Motorhome Insurance

How to get cheap motorhome insurance?

Motorhome insurance coverage isn’t just a legal requirement here in the UK, it’s also pretty much essential for your peace of mind. Let’s face it, that motorhome of yours wasn’t exactly inexpensive – nor its contents – so it doesn’t make sense not to insure it.

If you’re a motorhome owner and plan to go on regular weekend breaks, a couple of annual holidays or even if you’re planning on just keeping it in the driveway for the next 12 months, then you’ll need cover to protect the money you’ve already invested. And to make sure you’ll be able to afford plenty of holidays in your motorhome in the future, of course.

So, whether you have the likes of an off-the-peg type motorhome, a customised motorhome, American RV, camper van, campervan conversion, low profile motorhome, micro or compact motorhomes like Benimar, Itineo or an A-Class motorhome & other brands like Volkswagen, Ford, Adria, Dodge, Rapido, Swift, Autocruise & others, read on to check what type of insurance coverage you’ll need.

That way, if you have a road accident in your motorhome and need to get repairs if you’ve damaged another vehicle if your van gets broken into and damaged or even if the entire vehicle is stolen – then you won’t be left out of pocket.

Types of motorhome insurance

Similar to caravan and car insurance, there are three main types of policy you can access. These are:

Comprehensive: As the name suggests, this is the most thorough and all-encompassing form of motorhome insurance. It will cover you in the event of a fire, theft, third-party damage and even, in some cases, if the damage to your motorhome was the result of your own actions.

Third-party only (TPO): This type of insurance will cover you if you cause injury to any individual or to another’s property while using your motorhome. It won’t cover you for damage you cause to your own vehicle, however.

Third-party fire and theft (TPFT): Similar to TPO insurance this also covers you for the fire to your motorhome, theft (and any damage caused at the time).

European insurance cover: If you’re going off to Europe in your motorhome for an extended holiday (or even just a typical holiday) then it can be a good idea to get insurance coverage for abroad. Some comprehensive policies have this already so do check beforehand (ensure too that if you’re going for longer than 30 days you don’t have to extend the cover).

Meanwhile, there will always be an excess for you to pay, regardless of the type of motorhome insurance policy you choose. This is money you ‘contribute’ to the total amount paid for.

The excess can either be compulsory or voluntary i.e. the amount is set by the insurance company when you take out your policy or in the case of voluntary, you yourself decide how much you’re prepared to pay towards any sums (a higher excess resulting in lower premiums and vice versa).

How to find the right insurance coverage?

Not all insurance companies are equal – especially when it comes to motorhome insurance. Many companies differ in what they are prepared to accept with respect to how much the vehicle has been customised, for instance. And then again, not everyone needs European cover.

Some motorhome owners just want contents cover because their fan tends to spend most of their time parked in their driveway; others may be planning to take six months out and tour so will be looking to insure their vehicle for pretty much every risk. Meanwhile, some insurance companies insist there is a major distinction between motorhomes and American RVs and so provide separate cover policies for each.

How to save money on your motorhome insurance?

• The less of a risk you are perceived as a driver, the cheaper your motorhome insurance so consider taking a skilled driving exam such as the Motorhome Manoeuvring Course. You’ll be able to recoup the cost of it via the lower ongoing insurance premiums
• Secure a sensor or some sort of camera to make hitting an object when reversing less likely
• Join an organisation such as The Caravan Club and get a discount on their motorhome insurance policies.
• Do an annual low mileage
• Build up a healthy no-claims discount for impressive discounts
• Don’t add on any named drivers – especially young and inexperienced ones!
• If you live pretty near the centre of a busy city then consider storing your motorhome in a quieter location which has a reputation for being safe.
• Fit an alarm, a good immobiliser or an effective tracking device on your motorhome

FAQs