Caravan insurance
Get cheap caravan insurance with our guide
Britain's caravan club never stops moving – more than 550,000 are on UK roads. If you enjoy a pootle with your caravan in tow, insurance is well worth weighing up – and we've got a truck-load of cheap tourer tips. Wherever you're heading, we'll help you hitch up to the right deal.
What is caravan insurance?
While it's not a legal requirement, if you take out specialist caravan insurance, you'll be covered if your caravan is stolen, suffers damage and needs repairs, or is written off in an accident. You'll be covered for:
Theft outside your home/in a public place/at a campsite anywhere in the UK.
External damage (whether a stationary or touring caravan) outside your home/in a public place/at a campsite.
Accidental damage inside the caravan (such as if you start a fire during cooking which damages the inside).
Public liability cover will also come as standard with most specialist policies. This means you'll be covered if your caravan causes damage to someone else's property or injures someone. For example, if it tips over in bad weather and crushes someone's garden fence, or a caravan kitchen fire spreads to other caravans in a park.
By law, anyone towing a caravan must be able to see 20 metres behind them and four metres either side. Most vehicles will need additional mirrors fitted to meet this – towing mirrors cost around £15 or £20 a set.
Cover for theft or damage of personal items kept locked inside the caravan, or equipment such as gas canisters and power generators, is usually NOT covered on a bog-standard caravan policy. You'll often need to pay extra for this.
Before doing so, check if your home insurance already covers this if you have the 'All risks' or 'Personal possessions' extension on your home insurance policy. However, do compare the excess (the amount of any claim you must pay) on a home insurance policy against that of a caravan policy as one is usually higher than the other.
It is also worth knowing that claiming on your home insurance can also push up future home insurance costs too.
What's more, home insurance may not cover all items in the caravan (such as frying pans or crockery), as people do not usually take these outside their home. This is when it may be more practical to have 'some' contents cover as part of the caravan policy to cover the basics.
More on caravan contents below.
Government rules mean you can tow heavy tourers and trailers with a car, but just how much you can pull depends on when you passed your driving test.
As a rule of thumb, if you passed your test after 1 January 1997, the total weight of your vehicle and trailer shouldn't be more than 3,500kg (though licence holders who passed before this are usually allowed a greater combined total weight).
For your insurance to be valid, you must meet this criteria, though it shouldn't be a problem for most. Many family cars tend to weigh about 1,500kg (though that's an average and some will be more or less) and many caravans weigh a similar amount. You can usually find details of what your vehicles weigh in your car handbook and caravan documents.
To double-check if your car and licence is up to scratch, use Gov.uk's handy tool.
Very old caravans won't be covered
Do note that you're unlikely to get cover if your caravan is particularly old – most caravan insurance companies won't insure those built more than 25 years ago. Similarly, most policies have an exclusion for "business use".
You'll have to rely instead on a breakdown policy for your car, which can usually extend to any caravan you're towing. Not all do though, so double-check to be certain.
If your breakdown policy doesn't extend to cover the caravan, go to our breakdown guide and check out the providers listed, who can usually provide cover. As a rule, if your caravan hits a pothole and damages its chassis (so can't move), the breakdown policy will cover you to be towed home or to a garage.
Caravan contents – how you're covered
If your caravan's too heavy, or too old, it won't be covered
Most specialist caravan policies don't include breakdown cover
Important! If you passed your driving test after 1997, you'll also need to take an extra test to tow a caravan. Read Gov.uk's towing guidance.
How much is caravan insurance?
According to Compare The Market, UK caravan owners typically pay £141 a year for touring caravan insurance. However, this can vary massively between owners, with caravan insurance cost depending on factors such as:
Your level of cover. Generally speaking, the greater level you get, the more you'll pay. For example, you usually get a choice between a 'market value' settlement or on a 'new for old' basis, with the latter costing that bit more.
Value of the caravan. This is also factored in. The greater the replacement cost, the more you will likely pay.
