £75, with the exception of malicious damage whilst hiring out which is £250, and ground movement which is subject to a £500 excess. You can also select an additional voluntary excess between £75-£250, which can sometimes help lower your insurance premium. Choose excess protection as an optional cover, and should you need to make a claim your excess will be reimbursed, for your static caravan policy up to £250 a year, plus motor, travel and pet insurance policies.
  
  
• Flood cover – static caravan insurance with flood cover is not always available if you live in a higher risk area. Towergate's static caravan policies come with flood cover as standard, so if we can insure you, your policy will include flood damage. Your level of flood risk however may be reflected in your premium or additional terms may be applied such as having flotation devices, or a higher excess.
  
  
• Winter protection – When you leave for the colder months, provided you’ve turned off the water supply and drained down your caravan correctly, we’ll cover you against damage caused by frost and freezing.
  
  
• Keys and locks – if your keys are lost or stolen, we can cover you for replacing the external locks on your static caravan. Should you wish to upgrade your cover to include all property and vehicle keys, with up to £1,500 worth of key cover simply select key protection as an additional cover when taking out your policy.

How much does static caravan insurance cost?

The cost of static caravan insurance varies depending on several factors including:

• Market value vs new for old cover
• Value of the static caravan itself
• Extras like decking, veranda and contents

It's therefore hard to give an estimated price, however, here are some tips on how to keep the cost of your static caravan insurance down.

Consider how you use your static caravan – Do you hire out your static caravan? Do you keep valuable possessions in your static caravan?

Ask yourself all these questions and be sure to let your Towergate adviser know about your requirements. We’ll then work with you to find the best insurance solution to suit your needs.

Consider what you need covered – Your sums insured will be split into two values. The value of the static caravan, and the value of the contents (permanent fixtures and fittings will be included in the value of the caravan itself). We will also cover outdoor items such as decking and outdoor furniture provided it’s contained or stored within the boundary of your pitch. Note, personal possessions and valuables are different to standard contents and you will need to ensure you have specified anything of value above the £300 single article limit.

Know the value of your static caravan – You will need to know either the market value of your caravan or ‘buy-new’ value, depending on whether you wish to select new for old, or market value. The value of the static caravan is just for a replacement unit and not the pitch itself. A brand-new home should be easy to value, however if you have bought second-hand or have an older model, it’s best to ask your site manager or an agent.

Be rewarded – As a Towergate caravan insurance customer, when you refer a friend to us, and they take out a new policy, you and your friend get £20 each worth of Love2Shop vouchers.

Simply visit our Refer a Friend page.

Terms and conditions of refer a friend offer: The introducing customer must be an existing Towergate policy holder who has been on cover for at least 30 days. The offer applies to touring and static caravan, Park Home and Beach Hut policies only. The new policy holder must be on cover for at least 30 days before the vouchers are posted. The recommended customer must provide a valid policy reference number from their friend. The offer will expire on 31.12.19. The offer can be withdrawn at any time.

Be demanding – We’re here to help you get the best policy for you. If you need particular cover, let us know so we can help you ensure you have sufficient cover.

Be sure to tell us if you need to update your policy – Life moves quickly and no doubt as your family grows and changes your needs and possessions will change with it. Make sure you keep us up to date if your insurance requirements change and you need to take more items away with you, or you modify your static caravan in some way which affects its value.

What is an excess?

Should you need to make a claim, your excess is the amount you are required to contribute or will be deducted from your final settlement. There are two types of excess, standard and voluntary. Your standard excess is the amount set out by your insurer, and voluntary is an additional amount you are willing to contribute or sacrifice from the final settlement.

At Towergate we offer a standard excess of £75, with the exception of claims relating to hiring out cover with a £250 excess, and ground movement which has a £500 excess. You can also choose to include an additional voluntary excess amount between £75-£250. Note, with voluntary excesses this can sometimes help lower your premium.

Static caravan insurance exclusions explained

You’ll find the full list of policy exclusions in your policy documents. However, we want to point out a few key exclusions:

• Fences and hedges - This is a common question among both home and static caravan insurance customers. Unfortunately, if fences blow over or hedges are damaged by storm debris, they are not covered by most insurers. Please be aware this does not apply to your static caravan's decking or veranda which will be insured provided you have factored them into your sums insured.
  
  
• Damage by domestic pets/vermin – Damage by pets generally isn't covered by static caravan insurers. Similarly, damage caused by infestation of vermin also won’t be covered.
  
  
• Frost damage whilst unoccupied – Whilst your leisure home is unoccupied (72 hours or more), to avoid damage to pipes and plumbing installations, water must be turned off at the mains and all systems and equipment fully and correctly drained down, with the exception of any self-contained central heating system which contains anti-freeze which has been professionally installed and maintained to the manufactures specification. Cover excludes any boiler or fixed heating or water installation over 10 years old.
  
