Insurance agents advertise widely and frequently; we often think that this is where our premium goes. This, and giving money to people who don't drive as well as we do! In their advertising, the agents always extol their own virtues but rarely do they mention the snags, limits, conditions and pitfalls. It's up to all of us to find out what these are and share that information.
The following notes on 35 motorhome insurance agents are based on our own experience and research, plus information gleaned from fellow travellers and the MMM (Motorhome Motorcaravan Monthly, the UK's premier magazine in the field).
PleaseContact Usto add your experience and information to this shared pool.
INTRODUCTION
In general, the person(s) being insured need to be permanent residents of the UK, having held a valid UK driving licence for at least 1 year. There is often a lower age limit of 25 (with SAGA it's 50) and an upper age limit of maybe 80 (SAGA is an honourable exception with no upper age limit).
Cover for what is called 'Europe', 'the EU' or 'the Continent' varies widely and inexplicably. The length of time you can spend out of the UK can be as little as 60 days or as much as a full year. Sometimes this length can be varied for a greater or smaller premium (see, for example, Bakers). Sometimes the upper time limit is rigidly applied. Sometimes '90 days' means a total of 90 days in any one year; sometimes it means in any one trip. But who counts the days?
Check which countries are covered. Not all of the 27 EU countries are necessarily included, particularly the newer members in the east. Sometimes other countries can be added, free or for an extra fee, and perhaps for a limited number of days in a given year. Check carefully. 'Turkey' may mean only 'European' Turkey. A 'Green Card' may be necessary to reassure police and border officials in some countries, particularly where the insurance has been specially extended and where the country isn't mentioned in the main policy document (eg Morocco).
Insurers often make a distinction between countries for which they will give the legal minimum cover (using the UK as a standard by which to measure 'minimum') and countries where full (comprehensive) cover applies (these are usually known as the 'Territorial Limits'). For example, the whole of the EU may be given minimum (third party) cover; but some countries (eg Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania) may not be included in the Territorial Limits. Such countries may be added in some cases, through the issue of a Green Card. This may be free or attract a small administrative charge; it may have a time limit (eg Comfort allow a total of 120 days per year).
Check that the cover is 'full' in all the countries you plan to visit – and not reduced to a minimum. Check that your breakdown cover (if any) operates in the countries for which you have insurance. Often breakdown cover is limited to countries within the Territorial Limits; sometimes it is extended to include any country listed on the Green Card.
If your UK insurer won't cover you for a given country (only NFU and Saga appear to cover Albania and we think that may be a mistake), you can usually buy a 'Green Card' at the border, which gives minimum legal cover in the country concerned (third party only). Prices vary from the perfunctory (Bulgaria) to the ridiculous (Macedonia). In December 2006, we paid €53 for insurance on entering Albania from Montenegro. This was for the minimum period of 15 days. Montenegro had charged €15 for the same number of days.
Only very rarely have we been asked to show our insurance documents in routine stops or inspection at the border or by police on the road ('Carspapers!!') The documents they usually want to see are the ownership document, passport and perhaps driving licence. However, you still do need to be insured!
Breakdown cover in the UK and on the Continent is often an optional extra with the insurance policy and is usually good value. Get fully briefed on the procedure for summoning help in the countries in which you aim to travel. Make sure the breakdown operator covers your vehicle for height, weight, length, age, whatever. For vehicles over 3.5 tons, you are likely to need commercial vehicle cover of the kind offered internationally by the AA and the RAC.
Check what the breakdown cover covers. For example, it could cover towing, local repair, shipping parts from the UK if necessary, another vehicle for you to use during the repair, hotel accommodation and, if required, repatriating the vehicle and you to the garage of your choice in the UK.
See if the motorhome insurers will also offer discounted home and travel insurance, to include health insurance and cover for extra contents such as bicycles. They may also offer insurance for your car, your motorbike, your pets, your very life!
Some insurance agents stick with one major insurance company and are likely to offer a fuller and more reliable service, with an established claims procedure. Other agents search a wide range of companies looking for the best terms and lowest cost - companies such as AXA, Equity, NIG and Royal & Sun Alliance, Allianz & Cornhill, Equity Red Star, Groupama, Highway, NIG, Norwich Union, Planet, Premier, Provident, Zenith. With such wide-ranging agents, you are more likely to be on your own when making a claim or seeking details of the policy.
Check which insurance company your agent is using. If there is a choice, which is the best for you? Why does one agent, using Norwich Union (say) offer a full year out of the UK when another agent, also using Norwich Union, only gives 90 days?
