Classic motorhome insurance considerations

If your motorised caravan is what could be described as a ‘classic’ then you may find that sometimes it is hard to find classic motorhome insurance. Some insurers may shy away from insuring older motorhomes. Others may insure your motor home, but may not appreciate what you feel is its true worth.
Looking online
So, if you are in the market for classic motorhome insurance, what do you need to think about?

• look online for specialist motor home insurance websites. Providers of insurance specifically for motorhomes may typically be more likely to provide insurance for classic motor homes rather than the mainstream insurance providers;
• following on the from the point above, benefits of buying from a specialist caravan insurance website may include:
• being able to access a number of quotes all from one place, so there is no need to keep switching websites and jotting down quotes along with the benefits as they are there right in front of you;
• potentially the savings you are often able to make due to the lack of overheads of online motor home insurance providers;
• once you’ve found a selection of classic motorhome insurance policies online, it’s important to compare both the price and the policy features and benefits if you want to get appropriate cover at a price that meets your budget;
• look at the cover and what it entails. For example, see if the cover includes an Agreed Valuation clause, which sets out an agreed value for the motorhome.

By taking all the above pointers on board, you could be on your way to getting appropriate and affordable classic motorhome insurance.

Insurance companies in Northern Ireland – your choice

Are you looking for insurance companies in Northern Ireland?

Maybe that question would have traditionally generated an ironic laugh in response because, well, we weren’t exactly spoilt for choice in that respect.

For many of us, insurance became something of a culture of being grateful for what we were being given rather than a true multi-opportunity commercial selection process.

Some of us may even have jealously watched the evolving insurance position in other countries, feeling that ever-increasing choice and price competitiveness was just something that happened to other folk.

Today the position isn’t perfect and the fact of the matter is that we still may not have the full range of choice that exists in other locations – but things are improving!

The good news is that looking around for insurance companies in Northern Ireland is now no longer the exercise in futility it once was. Many of the new entrants are listed on insurance directories that sit on Northern Ireland insurance reference sites and finding out more may save you significant sums of money if your insurance is up for renewal.

It’s also possibly the case that a lack of choice has perhaps led us to lose a little familiarity with the basics of how to evaluate one Northern Ireland motor insurance quote against another.

Try to keep in mind that insurance companies will typically offer incentives, in the shape of discounts, if you reduce the risks of a claim.

This includes things such as using additional anti-theft security devices, keeping your vehicle off the public highway at night and excluding very young drivers from your policy. Yes, they’re all obvious things but applying them may save you serious money on your insurance premiums.

So, now there are more insurance companies in Northern Ireland it’s becoming easier to participate in the compare-before-you-buy society. Joining in may help keep a smile on your bank manager’s face!

Caravan insurance in France – what is it?

If you are looking for caravan insurance in France then potentially you may either be looking for:

1. caravan cover for when travelling in France;
2. caravan breakdown cover in France; or
3. insurance for your static holiday home in France.

If you are looking for one of these specific types of caravan cover, then visiting one of the specialist caravan insurance websites available online may be a good place to start.

Caravan cover for when travelling in France
Note that if you have existing caravan insurance cover, then you may already have this type of cover. For example, some caravan insurance policies automatically have x amount of days worth of protection for when you ake your caravan or motorhome abroad, as per point 1 above. This type of cover may typically protect you financially in the event of accidents, damage and any third party liability issues.

Many policies typically offer public liability insurance. This part of the insurance is needed if a third party is injured or dies due to your actions. It also typically covers damage you may do to a third party’s property or vehicle with your motorhome or towed caravan. Some providers may offer more liability insurance than others, so do check the small print.

Caravan breakdown cover in France
For point 2, breakdown caravan insurance in France may be often bought as an add-on to your existing caravan insurance, or as a standalone policy. Sometimes you can buy different levels of cover, so you can tweak the policy to meet your needs.

Insurance for your static holiday home in France
For point 3, there are UK specialist providers of insurance for your static holiday home in France. This means that you can feel comfortable that, should you need to claim, you will deal with English speaking people. No matter how fluent you may be in a foreign language, when going through a claims process, you may want to do so in your Mother Tongue!

These are the main things that you may be seeking to cover when looking for caravan insurance in France.

Why compare car insurance Northern Ireland?

One of the most important reasons why you may wish to compare car insurance Northern Ireland is of course to save money on the premiums. Car insurance is probably never one of the cheapest things to take out but it is essential if you want to drive legally on UK roads.

When you compare car insurance Northern Ireland, you may wish to consider the following in a policy.

How much public liability insurance is included in the policy? What does the liability insurance cover and are there any exclusions?

Liability insurance for the public is a requirement by law. This part of the insurance provides you with cover in the event that you cause an accident, which damages a third party’s vehicle, property, causes bodily harm or even death. Typically, the insurance provider gives you up to so much public liability cover and this may differ between providers. Always check the terms of the insurance so that you know what is and is not included in this part of the policy.

Does the policy include any form of recovery or breakdown cover? If it is included, to what extent?

