Are caravans covered by your car insurance? Holidaymakers urged to check cover

Caravan owners are urged to check they have the correct insurance before leaving for Easter holidays – as many accidentally drive without proper cover.

Special insurance for caravans is available but not required by law, unlike car insurance.

Many caravanners assume they are fully covered by their car insurance when towing on the road – however, most comprehensive car policies only cover owners for third party liability.

For example, you are insured if your caravan injures someone else or causes damage to a vehicle in a collision, but not the damage to the caravan itself.

That means holidaymakers will ultimately foot the bill if their caravan is damaged – and some models can be worth tens of thousands.

Most damage to caravans happens on highways, where they overturn, while scrapes and scrapes are common on narrow roads and country lanes, according to broker Ripe Caravan Insurance.

The average claim cost for damage incurred while towing is £4,027, according to Ripe.

The warning comes ahead of Easter, when thousands of caravans will be towed on UK roads, some for the first time.

John Woosey, founder of Ripe Caravan Insurance, said: ‘Confusion around towing rules is common among caravan owners and unfortunately many get caught out by this part of their car insurance.

‘The last thing we want is for a holiday to be ruined by an unexpected bill – so we advise caravanners to read the fine details of their insurance. This way they are insured for damage in the event of an emergency.’

If you have a motorhome, specialist insurance is required by law.

For added confusion, if you are towing a caravan, you should also tell your car insurer.

That’s because the use of trailers and caravans can be excluded from some car insurance policies, according to comparison website Confused.com, although most allow it.

Safely on the road with a caravan

1. Choose an approved towbar

Unless your current vehicle was used for the first time before August 1, 1998, you may only use a towbar specifically designed for your vehicle. Check that your towbar has a type approval number and the details of the vehicles for which it is approved.

2. Make sure your mirrors meet legal requirements

This step is simple but incredibly important. To ensure that your mirrors meet legal requirements and give you a good view of the road behind you, they will need to be adjusted if your caravan is wider than the back of your car.

You can get a pair of pull mirrors for around £25 that attach to your car’s existing mirrors. They provide you with a wider field of view and ultimately make you feel more confident while towing. Failure to do so could result in a fine of £1,000 and three points on your licence.

3. Test your brakes beforehand

Before you hitch up your caravan and hit the road, check that the brakes are in good working order.

It is the law that your caravan must have working brakes if the weight exceeds 750 kg once loaded. The caravan should also be secured with a breakaway cable to reduce the risk of an accident if it becomes detached from your car.

4. Drive carefully

The best way to be safe on the road when towing your caravan is to be patient and take it easy.

When you go out, make sure you:

• Give yourself and others extra time and space
• Take corners with extra space and care
• Never allow passengers in the caravan
• Make sure your license plate reflects your car’s registration and is illuminated in the dark
• Make sure your light panel is faultless before you leave
• Obey the 30 mph speed limit in built-up areas, the 50 mph speed limit on single carriageways and the 60 mph speed limit on dual carriageways