Caravan insurance deficit highlighted

With an estimated two million Britons set to take a caravanning holiday within the next two months, new research has found that just over a quarter of them have taken out adequate insurance policies.

While caravan insurance is not compulsory in the same way motor insurance is, failing to take out cover could be costly to holidaymakers in the long-run.

According to the insurance provider Towergate, one in ten caravan owners have made a claim on their policies during the last three years, with three quarters of these cases due to accidental damage, while thirteen per cent of cases were for the theft of, for theft from, the caravan itself.

The low cost of their caravan is the leading reason given by caravanners who neglect to take out insurance, followed by the fact that the caravan is seldom used.

Commenting on the findings, Dave Sheath, managing director of Towergate, said: "We were alarmed to see from our research how many people were not taking out insurance.

"Not only can some of the top of the range caravans set you back well over £20,000 if they are stolen, the damage you can cause to third parties can be enormous."

The findings come as young motorists in the UK have been reminded of the possible implications of driving without insurance by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB).