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Don Madge

I received this today from Barry and Margaret Williamson http://www.magbaztravels.com/

I've already mailed our observations on insurance for the over 70's. I'm sure they would appreciate any info from Facts members who have renewed or taken out motorhome insurance lately.

Safe travelling.

Don

33 MOTORHOME INSURANCE AGENTS
Barry and Margaret Williamson
October 2006
Insurance agents advertise widely and frequently; we often think that this is what happens to our premiums. 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 33 motorhome insurance agents are based on our own experience plus information gleaned from fellow travellers and the MMM (Motorhome Motorcaravan Monthly, the UK’s premier magazine in the field). Please contact us to add your experience and information to this shared pool.
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 what you are paying for: a full year. Sometimes this length can be varied for a greater or smaller premium. 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 25 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 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 Romania).
Check that the cover is ‘full’ in all the countries you visit – and not reduced to a minimum. Sometimes, ‘Green Card Cover’ means 3rd party only! Check that your breakdown cover (if any) operates in the countries for which you have insurance.
If your UK insurer won’t cover you for a given country (only NFU appear to cover Albania and we think that must be a mistake), you can usually buy a ‘Green Card’ at the border which gives minimum legal cover in the country concerned. Prices vary from the perfunctory (Bulgaria) to the ridiculous (Macedonia).
Only very rarely have we been asked to show our insurance documents in routine stops and 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 usually an optional extra with the insurance policy and is often 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 insurer 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!
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?
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! Don’t declare a SORN as a way of avoiding the Road Fund Licence and MOT, and then expect to be legally insured! The insurance agent will indeed issue documents if they don’t know you have declared a SORN, but the cover won’t be valid if you 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!
Safeguard spell all this out 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.”
Other unadvertised limits may include: a weight limit, engine size limit, no American motorhomes, no fifth-wheelers, no self-built conversions, etc – 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.

TABLE OF INSURANCE AGENTS, WEBSITES AND PHONE NUMBERS

Name of Insurance Agent Website and Phone Number
Adrian Flux www.adrianflux.co.uk
quotes@adrianflux.co.uk
0845 130 3400 or 0870 077 7888
Aplan www.aplan.co.uk
0845 071 1234
Auto Camping Club www.theautocampingclub.fsnet.co.uk
0177 839 2057
Bakers of Cheltenham Ltd www.bakersofcheltenham.co.uk
bakers@towergate.co.uk
0800 496 1516 or 01242 528844
Basildon Insurance
0126 827 0886
Budget Motorhome Insurance

0800 072 5456
Call Assist Ltd www.call-assist.co.uk
enquiries@call-assist.co.uk
0120 677 1771
Camping & Caravanning Club www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk
0845 130 7632 0247 685 6797
Campton Insurance Brokers www.campton.co.uk
dave@campton.co.uk
0188 374 2460
Caravan Club www.caravanclub.co.uk
0800 028 4809 or 0134 233 6610
Caravan Guard Insurance www.caravanguard.co.uk
info@caravanguard.co.uk
08450 717 177
Caravan Wise Ltd www.caravanwise.co.uk
admin@caravanwise.co.uk
0800 328 2084
Comfort Insurance www.comfort-insurance.co.uk
info@comfort-insurance.co.uk
0845 602 0281 0208 984 0777
Cooperative Insurance Services
(CIS) www.cis.co.uk
0845 600 2918
Downunder Insurance Services www.duinsure.com
info@duinsure.com
0207 402 9211
e-insurance www.e-insurancedirectory.com

Footman James & Co www.footmanjames.co.uk
enquiries@footmanjames.co.uk
0845 458 6785
Jardine Faber www.jardinefaberinsurance.co.uk
sales@jardinefaberinsurance.co.uk
0160 463 9011
Lynbrook Insurance Ltd
0845 130 4662
MCIA www.lifesure.co.uk
info@lifesure.co.uk
0870 366 1245
Mobile Homes Insurance Svce www.mhis.co.uk
caravans@mhis.co.uk
0870 499 0440
Motor Caravanners Club Ltd www.motorcaravanners.org.uk
info@motorcaravanners.org.uk
0208 893 3883
MTC (Motorhome Ticket Club) www.ferrytickets.net
enquiries@mtc-travel.co.uk
0808 100 3016 0180 385 5555
NFU Mutual www.louthnfu.co.uk
enquiries@louthnfu.co.uk
0150 760 0249
Norton Insurance Brokers
0121 246 6060
Park Home www.parkhomeinsurance.com