Agents vary widely in how you can contact them. In the best practice, there is a website full of information about the policies and exclusions. You may be able to complete a form online and get a quote back by email or through a phone call. Some agents ask you to email them with your request, giving a phone number for them to ring you. At least one agent asks you to text them a simple message, and they will ring you back to discuss your needs and give you a quote. In another case, you may be asked to contact a local shop or agent, and a list of branches is given along with addresses and phone numbers. On the whole, the telephone is still preferred to the web, sometimes with freephone numbers if you are in the UK.
Insurance and breakdown companies might well expect that your Road Fund Licence and MOT are up to date. They may use their absence as an excuse not to pay or tow! Above all, don't declare a SORN as a way of avoiding the Road Fund Licence and MOT, and then expect to be legally insured on the road! The insurance agent will indeed issue documents (you may wish to remain insured while your vehicle is in store, for example) but the cover won't be valid if you have declared a SORN and then drive on the road, inside or outside of the UK. We have met motorhomers doing this and it can have dire consequences. Being on the road anywhere in Europe, having declared a SORN, is a criminal offence, not just a road traffic offence, and it carries a heavy fine and up to 2 years in prison if caught!
Safeguard spelt all this out to us, as follows: "Although we offer extensive cover for Europe, the acceptance criteria is that the vehicle must be taxed and MOT'd and that the policyholder is a UK citizen and resident and has a property in the UK (to ensure that the customer is not full-timing). We also do not cover a vehicle where SORN has been declared. If, for example, a vehicle was a total loss abroad and needed to be repatriated back to the UK, there are issues attached to the fact that the vehicle was declared SORN. I expect there are other reasons including how the vehicle was taken to the coast whilst the vehicle was declared SORN and so on."
Unadvertised, a given insurer may exclude you if you are over a certain weight (A-Plan), over a certain engine size (CIS), an American vehicle (Saga, MTC), a fifth-wheeler (most), a self-built conversions (most), etc – so read the small print!
Discounts may be offered for a limited annual mileage, a good alarm/immobiliser, and membership of some clubs. No Claims Discounts (up to 66% after 6 years, typically) may be safeguarded so that, in effect, you can make 2 claims before you lose the discount.
You may be able to pay in instalments, if you want to – but check what fee or percentage may be added for this privilege. We find it convenient to renew by email with a credit card number and to receive the documents as an email attachment, although not all agents offer this service.
Very wide range of vehicles of all kinds, sizes and weights including American motorhomes, classics, kit cars and motorbikes. Only 60 days in mainland Europe for any one trip - extendable to 6 months for an extra premium of ₤52.50 but won't go beyond that. UK and European rescue (breakdown and recovery) an optional ₤42 extra. No weight limit on that, but over 2.5 tons costs ₤95.
Includes free 'Motor Legal Protection' (₤50,000 worth of cover for legal assistance with uninsured losses). Optional 'Extra Personal Accident and Road Rage' cover for driver and passengers available for ₤13 per annum.
Text 'CALL ME' to 81232 on your mobile to discuss, and they will.
'Dave of Essex' recommended them (he has a large RV, winters in Spain, summers in the UK). He also put us onto Motorhome Medics, so his judgment is sound!
Our own quote was ₤541.50, including breakdown, 6 months in Europe and the optional Extra Personal Accident & Road Rage cover (Dec 2005).
Age Range: 25 to 79
Breakdown Cover: Europ Assist at extra cost. Limited cover over 2500 kg
Underwriters: Equity Red Star also NIG, Norwich Union, Corinthian, Kinetic.
Adrian Flux Insurance, East Winch Hall, East Winch, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE32 1HN
A-PLAN INSURANCE
Insurance for motorhomes with cover available for England, Scotland and Wales. You can phone A-Plan or complete a simple form on line. The website contains a branch finder by postcode. A-Plan is a division of A-Plan Holdings of London and is an independent intermediary specialising in the provision of insurance products.
Size limits 3.5 tons and 7m max length.
AUTO CAMPING CLUB (ACC)
'Concessional insurance facilities' are available for members. 9 insurance agents are listed on the club's website. The Auto Camping Club is part of Warners Group Publications plc, the publishers of MMM among much else.