Your provider may or may not give you some breakdown cover in your insurance policy, or you may be able to add it on for a little extra cost. For instance, the insurance may cover towing and repairs of your vehicle if you have an accident that renders the vehicle useless. If you break down due to any other reason, your insurance policy may not cover the cost of recovery. Again, this depends on the provider.

Does the insurance policy cover your vehicle if you take it into Europe? If so how many days per year cover do you have?

If you wish to take your car on holiday into Europe then European insurance typically provides you with coverage whilst on holiday. This form of insurance allows you to travel so many days out of the year into Europe so you may wish to check when you compare car insurance Northern Ireland.

Motorhome insurance comparison may cut costs

If it is time to renew your motorhome insurance policy, you may find that your premium may be reduced if you visit a motorhome insurance comparison internet site rather than just automatically renewing your policy with your old insurer.

Even in the relatively staid world of insurance, things have changed in recent times and that means that there may be more choice for you and possibly even bargains to be had.

Change is good

With each year that passes, your profile from an insurance point of view changes.

Perhaps you have been able to add another year’s no claim bonus to your record. Aging another year may have moved you into another age group attracting a premium discount. You may even have joined a motorhome owners’ club.

In any of these circumstances as well as others, using a motorhome insurance comparison website may help you identify which providers offer discounts and whether or not they could be applicable to you and your changing circumstances.

Commonsense

It’s not only getting older that may save you money. Commonsense and taking a few simple steps to improve the security of your motorhome could also attract discounts from some motorhome insurance providers.

So, for example, fitting a tracking device to your motorhome could make it easier to find if stolen. Installing an alarm system could help keep thieves out in the first place.

Similarly, taking the simple step of stowing your awning away when you’re not using it may help to prevent storm or wind damage. It may be worth noting that some insurers may specifically demand that awnings are stored anytime that your motorhome is unattended.

Bear in mind too that however much you treat your awning space as just another part of your motorhome living space, keeping anything of value in it may be asking for trouble.

Who you are

Your own patterns of use for your motorhome may ultimately determine the features that you consider essential for your motorhome insurance policy. The motorhome insurance comparison websites may typically help you to choose the right mix.

Safeguard motorhome insurance

Your may be justifiably proud of your motorhome and be looking to protect it with safeguard motorhome insurance.

Peace of mind

Some of the features of motorhome insurance cover that you may feel are necessary for your peace of mind may typically include things like:

• breakdown cover;
• help with temporary accommodation costs if your motorhome needs to be taken away for repairs;
• new for old replacement if your motorhome is damaged beyond repair;
• continental cover - possibly with an English speaking helpline;
• generous mileage allowance;
• contents plus fixtures and fittings cover.

Insurance for motorhome comparison websites may help you identify which of these features are important to you and which providers can supply them at an attractive price.

Remember too, that some suppliers of insurance for motorhomes typically offer rewards in the form of premium discounts if you take the security of your motorhome seriously by installing features like tracking devices or security alarms.

Awnings

Your awning can increase the amount of living space offered by your mobile home quite dramatically. It is though space that is not really very robust – from either a structural or security point of view.

Awnings are very susceptible to storm or wind damage and so should not be left out when you are not around. They may also be very easy to break into, so you should not really use your awning as additional storage for belongings.

In fact, some motorhome insurance providers may have their own dos and don’ts when it comes to awnings and what you keep in them.

Safeguard motorhome insurance

Some insurance for motor home cover may typically provide cover for your motorhome as a recreational vehicle only, rather than as a vehicle used every day for commuting to and from work at peak times and in heavy commuter traffic.

If you want to use your motorhome as your primary mode of transport, then you may have to explicitly state this when you take out your motorhome insurance cover.

Choice

Before automatically renewing your safeguard motorhome insurance as with all insurance policies, you may want to satisfy yourself that your policy can provide the cover you need at a cost you’re happy with.

What affects your car insurance quotes in Northern Ireland?

Here we look at some of the factors that typically affect your motor insurance quotes in Northern Ireland:

• insurance premiums for residents living in Northern Ireland sometimes tend to be higher than some other places in the UK. Your postcode may be taken into account and will generally affect your insurance quotes in Northern Ireland. If you reside in an area that is known for theft and vandalism, then typically insurance premiums may be higher than for someone living in a quieter area;
• generally the more powerful the vehicle, the more you may have to pay for your insurance. Insurance may be lower for someone with a small family model than for someone owning a sports car;
• fully comprehensive insurance typically costs more than a third party fire and theft policy. However, it does generally give you more protection for your own vehicle;
• if you want European cover included in your policy or some form of breakdown insurance, you may pay more in insurance premiums;
• women drivers tend to get cheaper car insurance quotes than men, and younger drivers may have to pay a great deal more for their lack of experience;
• a car that has no or very little form of security may typically cost more to insure than one equipped with a car alarm, immobiliser or a tracking device;
• parking your vehicle away from the side of the road may help to keep your insurance premiums down by a little. If parked in a garage it is away from other vehicles and stands less chance of suffering accidental damage or of being stolen;
• how you use your car may affect your car insurance quotes in Northern Ireland. Taking out limited mileage insurance if you do not use the car to travel many miles each year may lead to savings.

