Archive for July, 2008

Camper insurance needs checking carefully

Before you go rushing into taking out camper insurance ensure that you read the key facts of the policy. Policies will vary between insurance providers in what they offer and as to the limitations that can be imposed in the policy.

The first decision you will have to make before looking for quotes for your insurance is the type of camper insurance you need. Just as there are different types for car insurance there are also different types for camper vans. Which one would be the most suitable will depend in how much you use your camper van. If you only take it out on the road a few times a year then you might not benefit from taking out a fully comprehensive insurance policy.

The other option for insuring your camper van is third party fire and theft. This however gives only very limited insurance for your vehicle but it does provide insurance for any third party that should be involved in an accident with you. In respect of your camper van it would provide cover in case your vehicle should be stolen and also if it was to be destroyed in a fire. There can be other inclusions so always check the key facts before taking on the cover.

When taking out camper insurance you need to check the key facts as different insurance providers will include different things and will also give limitations on cover. One thing you do need to check that may already be included in fully comprehensive is your personal belongings. If you travel frequently then the camper van will hold many of your possession. If they are stolen or destroyed then you would have to replace them and some policies offer new for old cover while others will only give you the value of what they would be today. If new for old is listed in your policy then you will get your belongings replaced at what it would cost today to replace them.

Fully comprehensive insurance may also include breakdown and recovery. If you are travelling and were to breakdown then your vehicle would be recovered and you would be taken to your destination. Some policies would also pay for you to stay in alternative accommodation if your vehicle could not be repaired and you had to be without it.

Also check to see if camper insurance would cover such items as camping equipment. Camping equipment is very costly and the majority of policies will cover up to a certain amount. Your awning is also expensive to replace if it should become damaged, again your policy should cover awnings for up to a certain amount. Windscreen and sunroof repairs along with window cover should also come as standard in your policy. However you have to check to see if claiming for these would have an affect on your no claims bonus.

Camper van insurance found through a specialist can be the cheapest way to buy

Probably the cheapest way to get camper van insurance is to go with a specialist website and allow them to make a search on your behalf. However it is not just a case of finding the cheapest cover, you will have to take your circumstances into account especially when it comes to how much time you spend on the road.

The two most common policies for insuring camper vans are fully comprehensive and third party fire and theft insurance. While third party fire and theft is the cheapest, it does not offer very much protection for your own vehicle. It would payout for repairs to the third parties vehicle but you would have to payout for your own repairs. You would be covered for damage caused by fire and if your camper van was stolen.

Fully comprehensive camper van insurance on the other hand would protect you against a huge range of possibilities and should be considered if you spend a lot of time out on the road. You would be covered for not only any repairs to the third party’s vehicle but also your own. In addition to this you would often be covered for medical expenses to the third party and any legal costs that arose from an accident. The policy would also pay often for emergency treatment resulting from an accident.

If you are on the road with your camper van for many months out of the year then your vehicle will be filled with many personal belongings. These will usually be covered up to a certain amount if they should be stolen or if they are damaged. Along with checking if the policy includes personal belongings, you also need to find out if the policy would pay for new for old. If it does not then you will only get the value of the items at the time you bought them and this usually means you will lose out. If the policy states new for old then you can replace your belongings at what they would cost you to buy today. The majority of policies will also cover against loss or damage to any audio equipment and satellite navigation equipment that is installed permanently in the camper van. This could include if they are stolen or damaged in an accident.

If your camper van holds such things as camping equipment then equipment such as this can work out very costly to be replaced if they are stolen. A fully comprehensive camper van insurance policy would give you cover for these which would allow them to be replaced. You should also look into the policy to see if it covers such items as awnings and steps. Again awnings can get damaged and these can be very costly to replace yourself, the majority of policies will include this up to a certain amount. Also take notice of whether you would lose your no claims bonus if you were to put in a claim for sunroof or windscreen damage.

