Whether you own a touring caravan, static caravan, or motorhome, specialist insurance is essential. Standard car or home insurance won’t cover them.
Types of Cover
| Type | What It Covers | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Touring caravan | Caravan when towed and on site | £150-£400 |
| Static caravan | Fixed holiday home | £200-£500 |
| Motorhome/campervan | Vehicle and living area | £300-£800 |
What Affects Your Premium
| Factor | Cheaper | More Expensive |
|---|---|---|
| Value of caravan | Under £10K | Over £30K |
| Where stored | Secure storage site | On driveway |
| Security measures | Wheel clamp, hitch lock | None |
| Usage | Occasional holidays | Full-time living |
| Experience | 5+ years towing | First-time owner |
| Location | Low-risk area | High-theft area |
Touring Caravan Insurance
| Cover Type | What It Includes |
|---|---|
| Accidental damage | Damage while towing or on site |
| Fire, theft, storm | Standard perils |
| Awning and equipment | Usually included up to a limit |
| European travel | Often included for 30-90 days |
| Breakdown cover | Roadside assistance for caravan |
| Public liability | If someone is injured by your caravan |
Static Caravan Insurance
| Cover Type | What It Includes |
|---|---|
| Buildings | Structure, veranda, steps |
| Contents | Furniture, appliances, personal items |
| Storm damage | Important for coastal locations |
| Theft and vandalism | While site occupied or unoccupied |
| Loss of rent | If you rent it out and it’s damaged |
| Public liability | If guests are injured |
Motorhome Insurance
| Cover Type | What It Includes |
|---|---|
| Vehicle cover | Accident, fire, theft |
| Living area cover | Fixtures, fittings, personal items |
| Windscreen cover | Repair or replacement |
| Breakdown cover | Recovery including motorhome |
| Continental cover | European driving |
| Habitation cover | Gas, electrical, water systems |
Security Discounts
| Security | Typical Discount |
|---|---|
| Wheel clamp | 5-10% |
| Hitch lock | 5-10% |
| Tracker (tracker device) | 10-20% |
| Approved storage site (CASSOA) | 10-20% |
| Alarm system | 5-10% |
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Insuring for purchase price, not replacement value | Insure for new-for-old replacement cost |
| Not declaring modifications | Solar panels, awnings, bike racks |
| Assuming car breakdown cover includes caravan | It usually doesn’t |
| Not measuring correctly | Static caravans need accurate dimensions |
| Forgetting contents | Personal belongings in the caravan aren’t covered by home insurance |
Bottom Line
Caravan and motorhome insurance is specialist cover that protects your holiday investment. Security measures significantly reduce premiums. Insure for replacement value, declare all modifications, and don’t assume your car or home insurance covers your caravan. Secure storage is the single biggest factor in reducing your premium.
What matters most
The two decisions that shape how well a caravan policy protects you happen before you buy, not at the claims stage. First, insure for the full new-for-old replacement value of the caravan or motorhome rather than the purchase price — a caravan that’s appreciated or holds value well can be underinsured within a few years. Second, declare every modification up front: solar panels, awnings, bike racks, and tracking devices all change your risk, and an undeclared fitment can reduce a settlement. Add the right security measures — a wheel clamp, hitch lock, and CASSOA-approved storage are the biggest single levers on your premium.
Common questions
Does home or car insurance cover my caravan? Almost never. Home contents excludes belongings kept in a caravan, and car policies don’t extend to a towed unit. Specialist caravan cover exists precisely because the risks — towing, on-site theft, and habitation systems — aren’t captured by standard products.
How is motorhome insurance different from car insurance? A motorhome combines a vehicle with living accommodation, so the policy must cover the chassis and the habitation area — gas, electrical, and water systems. That’s why premiums run higher and why you should look for a policy that explicitly includes habitation cover rather than treating the vehicle like a large car.
Why is secure storage so important? Theft risk is a dominant factor in caravan pricing. A caravan parked on a driveway at night carries a much higher theft risk than one secured in a CASSOA-approved compound, and that difference is reflected in a discount of roughly 10-20%. If you can use approved storage, it’s often the cheapest way to lower your premium.
Practical steps to protect your holiday investment
Start by getting quotes for the right type of cover — touring, static, or motorhome — based on genuine replacement values. Measure a static caravan accurately, because insurers price on dimensions. Add up the contents you’ll carry and consider whether the policy’s personal-effects limit is enough. Install a wheel clamp, hitch lock, and ideally a tracker, and arrange secure storage if it’s available. Then, before you travel in Europe, confirm the continental cover is active and for how long, and check that your breakdown policy includes the caravan or motorhome rather than just the towing vehicle. Review the policy each renewal, because caravan values and your usage both change.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most frequent errors are uniform across owners. Insuring for the purchase price instead of replacement value leaves a shortfall at settlement. Assuming car breakdown cover includes the caravan is a common and costly surprise. Forgetting that personal effects inside the caravan aren’t part of home insurance means belongings go uninsured. Leaving out modifications, from a solar panel to an awning, risks a reduced payout. And with static caravans, ignoring accurate dimensions can invalidate the buildings cover. Addressing each of these at renewal time is far cheaper than discovering them after an event.
Bottom line
Caravan and motorhome insurance is genuinely specialist cover that protects a significant holiday investment. Security measures materially cut premiums, and secure storage is the single biggest saver. Insure for new-for-old replacement value, declare all modifications, and never assume your car or home policy covers the caravan. A little care at the point of purchase keeps the cover working when you actually need it.