Do you need short-term caravan insurance?

As the name of the policy may suggest, short-term caravan insurance is taken out only for a short term. This is not to say that if you own a caravan you are able to take out this form of insurance for only a short period. As of course, this may be unwise as something may happen to your caravan after the insurance stops. This type of insurance is useful however if you were to say, borrow a caravan or if you were hiring one.

If you are lucky enough to be able to borrow a friend’s caravan, you need to have insurance for the caravan while it is in your possession to safeguard against the unknown. So how does short-term caravan insurance work? Here are some facts about this type of policy. Do note that policy features and benefits can vary among caravan insurance providers, so always read the small print to ensure that the caravan cover is suitable for your needs:

• when taking out a short term policy you are typically able to take it out for protection for anything from one day, typically up to a maximum of one month;
• short-term insurance for caravans may be limited by the insurance provider annually to stop individuals using it instead of a typical caravan insurance policy. For instance the provider may state a maximum number of days or the amount of times per year;
• usually in order to be eligible to take out caravan insurance over the short-term, the individual applying for the policy must be over a certain age and this varies among providers.

There are providers of short-term caravan insurance online, so if you are looking for suitable cover, these specialist caravan cover websites may well worth be taking a look at.

Thinking ahead about caravan travel insurance

Some forms of caravans are, by definition, mobile. Therefore if you insure them (and it may be very risky not to do so) they will have a form of caravan travel insurance.

The overall position though may be a little more complicated.

Travel definitions

Typically only touring caravans, motorhomes and trailer tents are considered to be mobile.

As part of your original caravan insurance for one of these types, you may have indicated your typical usage patterns at that time. Those patterns may have influenced your selection of policy or any advice you took relating to what caravan cover was required.

Therefore, if your travel usage changes, it might be prudent to check your caravan travel insurance carefully for things such as:

• if you’re going abroad, does your insurance cover offer protection outside of the UK with continental cover;
• if your insurance does provide cover for overseas driving, is this limited to EU countries (remembering that Switzerland and some countries in Eastern Europe are not in the European Union):
• if your cover is valid only for the UK, is this the UK mainland only or does it also cover islands and Northern Ireland/Eire;
• does your existing policy have an annual maximum mileage cap and if yes, will a long tour around overseas push you well past the limit;
• are any specific components of your insurance such as contents cover, only valid while the vehicle is in the UK?

There is no definitive answer to these as individual caravan insurance providers will have different conditions and clauses in their policies governing travel within and outside of the UK. It is a question of checking.

Need to change?

If you find that your current policy does not provide you with the cover you need, then typically a first point of call is your insurance provider who may be able to offer extra cover – probably for an additional payment.

It may though be necessary to shop around to see what options for (e.g) European cover are offered by alternative providers such as one of the caravan insurance specialists.

Caravan travel insurance is important because if your caravan can’t travel where you want it to and when you want it, then it’s not really fulfilling its primary role in life!

Insurance for motorhome considerations

There are many positive points to owning your own motorhome and there are many worries and some financial outlay. As with any vehicle your motorhome is at risk when on the roads and, as it is your home-away-from home whilst on holiday, any form of damage to your motorhome may spell disaster and considerable expense. With adequate cover, these worries and financial layouts may be lessened. Here are some insurance for motorhome considerations you may wish to bear in mind.

Reducing the cost of your insurance premiums

Some things may help you to reduce the cost of your insurance for your motorhome. You may wish to consider the following:

• boosting up security measures on your motorhome;
• parking your motorhome in a secure location when it is not in use;
• becoming a member of a caravan and motorhome club as insurers may reward you with discounted premiums;
• parking your motorhome on secure sites;
• do not pay for benefits that you are not going to use, such as European protection if you do not plan to travel outside of the UK.

How you may be able to boost security and safety

If your motorhome is secure, there may be less chance of it being stolen. With this in mind you might want to look around and see if your motorhome lacks defences. If there are problems with security, you might want to consider the following:

• installing alarms including window and door security;
• insurance companies may provide an indication of quality alarms that may help towards reducing your premiums.

When taking your motorhome on holiday you may wish to bear in mind where you park your motorhome:

• if you park your motorhome in a secure location when you are not using it, it may be at less of a risk of being stolen, damaged by vandals or passing vehicles. As some caravan insurance companies may cover some of the damage caused by these events your premiums may typically be lower if your motorhome is somewhere deemed safer;
• avoiding sites that are prone to flooding may be an insurance for motorhome consideration worth bearing in mind.

Club membership to help reduce premiums

If you are a member of one of the caravan or motorhome clubs in the UK, you may also be able to save money on your insurance. This is usually because insurance companies see owners as being more reliable and you are not likely to take risks with your motorhome.

Avoid paying for insurance you do not need

If you travel outside of the UK and into Europe, you need to consider European insurance (also known as continental cover) However, this may add onto the cost of your premiums so if you remain in the UK look for insurance without protection for Europe as it may work out cheaper. Insurance for motorhome considerations include taking an inventory of the contents of your motorhome to ensure that you do not over insurance, which may boost up the cost of the premiums unnecessarily.