Parked motorhome insurance can be found cheaper online

Depending on where you choose to take your motorhome and where you are going to be parking it up will all depend on the level of insurance you will need? If you are taking your motorhome out into the wilderness and are parking it overnight in a forest or woodland then you would have to make sure that you would be covered for falling branches and such. However if you are parking your motorhome for many months in a garage then you could be better off taking out a third party fire and theft policy as fully comprehensive might not be needed so when looking for parked motorhome insurance you have to be careful.

Third party fire and theft could be adequate if you only take your motorhome out for a very few times per year and park in a commercial motorhome car park. You would be insured for third party’s repairs and for fire and theft of your own vehicle and this is the cheapest type of insurance for those who want parked motorhome insurance without it costing them a lot.

Some providers will also pay on a third party fire and theft policy for any equipment such as Sat-Nav and audio. However these will just be covered for damage that incurred through fire and theft. A third party fire and theft policy might also protect you and allow someone else with a driving licence to take control of your motorhome if there should be a medical emergency.

A third party fire and theft parked motorhome insurance policy can be an excellent way of protecting yourself, however if you want all-singing-all-dancing cover then consider fully comprehensive. Fully comprehensive would protect you and your motorhome for a whole range of different situations and could be needed if you plan on taking your motorhome on the road for many months.

Fully comprehensive would provide you with all the benefits of a third party fire and theft policy along with providing many additional benefits such as covering your personal belongings. If you are frequently on the road then you will need to have your possessions covered against loss due to theft or damage in an accident. Some policies would provide for new for old, which means that you would be able to get the value of what they are today not when you initially bought them.

When considering taking out parked motorhome insurance you always need to check the small print as all policies will differ with insurance providers. While the contents of the policies might look the same at first glance, looking deeper into it could you could find that there are limitations and you can only claim for up to a certain amount for such as personal belongings.

UK motorhome insurance can be found with a specialist provider

There are many UK motorhome insurance specialists that offer cover specifically for motorhomes, and this can be the best way to protect your vehicle and get adequate cover. Those who offer car insurance for motor homes might not understand the needs of the motorhome owner, as insurance for the motorhome is so different than insurance needed for cars.

To start with, those travelling around in motorhomes will take a huge amount of personal belongings with them and you need to know that if they were stolen or damaged, that they would be covered. The majority of fully comprehensive motorhome policies will cover your personal belongings but only up to a certain amount. The amount you would be covered for can be found in the terms and conditions of the cover, and you need to check these before taking out the policy as they can vary by a great deal.

You also have to consider such as camping items which can include cooking stoves, seating etc and also the awning for the motorhome. All of these could be very expensive if you have to pay to replace them. A fully comprehensive policy should provide cover for these, again there will usually be a maximum amount up to which you are able to claim so always check when comparing UK motorhome insurance policies.

Breakdown cover and recovery cover may also be included in the comprehensive cover, though with some providers you might only get the very basic recovery. You should at the very least have roadside breakdown cover and you should be taken to your destination. Some insurance policies for your motorhome will also pay out for alternative accommodation if your motorhome is damaged and cannot be lived in. However all policies will limit the payout so check the key facts when comparing policies.

The majority of fully comprehensive motorhome insurance policies usually come with replacement vehicle cover. This means that if the insurance company believes it would cost too much to repair the vehicle then you would get a new one. However there are limitations to this, usually the insurance company would only pay if under so many miles or within a period of time from buying the vehicle.

Of course while fully comprehensive will provide you with the most amount of cover you do have to consider if you need it as it is often an expensive option when looking for UK motorhome insurance. If you are taking the motorhome out on the roads for a large amount of time then it could well worth be paying for fully comprehensive. However if you only use your motorhome occasionally for a couple weeks then you could consider taking out third party fire and theft.

Third party fire and theft would provide the third party with cover for repairs that needed to be made to their vehicle. It would not provide you with money for repairs however but it would pay if your vehicle was stolen or if it was damaged in a fire. However it is the among the cheapest forms of UK motorhome insurance and can be an option for those who rarely use their motorhome or who are not going to be leaving it alone for periods of time.