New to ownership? Check out our online guide to buying the right insurance policy.
Top Tips
- Keep your policy up to date
- Shop around yearly for the best deals
- Look after your caravan
- Be safe and be sensible around your caravan
- Know what to do in the event of a claim.
In part two of our guide to insuring your static caravan, we look at how to keep your policy up to date and what to do in the process of making a claim.
Keep up to date
If you do make additions to your caravan such as a veranda or outbuildings or extra equipment make sure these are reflected in your insurance sums insured to ensure that these items are covered should the worse happen. Also if you're upgrading your unit it goes without saying you need to let your insurance provider know.
Renewing your static caravan policy
Your insurance provider should write to you in good time before your existing policy expires - usually around three weeks. If you are paying by direct debit, it may be your policy will continue to run without intervention. However if paying in full it'll be down to you to call or go online to make payment for your renewal and ensure cover remains in force. If you're planning a long stay in your holiday home you might need to consider that your holiday may overlap the period when your renewal documents will land through the post at home.
Maintain your caravan
Regular maintenance of your caravan and pitch will not only keep your guests and park operator happy, it will also help to minimise the need to make an insurance claim.
Don't leave things to chance. Make sure to check your caravan regularly during the season and carry out a thorough inspection when you pack up for the winter.
Double check when you return in the spring to investigate any post-winter damage such as damp, frozen pipes and external damage. Check out our static caravan winterisation guide for tips on how to best prepare your caravan for the cold season.
As an owner you will need to ensure that gas and electrical systems are inspected periodically based on the manufacturer’s recommendations
Be safe and sensible
- Steps can cause injury so make sure they are adequate and properly secured and offer high levels of grip.
- Monitor your bills: Keep an eye on your utility usage, particularly your water volumes. A large fluctuation of values either in or out could indicate a blocked or leaking pipe, where water is backing up or escaping.
- Keep your static caravan secure: Make sure to lock all windows and doors when the caravan is empty. If left unlocked, your insurer may not pay out on a claim for theft.
What should I do if an incident does occur?
In the event that you need to make a claim, ensure you take as much detail as possible, regarding the time, location, person(s) involved, what happened and if there are any likely factors involved. It may be damage occurs to your unit during winter months when you are not there, so it may be your park owner alerts you of any issues.
Your insurance specialist should have a 24 hour helpline to report the claim and set the claims process in motion.
If damage or theft has meant the holiday home is unsecure or exposed to the elements it's then important to ensure your holiday home is resecured or valuable items moved out of harm's way and to minimise the loss until permanent repairs can be made.
We hope this series has given you plenty of insight into the process of getting static caravan insurance. For more information on static caravan purchases and ownership, contact the team at My Holiday Caravan on 0800 088 5083.
If you need help with any insurance matters or are looking to buy insurance for your static caravan, contact Leisuredays on 0800 1488 418 or visit http://www.leisuredays.co.uk/