Just as the name suggests, a motorhome is more than just a vehicle, it is a small home on wheels. Motorhome insurance, therefore, needs to reflect this dual purpose in order to afford adequate protection for your investment both in the vehicle itself and in the contents which make it a home.

Despite its offering cover against such twin perils as motoring and a mini-home, however, motorhome insurance may often prove to be amongst the most competitively-priced forms of vehicle insurance.

Motor insurance

When it comes to insurance, the likely value of the motorhome probably makes very basic cover (ie third party only) inadequate in the vast majority of cases and third party, fire and theft or – more usually – fully comprehensive insurance is going to be sought. The latter cover is typically designed to indemnify the driver not only against claims from third parties but also provide cover for accidental damage, theft and fire.

Some providers of motorhome insurance, however, recognise that the majority of owners are likely to be of the more experienced and mature type of driver (indeed, some restrict cover only to drivers over the minimum age of 25 years).

Many also take into account the fact that the motorhome is used relatively occasionally during the year, when on holiday, and driven in suitably holiday mood, when there is no rush-hour pressure to get to work. Indeed, some motorhome protection policies may specifically exclude the vehicle’s use for driving to and from work.

Add to all this the fact that motorhomes may be less likely to be the subject of theft than other kinds of vehicle and it becomes easy to see why competitive premium rates are often offered on this type of insurance.

“Home” insurance

As your home away from home, the modern-day motorhome is likely to contain not only a range of personal belongings but also come fully-equipped with such things as television, video-players, computers and satellite navigation. Although it may be necessary to check carefully the maximum levels of compensation in the event of loss through theft or damage, insurance for motorhome policies are typically designed to offer protection for such fittings and personal belongings.

As offered by other providers of motor insurance, motorhome cover may often come with the benefit of a free courtesy car, whilst the motorhome is being repaired following an accident covered by the policy. Motorhome insurance more often goes that one step further, however, by recognising that the vehicle is not only a means of transportation, but of accommodation, too. If the motorhome is stolen or otherwise rendered unusable, some insurance policies may make provision for alternative accommodation (subject to a maximum cost per night and for a prescribed maximum number of days).

Owing your own campervan is one way of taking a break whenever you feel like it and it is relatively inexpensive. You have a way of getting from A to B and you have a place to sleep, eat and hangout. You do not have to search for expensive hotels and you have the freedom to be able to explore and move about and take in many sights, as and when you want. The only downside to owning a campervan is of course that you have to take out campervan insurance. However it does not have to cost a fortune and there are many benefits to having insurance.

One thing you may want to consider when buying a campervan is that you may have problems when it comes to insuring the van if it is not a UK make or model. For instance if you buy and import an American or Japanese model, you may have trouble finding someone to insure it. If you do find an insurance company willing to insure your campervan then the premiums may come with high cost.

When considering buying a campervan and you are a new driver you may have trouble finding insurance companies who are willing to take you on. Usually you have to be at least 21 and some providers may ask you are even older. Generally, you have also need to have held a driving licence in the UK for a certain amount of time before being able to get insurance for a motorhome.

So what might your fully comprehensive campervan insurance cover?

Personal effects cover – Your personal effects may be insured in your policy but there is a limit as to how much the insurance pays out if you claim. Your clothing and camping equipment may come under the policy and such things as an MP3 player or personal DVD player may also be covered. However if they are, they are usually only protected under the insurance whilst they are in your campervan and not if stolen or lost outside.

Gas bottles and awnings – Gas bottles and awnings are often included in your insurance policy but again there may be a limit to how much you are able to claim, if needed. You may also want to find out if awnings are covered in the event of them becoming damaged due to a storm. Some providers may include this in the exclusions.

Loss and damage – Your campervan and belongings are covered in the event it is stolen, damaged or destroyed by fire. However, you may want to check to find out if the policy also covers damage, which is accidental. Some insurance providers include this but not all.

Key and lock replacement – In the event that your campervan is broken into and the locks damaged or the keys are stolen, your campervan insurance policy usually pays to have your lock replaced. Again, there is a limit to how much you are able to claim for locks and key replacements.

The old VW type of campervan brings to mind the hippy days. Campervans were often used to travel to festivals and of course were lived in parked in muddy fields for a weekend of music. Today campervans are still very popular and there are many different models to choose, from the basic to the luxury. Whichever model of campervan you choose you do need to look for insurance. Here are some of the benefits you may want to check are included in your campervan cover.

How are you going to use your campervan?
If you do not plan to use your campervan many times during the year then you may want to look for an insurance provider that allows you to take out limited mileage insurance. Usually insurance providers allow you to choose mileage from as little as 3,000 and up to 15,000 miles per year. Of course, the least amount of mileage you do in the year, often the cheaper the insurance may work out. Those who only use their campervan for a few weeks out of the year and who do not travel far from home may sometimes be able to benefit and make savings on insurance this way.

