Reduce your Caravan insurance premiums by keeping your 'van or Motorhome secure

Owning a caravan or motorhome gives you the freedom to holiday whenever and wherever you like - but it also brings additional insurance premiums and an extra vehicle to keep safe from thieves.

"It's not so much fun hitting the open road if all your money has gone on insurance, or you are worried about your new vehicle being stolen," said Gerry Bucke, operations director at specialist insurance providers Adrian Flux.

"But from our extensive experience of providing insurance for these types of vehicles we have been able to put together some top tips to help keep your caravan or motorhome secure and reduce your insurance premiums at the same time."

1. Find a secure location to keep your vehicle
   Location plays a big part in deterring thieves. Places with permanently locked gates, high fenced perimeters and someone supervising at all times are the sort of things an insurance company are looking for when providing quotes.
   
   If you don't have anywhere to safely secure your caravan on your own property, visit the Caravan Storage Site Owners Association (CaSSOA) website www.cassoa.co.uk to find out about storage facilities in your area. CaSSOA is recognised by insurance companies as extremely secure and keeping a vehicle somewhere like this not only makes it difficult for a would-be thief to get in and out, but it also means that they won't get much time as there is always someone watching.


2. Fit security devices
   A hitch lock or wheel clamp will only really stop the opportunist thieves as the prepared thieves can get round them pretty quickly. The best form of security is a tracker device. Although they do cost money to fit and maintain, they are very effective in aiding the recovery of a stolen vehicle and a discount is usually given on an insurance premium when a tracker is fitted.


3. Build up your no claims
   If you have been insured for a few years without a claim you will be rewarded with discounts of up to 25% with Adrian Flux.


4. Join a club
   Enthusiasts are also rewarded with a discount of up to 15% if they are a member of a caravan or campers club.


5. Limit the annual mileage
   If you only use your motorhome occasionally you can save around 35% on your annual premium. But do make sure you regularly start the engine or take it for a trip round the block. The number of breakdowns on older motorhomes is incredibly high and this is mainly because the vehicle lies idle before being used on a very long trip, causing a bit of a shock to an unused engine.


6. Don't forget to cover for your personal effects
   ravans and motorhomes are like second homes to many people, and just like a home there are often valuables inside which would cost a lot to replace if they were stolen or damaged. Adrian Flux provide contents cover on selected policies which not only cover your personal effects but also items that are often not considered standard fixtures and fittings, for example camping essentials like gas bottles, generators and awnings. Flux also provides cover for fire and explosion should the worst happen with your gas equipment, which quite a few insurers will omit.

Flux covers all makes and models of motorcaravan, from classic policies for the VW campers and modern motorhome policies right through to the top-spec American fifth wheeler RV.

"Many insurers run a mile from any motor home that was not built for the UK market," said Gerry. "But as experts in insuring all import vehicles we probably know more about European and American RVs than any of our competitors.

"Unlike most insurers, we can also provide insurance for anyone converting their van into a motorhome. Most policies only give a short period of time for people to finish the conversion, which can be very restrictive - especially to people who can only work on the vehicle at weekends. But we have schemes that give people a year to convert the motorhome, provided the vehicle is being used for camping."

Article posted on 06 Apr 2010