Is a caravan lined by your automotive insurance coverage? Homeowners urged to verify their cowl to keep away from huge losses forward of Easter vacation getaways
- Many caravanners drive round with simply automotive insurance coverage – however it could lack cowl
- Getting specialist insurance coverage means avoiding doubtlessly enormous payments for crashes
Caravan house owners are being urged to verify they’ve the fitting insurance coverage earlier than heading off on Easter holidays – as many mistakenly drive with out the right cowl.
Particular insurance coverage for caravans is on the market, however is just not a authorized requirement, in contrast to automotive insurance coverage.
Many caravanners assume they’re absolutely lined by their automotive insurance coverage whereas towing on the street – nonetheless, most complete motor insurance policies solely cowl house owners for third-party legal responsibility.
This implies you might be protected in case your caravan injures another person throughout a collision or causes injury to a car, nevertheless it does not cowl injury to the caravan itself.
Which means holidaymakers would find yourself footing the invoice themselves if their caravan was broken – and a few fashions may be value tens of 1000’s.
Joyful campers: Many caravan house owners go with out specialist cowl, however that may result in footing the complete invoice for any injury brought about to their wheeled residence
Most injury to caravans occurs on motorways, the place they topple over, whereas scrapes and scratches frequently occur on slender roads and countryside lanes, in line with dealer Ripe Caravan Insurance coverage.
The common declare value for injury sustained whereas towing is £4,027, in line with Ripe.
The warning comes within the lead-up to Easter which can see 1000’s of caravans being towed on roads throughout the UK, some for the primary time.
John Woosey, founding father of Ripe Caravan Insurance coverage, stated: ‘Confusion round towing guidelines is commonplace amongst caravan house owners and, sadly, many do get caught out by this a part of their motoring coverage.
‘The very last thing we wish is for a vacation to be ruined by an sudden invoice – so we might urge caravanners to learn up on the finer particulars of their insurance coverage. This can assist to make sure they’re lined for injury within the occasion of an emergency.’
If in case you have a motorhome, that requires specialist insurance coverage as a authorized requirement.
Simply so as to add an additional layer of confusion, if you happen to pull a caravan you must also inform your automotive insurer.
That’s as a result of trailers and caravan use may be excluded from some motor insurance coverage offers, in line with comparability web site Confused.com, although most permit it.
How one can keep secure on the street with a caravan
1. Select an accredited tow bar
Except your present car was first used earlier than 1 August 1998, you have to solely use a tow bar that has been particularly designed on your automotive. Test whether or not your tow bar has a type-approval quantity and the main points of the autos it’s accredited for.
2. Guarantee your mirrors meet authorized necessities
This step is easy however extremely essential. On your mirrors to fulfill authorized necessities and give you an appropriate view of the street behind you, they must be tailored in case your caravan is wider than the rear of your automotive.
You will get a pair of towing mirrors for round £25 which connect to the present mirrors in your automotive. They give you a higher field of regard and finally enable you really feel extra assured when towing. Not doing so might imply a fantastic of £1,000 and three factors in your licence.
3. Take a look at your brakes beforehand
Earlier than hitching up your caravan and hitting the street, it’s best to verify that its brakes are in good working order.
It’s the legislation that your caravan will need to have working brakes if its weight is greater than 750kg as soon as loaded. The caravan must also be secured with a breakaway cable to scale back the probability of an accident if it turns into indifferent out of your automotive.
4. Drive with care
One of the simplest ways to remain secure on the roads when towing your caravan is to have endurance and take issues gradual.
Once you’re setting out on the street, you should definitely:
- Give your self and others further time and house
- Take corners with further room and care
- By no means permit passengers within the caravan
- Guarantee your quantity plate shows your automotive’s registration and is lit up in the dead of night
- Guarantee your lights panel has no faults earlier than setting off
- Persist with the 30mph velocity restrict in built-up areas, the 50mph velocity restrict on single carriageways, and the 60mph velocity restrict on twin carriageways