Check limitations on your awnings and gas bottles
All forms of campervan cover may often include insurance for things such as gas bottles and awnings. However not all insurance companies may payout for storm damage to awnings. Therefore, you may want to check if the policy you are considering taking out covers awnings for damage caused in a storm. You may also want to check the limits that are imposed on gas bottles and awnings as all providers limit the amount that is paid out. Some providers may give you more than others so always compare.

Personal belongings insurance
Insurance providers know that when holidaying in your campervan you are going to take personal belongings with you. These may include such things as mobile phone, DVD or MP3 player, among others. Personal belongings insurance is included and usually protects your personal belongings against theft, damage or destruction whilst they are in the campervan. However again there are limits as to the amount you are able to claim for your personal belongings, so always check with the provider.

Are you planning a European trip?
If you are planning a trip around Europe, it is essential that you be covered. In this case, you need to have European cover in with your campervan cover. Insurance providers generally include this as standard in your policy and give you so many days of insurance. You might want to compare how many days coverage is included in your policy as it can vary between providers, with some possibly giving more than others for the same monthly premiums.

Insurance is not something that we look forward to buying. However, it may make a great deal of sense to protect what is often a very expensive purchase in this case your motorhome. It may be extremely tempting to jump onto the first low quote for motorhome cover that you come across. However, does that policy include everything you need? While reading the small print and terms and conditions of insurance is boring, this too may also make a great deal of sense. It is where you may find what you are covered for and what the maximum payouts may be should you have to make a claim.

At the very least, you should read the summary of any motorhome policy you are considering taking. This will usually give you an idea of the main benefits of the policy.

Should you want make the most of your motorhome and travel around Europe then look into the details of your insurance to find out how many days out of the year you may be covered for Europe. All providers limit this amount. Some may give you more days cover than others for the same cost, and this is where you may benefit if you do spend many days out of the year in Europe.

If you are obtaining several insurance quotes, and it may be to your advantage to do so, be careful to ensure that you are checking like for like insurance policies. This means that the policy includes the same amount of European cover, you are paying the same amount of excess on the policy and you are getting other very similar benefits.

When considering the excess you may benefit and make savings if you offer to pay more for your excess than what the insurance provider is asking for. Your motorhome cover always comes with a minimum amount of excess. This may be the amount of money you may need to pay out of your own pocket should you need to claim on your insurance, before the insurance provider will take over the remainder of the claim.
When checking the benefits of your insurance policy find out what the insurance may payout for when it came to personal belongings. For instance, may any personal equipment be covered such as your portable
DVD player? How much may the policy pay towards steps and awnings?

Find out if the insurance provider will offer discounts for limited mileage, if you have installed advanced security measures on your motorhome or if you belong to a specialist motoring club. If you store your motorhome securely during the summer months you may be able to benefit from taking limited mileage insurance providing you do not travel more than the mileage stated on your motorhome cover.

One of the first things you may want to remember when looking for your motorhome insurance policy is that not all policies offer the same. Here are some of the many things that you may want to consider.

• You have the freedom to travel anywhere and at anytime, but do you have European cover and how many days coverage do you have? European cover is offered by providers based on days with some offering you more than others so always check in the benefits on offer.
• Is such as your portable TV, your DVD player or radio covered in your insurance policy and if so up to how much may you be able to claim back in the event they were stolen or damaged?
• Should the worst happen and your motorhome was damaged to the extent that you could not stay in it may your insurance policy pay out towards a stay in alternative accommodation? If this is included then remember to find out how many days and up to how much per day.
• Does the insurance provider you are considering going with for your motorhome insurance offer you lower premiums if you are the member of a specialist motorhome club? If not, consider looking for one that does if you have a membership.
• Is legal cover included in with the cost of your insurance or may the insurance provider allow you to add it in for a little extra each month? This can come in very handy if you are the victim in an accident which you were injured in and which caused you to have to take time from work. You could claim up to so much towards recovering costs.
• Does the insurance company offer a UK helpline that is operated 24/7? If you had to make a claim out of regular office hours and they were closed, it could add to the stress of the accident if you had to wait to make a claim.
• Check to find out if the provider you are considering offers limited mileage insurance. You could make savings on your insurance when your motorhome is off the road; say during the winter months if you take limited mileage cover. You may state how many miles you may travel with your motorhome during the year and stick under this limit.
• Check to find out if the provider offers you the option of adding in breakdown cover for a little more each month. Breakdown cover can be very valuable and if you have it added in with the same provider you could save a great deal of money compared to taking it out on its own.