BAKERS OF CHELTENHAM LTD (now TOWERGATE BAKERS)
Insurance for all types of motorhome. 90-day European cover with optional RAC European breakdown cover within their territorial limits. The time in Continental Europe can be extended for 19 UK pounds a week up a maximum of 210 UK pounds, which then gives 365 days cover with no restriction on the length or frequency of trips outside the UK. Green Card issued free of charge if given at least 2 weeks' notice for countries such as Turkey, Morocco, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Tunisia, Israel, etc. No time limit on the Green Card within the overall time limits described above.
Complete a form on-line and they promise to email a quote within 24 hrs. They didn't actually respond to the on-line form or to follow-up emails, but they were very helpful on the telephone, ringing back when asked. Apparently having problems with the parent company Towergate passing on emails, which they promised to look into.
Our own best deal, a saving on Comfort's premium, including breakdown cover (Nov 2006).
Age Range: 25 to 75
Breakdown Cover: Excellent RAC cover in the UK and the Continent for a little extra.
Underwriters: Norwich Union
Towergate Bakers, The Quadrangle, Imperial Square, Cheltenham, Glos GL50 1PZ. Tel 01242 528844.
BASILDON INSURANCE
Motorhome insurance including American models. 90 days maximum for mainland Europe in any one trip. No breakdown cover available. Telephone contact only: website is that of Academy Insurance which contains little information except a free phone number. If you email via Academy Insurance, you must give a telephone number for reply. Quotes given within 30 minutes.
Our call was handled by a young man with no knowledge of the special requirements of motorhomers and no information on which European countries were covered. If interested, we'd need to talk to 'the insurers', he said.
Our own quote was ₤414.14, without breakdown cover (Nov 2006).
Basildon Insurance Services Ltd, The Property Centre, Southernhay, Basildon, Essex SS14 1EB
BUDGET MOTORHOME INSURANCE
'European' cover and optional breakdown cover 'subject to terms and conditions'. Maximum 6 months in mainland Europe. .
Discount for members of caravan clubs. They claim to search over 30 different schemes from leading motor insurers to find the best policy. The website doesn't mention motorhomes; in their advertising in the MMM, they give a phone number.
Age Range: 25 to 75
Breakdown Cover: RAC at extra cost with no size restriction.
Underwriters: Specialist policies from NIG, AXA, Equity Red Star and others
Call Assist Rescue are specialists in providing vehicle breakdown insurance for the UK and Europe. Their website is only for the use of Regulated Insurance Companies and Agents. If you want to purchase Call Assist Rescue cover for your vehicle, contact your local Insurance Agent (check your local telephone directory). Alternatively, you can email your name and post code to and they will forward the contact details to you.
CAMPING &CARAVANNING CLUB (CLUB CARE INSURANCE SERVICES)
Motorhome insurance available to C&C Club members. Quotes available on-line or by phone. Up to 6 months per continental trip, go as often as you like.
Also offer a new Home Insurance policy allowing up to 180 days away from home in any one trip. (Many such policies have a one-month limit.)
Age Range: 25 to 80 (non members), more for members!
Breakdown Cover: Discount rate from the RAC but still expensive.
Insurers: Equity Red Star
Club Care Insurance Services, Crest House, Station Road, Egham, Surrey TW20 9LG
CAMPTON INSURANCE BROKERS (UK) LTD
Insurance for motorhomes including American models and demountables. Club membership discount. Up to 90 days per trip in mainland Europe (extendable to 6 months maximum for extra premium).
Age Range: 25 to 74
Breakdown Cover: Call Assist UK and full Continental cover at extra cost. Limit 5500 kg, 30ft long, 8ft wide, 10 ft high.
Insurance available to Caravan Club members. Maximum of 6 months in any one year in mainland Europe. Discounts for mature drivers but with a maximum age of 80 (too mature?)
Age Range: 21 to 79
Breakdown Cover: Complicated and costly. 'Mayday scheme from Green Flag in the UK for CC members only. Red Pennant for rest of Europe.
The Caravan Club, East Grinstead House, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 1UA
CARAVAN GUARD INSURANCE
Includes motorhome insurance, but not American models. Extra premium for 8 months maximum in mainland Europe, plus extra for European breakdown cover.
Age Range: 25 to 74. Renewals up to 89!
Breakdown Cover: Standard for UK, extra for the Continent.
Underwriters: Royal and Sun Alliance.
(Maggie Bevis insured with them. They sent a helpful assessor round to inspect damage from Greek olive tree, who suggested Lockwood Scar in Huddersfield for fibreglass repairs.)
Caravan Guard, Gordon House, Charles Street, Halifax HX1 1NA
CARAVANWISE LTD (MOTOR CARAVAN WISE)
Includes motorhome insurance. 5,000 cc engine size limit.