Your policy excess. A smaller excess will usually mean a cheaper caravan insurance quote, but a larger payment upon claiming.
Your insurance history. Insurers will ask how many years of 'claim-free' driving you've had. This helps them assess your driving history a bit more (especially as you will be towing a caravan as well – which needs another level of skill). So if you've a recent – or frequent – history of claiming on motor insurance, you'll probably pay more for caravan cover as this suggests you're a riskier policyholder.
Your age. It is common knowledge that motor insurers take into account the policyholder's age, making it typically more expensive for younger drivers as they're deemed a higher risk. This is the same for caravan insurance. So the younger you are, the more likely you will be paying that bit more.
Where your caravan is parked and its security features. Keep your caravan safe and you'll likely pay less for insurance – learn more below.
Your caravan's make and model. More expensive caravans are typically costlier to insure.
Do I need caravan insurance?
To tow a caravan, you must have car insurance or van insurance for the towing vehicle. This automatically gives the caravan third-party cover, which covers damage to others’ vehicles or property, but not damage to or theft of your caravan.
Many car insurance policies automatically provide towing cover, but it is always best to check with your insurer for
any restrictions. Also, fitting a non-factory tow bar counts as a modification and could increase your premium.
When the caravan isn't attached to your car, it's not covered by your car insurance.
Whether you need separate caravan insurance depends on your situation. If your caravan is old, used infrequently, and you’re not concerned about minor damage, you may decide to skip it. Some home insurance policies can cover some of the contents within the caravan while you're on your travels.
However, if your caravan is valuable or you use it regularly, specialist touring caravan insurance could be worth it for peace of mind, especially if theft or damage would be a costly loss.
What about static caravans?
As a static caravan is kept in one place, it's up to you whether you want to get static caravan insurance. If you don't, you won't be covered if it's stolen, goes up in flames or just generally damaged.
If it’s on a caravan park or private land, check if liability insurance is required.
How can I cut caravan insurance costs?
Now you know what caravan insurance is and whether you need it, here's how to keep costs down:
1. Check if your home insurance covers your possessions inside the caravan
Your home contents insurance might already protect items you take away, such as clothes, computers and jewellery, if it includes 'all risks' or 'personal possessions' cover. This usually covers up to around £1,500, though you can pay for more. However, it won't cover the caravan itself, potentially nor kitchen equipment and bedding.
Think of caravan contents as anything that would fall out if you turned it upside down. That's what you'd be covered for.
Specialist caravan insurance is usually better value than adding caravan cover to home insurance, which can be pricey and only available on high-end policies.
If you need to extend your home insurance, consider taking out a new policy
If you're not already covered for your contents outside the home, ask your insurer about adding it. But don't just accept its price. Compare new policies too (though factor in a £50ish cancellation fee if switching mid-policy). See our full home insurance cost-cutting system to get a better deal.
As well as having to pay an excess, it could mean higher prices for up to five years following a claim. This is because home insurers will ask you if you've made a claim during the past few years, and if you have they'll consider you a higher risk, which could push up prices. You'd also lose any no-claims discount too.
This affects your entire home insurance policy, yet if you claim under a caravan insurance policy there's no impact on your home insurance.
Claiming on home insurance can push up future costs
2. Consider if you want a brand-new caravan should yours be written off
How your insurer will settle your claim depends on what you agree at the point of taking out your policy – and will affect your premium. You'll be asked when filling in an application to pick from three replacement values: 'new for old', 'market value' or 'guaranteed or agreed value'.
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New for old. If your caravan needed replacing, your insurer would sort out an equivalent, brand new caravan with 'new for old' cover.
This will generally only be offered for a certain number of years, for example, up until your caravan is five years old. Depending on the insurer, you could find they only offer the equivalent replacement for 12 months – not much use if you've spent £20,000 and want to be sure of having a brand new model for at least five years in the event of an incident. So make sure you check.
However, be aware that most policies will only actually give you a new caravan if it's cheaper than the cost of repairing. -
Market value. This tends to be the most common option and will pay out what your caravan is worth at the time of any accident.
