The importance of insuring your caravan and motorhome

Your caravan, motorhome or campervan might currently be off the road, but it's still important to ensure insurance is maintained.

That's the message from Caravan Guard, which has cited risks like theft, flood, fire, storm damage and vandalism, which can all occur when your vehicle is parked up and not in use.

In fact, Caravan Guard has looked back at caravan and motorhome insurance claims, and stats have revealed that a huge 43% of claim payouts came when leisure vehicles were not being used.

For example, caravan and motorhome theft has risen significantly in recent years; in 2019, it accounted for more than a third of all claims costs at Caravan Guard.

Storm damage is another big risk. So far in 2020, it's been a serious issue as recent storms such as Storm Brendan, Ciara and Dennis triggered a huge spike of claims for damaged panels and windows. The stormy start to 2020 meant weather related claims accounted for 39% of caravan claims this year.

Fire, vandalism and accidental damage are other risk factors. Though usually quite rare, Caravan Guard has warned that vandalism might be on the rise with caravans and motorhomes being left unattended for longer periods of time than usual. Damaged paintwork, slashed tyres, smashed windows and graffiti are all examples of typical vandalism.

Caravan Guard Director Neil Menzies said: "Our stats show that you can't predict what's around the corner and that caravan and motorhome insurance is vital to protect against the unexpected.

"A significant chunk of our insurance claims occur when a caravan or motorhome is not being used and often these are amongst the most costly type of claims, so it's important to have cover in place, even during these really difficult times."

Plus, remember that if you've chosen to SORN your motorhome and take it off the road for the forseeable future, you still need to keep it insured.

The infographic below reveals more interesting statistics about motorhome and caravan insurance. You can learn more about Caravan Guard here.