These are just a few of the considerations you may want to take into account when looking into taking out your motorhome insurance. Whichever policy you take out always make sure that you have checked over the small print thoroughly as this is where you may be able to find out the limits on the cover and what you were and were not protected against.

When looking for motorhome cover there are several things you could take into account to help you keep the cost of your insurance down. Insurance can be very costly so it is essential that you do compare for the best deal possible for your needs and make sure that you get the correct cover in your policy.

One of the main ways that you can save on the cost of your motorhome cover is to pay more for the excess than insurance companies will ask you to pay on your policy in the event of having to make a claim on the insurance. All will set a minimum amount that you need to pay from your own money should you be unfortunate enough to have to make a claim but you could offer to pay more and this can help you save on the cost of your premiums. Do bear in mind that when making savings this way you could lose out if you were to have to put more than one claim in on your policy in the same year. You would also need to find money in a cash lump sum and then the provider would pay the rest of the claim.

Another way to save on your insurance is to ensure that your motorhome is safe from thieves. You could buy a good quality car alarm, an immobiliser or a tracking device and any of these would go towards you saving as your motorhome would be harder to steal. If you park your motorhome under cover then it will be safer than if you left it on the roadside where it could be damaged or vandalised.

You could join a specialist club and this could help save on the cost of the insurance premiums along with you being able to get help and advice from likeminded individuals.

When you take out insurance for your motorhome you will have cover for your belongings. Some providers will give you new for old if you have to replace items or belongings while others take depreciation into account. If the provider does take wear and tear into account and you take this policy it could work out cheaper.

If you do not plan on taking your motorhome out of the UK then you could check any motorhome insurance that you were considering taking out to make sure that European cover was not included in your policy. European cover could boost the cost of the premiums up and is only needed if you plan on travelling around Europe in your vehicle.

Always go over the terms and conditions of any motorhome cover you were considering taking out as this is where you can find exactly what you would and would not be covered for. There will always be some limitations and limits on such as if you were claiming to replace steps and awnings in your motorhome. Checking over your insurance policy will ensure there are no nasty surprises in it that could leave you uncovered.

There are plenty of excellent second hand motorhomes up for grabs and if you are on a limited budget then you might want to consider buying a used model instead of a brand new motorhome. If you do so then you could be able to make some savings on your insurance if you look into taking out used motorhome insurance.

As the value of your motorhome would be taken into account and go towards your insurance costs used motorhome insurance can allow you to save. Depending on the age of your vehicle you could knock a great deal off the cost of insuring it which goes in your favour of course. However there are also many other things to consider that would reflect on the cost of the insurance and help you to keep the premiums each month down to the minimum.

The amount of excess the provider asks you to pay can be considered as a way to cut down on the monthly premiums. Excess is what you need to pay before the insurance will kick in and pay the rest of your claim if you had to make one of course. There will be a minimum amount and this might differ between insurance providers. If you offer to pay out more by way of excess then you could save on the monthly premiums but bear in mind that the excess you choose would have to be paid in a lump sum and if you were unlucky enough to need to make more than one claim in the same year you could lost out on any savings you had made by way of premiums.

What type of cover do you need? For example where are you planning on travelling in your motorhome? If you do not intend leaving the UK then you do not need to take out insurance for Europe. This can add onto the cost of your monthly premiums with some providers giving you extra days coverage. European cover is essential if touring around Europe as you would have breakdown cover, towing and be able to claim on the insurance if you could not live in your motorhome and had to stay in alternative accommodation.

If you only plan on travelling in the UK for one or two weeks out of the year then you could look at used motorhome insurance that comes with limited mileage. You would state a maximum amount of miles that the motorhome would do per year and the policy could work out a great deal cheaper. Of course you would need to stick under this amount as should you go over it you would not be eligible to make a claim on your insurance policy.

As with any form of insurance you would need to check out the contents of campervan cover you are considering taking out. The benefits you could get from your insurance can vary considerably as can the limitations and exclusions so going over the small print from back to front is essential. Therefore along with comparing the cost of the cover you are considering you should always look into the small print to ensure you are getting good value for money.

When taking out campervan cover you would have your belongings covered and so you would have to take an inventory of all the belongings and possessions in your campervan. You should not underestimate this value nor would you have to overestimate this because how much you choose to insure would go towards setting how much you would pay for your insurance. It would also be the sum of money that you would get back in the event that you were to lose everything through fire or theft.

When considering your contents you would have to bear in mind that some insurance providers will offer you new for old on your insurance while others would take depreciation into account. If the provider offers new for old then you would get brand new replacements for your belongings. If the provider takes depreciation into account then usually the premiums would work out less.