  
• Accidental damage caused by tenants – You are not covered for accidental or malicious damage whilst your property is let or lent, however you can take out additional Hiring Out cover that will insure you for accidental damage, malicious damage and theft whilst the property is let or lent.
  
  
• Landslip, ground heave and subsidence – We cover you for damage caused by land movement.

Re-siting your static caravan

When taking out insurance, alongside values for the static caravan itself and the contents, with Towergate Insurance you are automatically covered for re-siting up to £10,000.

What is re-siting?

It’s the extra cost of getting the static caravan back up and running for you. If you were to have a total loss, for example if a fire were to occur and your static caravan needed replacing completely, it would be the cost of:

• Removing any debris
• Getting the ground back to a good standard pitch
• Getting the replacement static caravan attached to the mains services

Static caravan sums insured contents cover explained

Your static caravan is your home from home. Therefore, it's likely you would want to keep some creature comforts around you for the duration of your stay.

'Contents sums insured' is as it sounds, and refers to the value of insurance for your static caravan contents. This means that should an item be damaged or stolen, your insurance will either replace that item or make a settlement for you to replace it yourself.

The most important thing when calculating your sums insured is making sure you have the right amount insured. This is particularly important in the event of a total loss claim. If for example your static caravan has a serious fire and you need to replace five thousand pounds' worth of furniture, electrical goods, and clothes but you’ve only covered yourself for four thousand pounds worth of items in your sums insured, your policy would not be able to pay out for the £5,000 you need to get you back in the same financial position you were before the fire.

To help make sure you aren’t underinsured be careful to include all contents and consider the cost to replace every item. Be sure to include all items of value such as:

• Televisions and electrical goods
• Bedding
• Pots and pans
• Clothing

Make sure you are thorough in calculating your sums insured, it’s surprising how the little things add up. Take your time and contact us when you’re ready to get a quote.

Static caravan insurance myth busting

"Falling trees aren’t covered"

With Towergate, you’ll be covered if a tree or branch causes damage to your static caravan provided it is not due to lack of maintenance from the site owner.

"I need to include all my fixtures and fittings in my 'sums insured'"

Anything permanently fixed in your caravan is covered  within the building sums insured. Any household goods or personal property contained in the caravan will need to be covered under your 'contents insurance'. For further information speak to your insurance advisor.

"Acts of God aren’t covered"

An act of God is an event that happens beyond human control. Storms and other extreme weather are very much beyond everyone’s control and are therefore very much covered by our policies, with the exception of frost damage. We’re here to help if disaster strikes: if we didn’t protect against the forces of nature, we wouldn’t be doing a very good job.

Static caravan insurance jargon buster

Sometimes insurance can be a bit like a foreign language. Here’s our run down of a few words and phrases which may be a little confusing.

Indemnity - Putting you back in the same financial position you were in before the loss.

Public liability for caravans - Your ‘responsibility’ for the well-being of other members of the public and their property. In insurance, this refers to the cover given to compensate legal costs and compensation payments resulting from injuries or property damage to others, if caused by you.

Loss of use cover - Cover for alternative accommodation if something has happened to the caravan that makes it uninhabitable.

Excess - A payment you make towards a claim on your policy.

New for old static caravan insurance - Your caravan and contents will be covered for replacement as new. (If we cannot replace your caravan with the same model we will work with you to find the best equivalent).

Market value - The cost of replacing your caravan at its present value - taking into consideration; year of manufacture, type, wear and tear.

Policy schedule - Your insurance document outlining the cover and period during which your policy is valid.

Statement of fact - Records the information provided to the insurer by the proposer, upon which the quotation, and its price and terms has been based.

Unoccupied - When the structure is either:

• Insufficiently furnished for normal occupation, or
• Your primary residence, furnished for normal occupation, and has not been occupied for more than 30 consecutive days, or
• Not Your primary residence, furnished for normal occupation, and has not been occupied for more than 72 consecutive hours.

Why choose Towergate for your static caravan insurance?

As a specialist insurer of caravan insurance for 20 years, we’ve worked with our customers to understand what they want from their insurance. We’ve developed our product to offer a flexible approach to insurance, giving customers the ability to select additional products to meet their needs. We’re proud of our staff and their expertise, with a strong emphasis on training, academies and hands on experience of the caravans and leisure homes we insure. Our aim is to give you peace of mind for your leisure home.

Can we help you with anything else?

As one of the largest insurance intermediaries in Europe, Towergate offer a huge range of specialist insurance products. In the leisure department alone we offer insurance for; touring caravans, park homes, beach huts, marine and small water craft and our hire car excess brand insurance4carhire.com offers great value hire car excess waiver insurance.