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Guaranteed or agreed value. Some caravan insurance companies also offer agreed value policies which just mean you'll get what you paid for the caravan (provided you've got a receipt to prove it). This is most likely to apply if you have a customised caravan.
3. Only need summer cover not annual? Try this trick
You can only buy caravan insurance annually, but if you only need it for a few months, for example, you only use it during the summer, there's a trick to get around that (though that comes with risks)...
Simply buy an annual policy to cover you for when you need to use it, then cancel when you're done. You'll usually get a pro-rata refund (minus a small exit fee – for example, £25).
The risk is if your caravan's uninsured and something happens, you're on the hook (most home insurance won't cover you if it's stolen from your home), so store it securely.
4. How to keep your caravan safe and secure to keep your premium down
How and where you store your caravan can make a difference to your premium cost and could even give an insurer a reason not to cover you.
As a minimum, insurers will expect a wheel lock and a hitch lock (which prevents your caravan being towed away). These cost between £20 and £100+, so shop around or buy second-hand. Not having these locks could mean your insurer won't pay out if your caravan is stolen, so it's worth the investment.
Where you store your caravan also matters:
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At home. If you have a driveway or garden to keep your caravan on (you can't just park it on a road outside your home), this is the cheapest option.
From our research, some insurers didn't ask where the caravan is kept overnight, so keeping it on your driveway shouldn't have any impact on your premiums.
Lock it up in storage. Unless you have a garage, you'll need to pay a fee for a lock-up, typically around £500 for the year depending on where the site is and the size of the caravan.
Some insurers only covers sites approved by the Caravan Storage Site Owners' Association (CaSSOA) or those that meet a certain standard of security given by the CaSSOA, so check your policy. Find your nearest approved storage site.
Register your caravan in case it's stolen
The Central Registration and Identification Scheme – or CRiS – allows you to register your caravan so that if it's stolen there's a better chance that the police will find it.
Most insurers require registration to get cover, and while some newer caravans will be registered when you buy them, if you're buying second-hand you should double-check.
Quick questions
No – in fact you won't be able to leave your caravan in most storage sites without paying for your own separate specialist insurance policy.
The cost of keeping your caravan in a designated lock-up doesn't come cheap – it tends to be about £400 to £500 a year, so most people will be better off storing their caravan themselves if possible.
Should I leave my caravan in storage and forget about insurance?
Other ways to cut caravan insurance costs
Some other ways you may be able to cut caravan insurance costs include:
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Join a caravan club. Some providers offer discounts to members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club or Camping and Caravanning Club.
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Only buy extras you need. You can often get add-ons that boost your cover, but only buy the extras if you need them.
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Take a towing course. Training to tow your caravan shows insurers you're experienced and know how to safely drive your caravan, which can result in a lower premium.
How to get a cheap caravan insurance quote
So now you know all about caravan insurance, here's what you need to do to find the best price possible.
While big-name comparison sites offer caravan insurance product comparisons, it is worth knowing they're mostly just 'white labels' of two specialist comparisons. In other words, while they may be branded differently, the technology providing the comparison price under the bonnet is usually i-Wonder or Vast Visibility.
Below is our current order of which to try based on the perks you can get (as the pricing is similar). Each site can have its own special prices, so do check them all if you have time.
Site | Official perk info & MSE's analysis |
|---|---|
Try as many as you can, in this order... | |
| Official perk info: Meerkat Movies and Meals, including Caffè Nero. A year's 2for1s on cinema tickets (Tue and Wed nights), including discounts on dining out meals, pizza deliveries and at Caffè Nero. See our full . |
| There's no perk, but MoneySupermarket uses different quote technology to the other main comparison sites. |
Then, to boost chances of finding a cheap quote further, try... | |
You'll need to be a member to buy caravan insurance via Caravan Club. The website also offers dedicated motorhome and camper van insurance cover. | |
Caravan Guard's caravan insurance cover is backed by RSA (Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd). The website also offers static caravan insurance, camper van insurance and more. | |
Confused.com and Gocompare also use the same quote technology as Compare The Market, but you do not get the usual perks you would get when you buy car insurance or home insurance.