Also check to find out if any steps or awnings were covered in the policy. They would usually be but there is generally a limit as to how much the policy would payout to replace them. At the same time check to find out if the contents of your freezer would be covered under the insurance policy as some policies would payout up to so much for you to replace your contents if say the electric was to fail and everything was destroyed.

If you do not use your campervan for many months out of the year then you could look into taking out limited mileage insurance. For example you could take this insurance if you just use your campervan for a couple of months out of the year for holidays. This means that you would state a certain amount of mileage that you would not go over in any one year and then providing you stick under this amount you can make savings on your insurance.

If you are touring around in your caravan and you plan on going outside of the UK and into Europe then you would have to ensure that you had European protection in your campervan cover. You would then be able to make a claim, if needed, should you be involved in an accident. The policy would pay towards your campervan being towed and repaired. It would also pay towards you being able to stay in alternative accommodation if you could not live in the campervan due to repairs or damage. You do have to check how much you would get towards a stay in alternative accommodation as this would be so much per day for so many days.

There are many ways that you can help yourself to make savings when you are looking to take out motorhome cover. While of course the cost of your policy would vary depending on several things which are beyond your control including the type of vehicle you want insurance for and the years of experience you have driving you can still help yourself to cut down on the cost of the premiums.

The first thing that you have to consider when taking out motorhome cover is where you intend travelling. If you are only travelling in the UK then you will not have to pay out for European cover. However should you plan on travelling around Europe then of course you would have to add this into your policy.

European cover would allow you to claim on your policy in the event that you were to have an accident or break down. The cover would generally payout for the towing and repairs of your motorhome along with providing you with money to be used towards a stay in alternative accommodation if needed. This would be up to so much each day and for so long. The amount of day’s protection you could have whilst in Europe would vary with providers so compare this before taking out the policy.

You will have to pay out some excess if you were to have to make a claim on the cover and this can also vary with providers with some asking more than others. You would have to pay this excess before the insurance company would take over the rest of the claim. While there is always a minimum amount that you need to pay you could offer to pay more and this could help to keep down the cost of the premiums for your insurance policy. However the excess you choose to pay would need to come out of your own pocket in a lump sum so bear this in mind.

You will want to protect your personal belongings in your insurance so check if there are any limits to making a claim for a single item. Some providers will offer you new for old if you were to have to claim for loss or damage but others could take depreciation into account and if so this policy could cost less than one replacing your belongings with new for old.

Finally always check over any motorhome cover that you are considering taking out as there will be limitations and exclusions. You should also check to ensure that you have the correct policy for your needs. It is not good taking out the first cheap policy that you find only to find that you would not be covered for something you need. Go over the cover carefully and it can help to make a list before you start searching for cover so that you know what you want and what to look for when taking out protection.

While we all want to make the best savings on our insurance we also need to ensure that we get the correct policy for our needs. Therefore when looking for budget motorhome insurance you do have to go over the benefits and terms of any policy you are considering to make sure that you would be covered correctly. Otherwise if you were to have to make a claim you could find yourself losing out if it is turned down.

When looking for budget motorhome insurance you will have to decide if you want to have European cover included in your policy. This is essential if you plan on touring around Europe in your motorhome. However you would have to pay extra for this so if you do not plan on travelling around Europe then this is where you could save on your insurance.

European cover is essential as if you were to break down whilst travelling you would have to pay out of your own pocket. The policy would pay out for towing your motorhome, repairs to the vehicle and for a stay in alternative accommodation if you could not stay in your motorhome. The policy would generally pay out for up to so many days and so much per day so this would have to be checked with the provider.

As you will be taking your personal belongings with you then you will want to ensure that your policy would payout in the event that your belongings should be stolen, damaged or destroyed. You would need to work out how much your belongings come to and this would include items in drawers and cupboards. You should also check what the policy would pay out for in the event that a claim should have to be made. Some providers will pay out new for old on your items while others would take wear and tear into account. If your provider takes wear and tear into account then this type of policy would work out cheaper than one providing brand new items.

When finding budget motorhome insurance there are several ways that you can make savings on the cost of your policy. One of these is how much excess you would have to pay on your policy. The excess is what all providers will ask that you pay towards a claim before they will take over the claim and pay the rest. While there will be a minimum amount that you are asked to pay you could offer to pay out more and this would help towards keeping the cost of your insurance down.

The safer your motorhome is then the cheaper you would get your insurance. Therefore if you pay out and install such as an immobiliser or a tracking device you could make some great savings on the cost of your insurance policy. Installing such as smoke alarm can also go towards you being able to save on your insurance as this would go towards stopping fire before it takes hold.