Discounts for police and public employees.
'Unlimited cover throughout the EU for temporary travel'
Age Range: 25 to 74 though renewals accepted at higher ages
Full 12-months cover in the EU and several other countries, extendable to others for a maximum of 120 days for a fixed fee of ₤17.50. In some cases will insure a genuine known full-timer and they offer a good range of European countries, but for the highest premiums we have met! RAC commercial breakdown cover in the UK and mainland Europe with no weight limit.
Also offer a Home Insurance policy allowing up to 180 days away from home in any one trip. (Many such policies have a one-month limit.) Travel/health insurance also available.
Don Madge insured with them (for Home and Travel too) and thinks they're worth it. Paul Barker uses them for Home and Travel, but motorhome is with Safeguard.
Our renewal premium quoted at ₤890.39 including breakdown cover (Nov 2006).
Age Range: 25 to 79
Breakdown Cover: RAC cover throughout Europe with no weight or size limit within the 'Advantage Policy'
Part of Victor Millwall Insurance Agency Ltd. Underwriters: Norwich Union
Very competitive rates and 12 months cover in the standard list of EU and a few other countries, but add: "The policy will not normally be valid in any other country but if you'd like us to consider extending your cover to include a country not listed above you should apply to us at least 28 days before your journey."
However, there is a 4 litres engine size limit.
Barney insured with them (changed from Comfort because of Ben Cue and higher premium).
DOWNUNDER INSURANCE SERVICES LTD
Long-term and short-term cover for motorhomes and campervans. 12 months cover in mainland Europe.
Maximum value of motorhome ₤20,000. 4,500 cc engine size limit. Minimum driver age 20. (Popular with young antipodeans.)
E-INSURANCE
Their website www.e-insurance.com just lists Safeguard or Saga under 'motorcaravans'.
FOOTMAN JAMES COMPANY
Insurance for motorhomes, specialising in older vehicles: classic cars and campers. Maximum 35 days per trip for mainland Europe. Size limits 3.5 tons and 5.4m max length.
JARDINE FABER INSURANCE CONSULTANTS
Their website transfers you to www.roadsure.ltd.uk. Roadsure (see below) are mainly classic car specialists.
LYNBROOK INSURANCE SERVICES
Classic vehicle insurance including classic campers. Vehicle must be at least 20 years old and worth at least ₤1,000. Driver must be a club member, aged over 25 and not using the campervan for business. Free 'foreign use' restricted to overseas rallies!
MCIA (MOTOR CARAVAN INSURANCE AGENCY Ltd)
A member of the Lifesure group of companies. 12 months Continental Green Card cover and optional Continental breakdown cover (latter has a 3.5 ton limit). Minimum age 25. Max sum assured ₤40,000. American vehicles not covered. Size limits 3.5 tons and 7m max length.
Age Range: 25 to 79 with renewals if DVLA issues licence.
Their website redirects you to www.ukcampsite.co.uk (a website with assorted info, forum, adverts, etc). For 'Insurance' it simply gives links to Adrian Flux, Budget, Caravan Guard, Comfort and Safeguard.
MOTOR CARAVANNERS CLUB
Members may get discounted insurance rates with some companies, but no reference to this on the Club's website. They do offer a Breakdown Recovery Club, which includes 7 days 'continental cover'!
MTC (formerly the Motorhome Ticket Club)
Part of a West Country chain of travel agents, also offering Travel Insurance and Pet Insurance. American motorhomes not covered (despite a photo of one in their advert). Size limit 4,000 cc. Optional European breakdown cover with RAC Commercial. Cover in mainland Europe is not standard and costs extra, with price bands for 90, 180, 270 or 365 days per annum.
Age Range: 25 to 80, could be extended for existing clients.
Breakdown Cover: RAC cover for UK and 'abroad' at extra cost
Insurers: Equity Red Star, or Provident Insurance
MTC, The Connect Centre, Kingston Crescent, North End, Portsmouth PO2 8QL
For our very unfortunate experience of booking a ferry through MTC, click here!
NFU MUTUAL
Motorhome insurance including dismountables and fifth wheelers. Unlimited cover in mainland Europe. Size limit 3.5 tons.
Prefer customers with more than one vehicle insured with them!
Website currently 'under development'. Can submit name and phone number on-line and wait for a call back. Or ring 01507 600249 and ask for Helen or Sam. Emails: . Nicholas Pope, NFU Office, Cannon Street House, Cannon Street, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 9NL.