Struggling to find (affordable) cover?
If you've had a number of claims or accidents, you have a medical condition that impacts your driving, or you've four or more points on your driving licence, you may find it hard to get an affordable quote from a comparison site. Some may find it hard to get cover at all.
If no or few insurers are quoting on the sites above, or premiums are coming back too high, consider using a broker. Go to the British Insurance Brokers' Association website to find someone who can help.
Haggle
Haggling isn't strictly necessary – particularly if you want to try a new provider – but it's a good idea if you're looking to renew with your current insurer.
After following the steps above and getting the overall cheapest price, chat with your current insurer to see if will beat or match the quote. You usually just need to ask, but if you're not getting anywhere, read our Car and home insurance haggling guide for top tips.
You can do the same for cheap breakdown cover – these firms are often the easiest to haggle with.
Check your policy
After finding a cheap caravan insurance quote, there are a few things to do...
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Double-check the quotes. Go to the provider's own website to read the quote thoroughly, as some comparison sites make a few assumptions to speed up searches.
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See if the insurance company is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The insurer will usually say it is, but always check on the FCA register.
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Ensure the policy is right for you and see if you need any add-ons. There are always add-ons to choose from, so make sure that the policy you've picked only includes the ones you want.
How to make a claim on your caravan insurance
Claiming on your caravan insurance cover shouldn't be daunting, and if you understand the terms and excesses on your policy you shouldn't be in for any nasty shocks.
Follow these three simple steps in the event you need to claim.
1. If it's a theft, notify the police
If your caravan is stolen, you'll need to get a crime reference number to make a successful claim on a home or specialist insurance policy. Report the incident to the police as soon as you can to make sure your claim doesn't hit the skids.
2. Submit your claim as soon as possible
Contact your insurer as soon as you can to avoid any administrative hold-ups. If it's a complex claim, it may take a while to be processed, so the sooner you start, the better.
3. Keep your receipts
The loss of a caravan isn't normally queried by an insurer, especially as you'll have given it all the details when buying. But it'll always come in handy in any claim to be able to show proof of purchase if requested.
What to do if something goes wrong
First, you need to complain to your insurance company directly. If it doesn't respond, or if you don't like what it says, then you don't need to just take it.
You can escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman. The ombudsman is an independent adjudicator which will make the final decision on a claim if you are locked in a dispute with your insurer. For more on how to make a complaint, read our Financial Ombudsman guide.
Caravan insurance FAQs
Most specialist caravan policies will cover you outside the UK, but watch out if you plan to head overseas regularly each year. Some only offer as little as 30 days' cover abroad, while others will go to 180 – more than enough for even the most committed caravanners. Make sure you grab the cheapest travel insurance before you go.
Lots of policies include cover that lets a policyholder's friends and family borrow their caravan, meaning you'll still be able to make a claim if anything goes wrong. But always double-check, especially if it's something you plan to do regularly – search for family and friends in the T&Cs.
Got a motorhome instead of a caravan? You'll need specialist motorhome insurance.
Unlike with caravans, motorhome insurance is a legal requirement considering motorhomes are vehicles, just like cars. This is not the case for caravans, which must be towed by another vehicle.
Caravan insurance is not mandatory in the UK. To tow a caravan, you just need to have car insurance or van insurance for the towing vehicle, which gives the caravan third-party cover. However, without specialist caravan insurance, you won't be covered if your caravan is stolen, damaged or is written off in an accident.
If you are towing a caravan, by law you must be able to see 20 metres behind you and four metres either side. So you'll likely need additional mirrors fitted to meet this.
Will I be covered outside of the UK?
Will I be able to lend my caravan to others?
Do I need specialist insurance for a motorhome?
Do I legally need caravan insurance in the UK?
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