Insurance
Even if you’re not using your ’van because of the pandemic, it still needs to be insured
Keep it covered, despite Covid
We like to be upbeat at What Motorhome, and try to avoid mentioning Covid more than is necessary, as we’re all rather sick of hearing about it. But this month’s column is on the topic of Covid and motorhome insurance, so it’s a bit tricky avoiding the C-word. However, normal service will be resumed shortly.
The 2020 outdoor season had barely got going when Covid struck and, as a result, many motorhome owners didn’t use their vehicles at all last year. If they did, it was for a quick break between lockdowns when, like coiled springs, everyone sprang into action to pack in as much travelling and as many outdoor pursuits as possible, before we were all told to stay inside once more.
Some motorhomers just gave up on the entire season, though. That was a reasonable decision to make, but what wasn’t such a good idea was to let their motorhome insurance lapse. On the face of it, this might seem like a sensible decision; after all, that’s a year’s insurance premium saved (probably several hundred pounds) and, if the vehicle isn’t being used, there’s no chance of it coming to any harm. But, while this thinking might seem rational, unfortunately things aren’t that simple.
Motorhome Protect’s Andrew Evanson comments, “Motorhomes have always been a hot target for thieves and theft is the single biggest risk owners face, which is why it’s essential that an active policy is always in place, whether or not a vehicle is being used. One aspect we’d encourage owners to be extra vigilant on is security. We recommend reassessing security to check the necessary measures are being taken to protect these vehicles, including ensuring they are parked in a secure place and making sure the correct cover is in place should the worst happen.”
If your motorhome is in storage, you need to be especially careful about ensuring that your insurance is up to date. This will often be a requirement of a high-quality storage facility anyway but, whether or not that’s the case, it’s essential that you don’t let your cover lapse. We’ve heard of multiple motorhomes being lost to fire, because of one faulty vehicle that has gone up in flames, taking surrounding vans with it.
We’ve also heard of as many as nine motorhomes being stolen from one facility, spirited away overnight. That throws up all sorts of questions about security, both of the vehicle and the storage site where they were kept, but the bottom line is that you really need to protect yourself.
There’s also the spectre of your motorhome being damaged by somebody manoeuvring their vehicle carelessly while it’s in storage, and taking a chunk out of yours. It’s not your fault and you can’t prevent this happening but, in the event that you can’t track down the errant vehicle owner, you need to ensure that you’re covered on your own policy to put things right. The answer to all of these scenarios is to never to let your motorhome insurance lapse, and to check the small print to be confident that you’re covered for all eventualities.
Nobody knows how much of a season we will get this year but, here, we’ve got fingers, legs, everything crossed that we’ll be able to get out and about in our ’vans. With so much uncertainty thanks to Covid, as well as Brexit, many people are opting for a UK-based holiday, as these can often be arranged at shorter notice than an overseas excursion. This is borne out by Andrew who comments, “We’ve seen an uplift in new owners buying motorhomes with the view to staying closer to home, rather than travelling abroad. I’m sure this is for a wide range of reasons but the pandemic appears to have reignited people’s love and intrigue for our homeland. With so many places to explore when we can, from our beautiful national parks to our idyllic countryside and coastline, the UK tourist industry could see a welcome boost – which is just what’s needed after months of uncertainty.”