Martin Wiltshire insured with them (changed from Comfort because of Ben Cue and higher premium).
NORTON INSURANCE BROKERS
Once offered insurance for small motorhomes over 15 years old, but now their website just redirects you to www.classic-car-insurance.com. This gives a long list of insurers for classic cars, with no reference to motorhomes (they include Jardine Faber, Norton and Adrian Flux).
PARK HOME INSURANCE SERVICES LTD
Up to 90 days in mainland Europe.
Age Range: 25 to 70
Breakdown Cover: Europ Assist package, UK and Continent for extra money. Limits 7m long, 3m high, 2.25m wide.
Underwriters: NIG
Park Home Insurance Services Ltd, Helix House, High Street, Wadhurst, East Sussex TN5 6AA
ROADSURE
Classic car insurance. On their website, motorhomes are concealed under 'Specialist'. Limited cover in mainland Europe
Up to 90 days per year in Continental Europe and dates must be notified.
Age Range: 25 to 80
Breakdown Cover: Package from Europe Assist as an extra. Limit is a length of 7 metres. No Home Start and no cover for a trip of over 31 days!
Underwriters: Corinthian
Roadsure Ltd, 39 Marefair, Northampton NN1 1SR
SAFEGUARD
No size or weight restrictions, no time limit on mainland Europe. AA breakdown cover within the UK and Europe is included, for motorhomes under 20 years old but no size or weight restriction..
Safeguard is part of the Swinton Group. Although they offer extensive cover for Europe, the acceptance criteria are that the vehicle must be taxed and MOT'd and that the policyholder is a UK citizen and resident and owns a property in the UK (to ensure that the customer is not full-timing). They also do not cover a vehicle where SORN has been declared. Safeguard tell us, for example, that if a vehicle was a total loss abroad and needed to be repatriated back to the UK, there are issues attached to the fact that the vehicle was declared SORN. There are other reasons, including how the vehicle was taken to the coast whilst the vehicle was declared SORN and so on.
365 days foreign use.
Complete a form on-line and they will phone you within 24 hrs with a quote (and they did). Safeguard, Swinton House, 6 Great Marlborough St, Manchester M1 5SW.
Paul Barker insured with them: 'cheaper than Comfort; claims promptly met'.
Our own quote was ₤535.48 with breakdown cover (Nov 2006).
Age Range: 21/25 to 79. Older people if already insured.
Breakdown Cover: Full AA cover as standard in the UK and throughout Europe. Limit is age 20 for the motorhome.
Excellent cover for the over-50's with good recent insurance record. No upper age limit, but no cover for American motorhomes. Full year's cover in mainland Europe (the EU and some other countries on request). Saga's list 'B', of countries for which you have to apply for a Green Card, is excellent: Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Moldova, Morocco, Romania, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine.
We've met several satisfied customers, eg Mike Vere, Cindy Webb.
Age Range: 50 until no longer holding DVLA licence!
Breakdown Cover: UK and Continental package as an extra at a good price.
Underwriters: Saga Insurance Co Ltd
Saga Group, The Saga Building, Middleburg Square, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1AZ
SHIELD TOTAL INSURANCE LTD
Insurance for touring caravans, motorhomes and folders (including self-built or professionally converted panel vans) and pets. Optional breakdown assistance. Maximum 90 days in mainland Europe per trip. Unlimited trips, but inform Shield before travel. Size limit 3,000 cc.
Age Range: 25 to79 but can be extended for existing policy holders.
Breakdown Cover: Europ Assist package as an extra. Limit 8m long, 3.5m high, 2.5m wide and 4250 kg.
Shield Total Insurance Ltd, Market Square House, St James St, Nottingham NG1 6FG
SURETERM DIRECT
Insurance specialists for 4x4, classic cars, kit cars and American cars. Also cover UK, European and American motorhomes (including full-timers).
Drivers aged 25-74 only. Discount if annual mileage limited: options are 3,000, 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 miles. 15% discount if vehicle has been owned for over 12 months, and another 15% for club members.
Phone, or complete an on-line form and they ring you.
Their website redirects you to www.theovalgroup.com. This has no mention of motorhomes or caravans.
WILLIS
A specialist car division of the Equity Group. European-wide breakdown service. 60 days per trip maximum in mainland Europe (but could be extended for extra premium): unlimited trips. Can complete a short form on-line for a quote.
Age Range: Dealt with on an individual basis
Breakdown Cover: Standard with the policy. No size restrictions in the UK or on the Continent!
.JPG)