Safeguard www.safeguarduk.co.uk
rita.sadler.safeguard@sw inton.co.uk
0800 068 7132/ 0800 422 0183/ 0113 258 1614
Saga Services Ltd www.saga.co.uk
0800 096 4553/ 0130 377 1111
Shield Total Insurance Ltd www.shieldyourmotorhome.co.uk
0800 393033
Tourer Select www.tourerselect.co.uk

Travel Insurance www.travel-insurance-online.com

Whittlesey www.whittleseyinsurance.com
Michael.payne@whittleseyinsurance.com
0870 0660 460
Wilkinson Rodgers www.wilkinson-rodgers.co.uk
0148 441 1100

NOTES ON MOTORHOME INSURANCE AGENTS
ADRIAN FLUX INSURANCE
Very wide range of vehicles of all kinds, sizes and weights including American motorhomes, classics, kit cars and motorbikes, but only 60 days in mainland Europe at any one time, extendable to 6 months at an extra premium, but won’t got beyond that. UK and European rescue (breakdown and recovery) cover an optional extra. No weight limit on that, but over 2.5 tons costs more.
Text ‘CALL ME’ to 81232 on your mobile to discuss, and they will.
Insurers: Equity Red Star
A-PLAN INSURANCE
Insurance for motorhomes.
AUTO CAMPING CLUB
Concessional insurance facilities for members.
BAKERS OF CHELTENHAM LTD
Annual European cover with optional RAC European breakdown cover, with no restriction on the length or frequency of trips. Complete a form on-line and they promise to email a quote within 24 hrs (they didn’t keep their promise for us).
BASILDON INSURANCE
Motorhome insurance including American models.
BUDGET MOTORHOME INSURANCE
European/continental cover and optional breakdown cover ‘subject to terms and conditions’. Discount for members of caravan clubs.
CALL ASSIST LTD
Motorhome recovery helpline.
CAMPING & CARAVANNING CLUB
Insurance available to club members.
CAMPTON INSURANCE BROKERS (UK) LTD
Club membership discount and up to 6 months foreign travel.
CARAVAN CLUB
Insurance available to club members. Maximum of 6 months in any one year out of the UK. Discounts for mature drivers but with a maximum age of 80 (too mature?)
Brokers: Devitt Insurance Services Ltd
CARAVAN GUARD INSURANCE
Includes motorhome insurance.
CARAVAN WISE LTD
Includes motorhome insurance. Discounts for police and public employees.
COMFORT INSURANCE
Full 12-months cover in the EU and several other countries, extendable to others for a m,aximum of 120 days for a small fixed fee. 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 breakdown cover in the UK and on the Continent with no weight limit.
Insurers: Norwich Union
CIS (CO-OPERATIVE INSURANCE SERVICES) LTD
Very competitive rates and 12 months cover in Europe, but 4 litres engine size limit.
DOWNUNDER INSURANCE SERVICES LTD
Long-term and short-term cover for motorhomes and campervans in the UK and Europe.
E-INSURANCE

FOOTMAN JAMES COMPANY
Insurance for motorhomes and specialist for older vehicles.
JARDINE FABER INSURANCE CONSULTANTS
Motorhome insurance brokers.
LYNBROOK INSURANCE LTD
Classic vehicle insurance including motorhomes.
MCIA
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.
MOBILE HOMES INSURANCE SERVICE
Insurance for motorhomes included along with caravans, trailer tents, park homes and caravan sites.
MOTOR CARAVANNERS CLUB LTD
Discounted insurance rates for members only.
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. Otherwise no size, weight or age limit. Optional European breakdown cover with RAC Commercial. Continental cover (for up to 365 days) extra.
Insurers: Equity Red Star or Provident
NFU MUTUAL
Motorhome insurance including dismountables and fifth wheelers.
NORTON INSURANCE BROKERS
Insurance for small motorhomes over 15 years old.
PARK HOME

SAFEGUARD
No size or weight restrictions, no limit on time out of the country, AA breakdown cover within the UK and Europe for motorhomes under 20 years old.
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.
Complete a form on-line and they will phone you within 24 hrs with a quote (and they did).
Insurers: Alliance Cornhill
SAGA SERVICES LTD
Excellent European 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 the EU (and perhaps other countries).
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 continental cover per trip.
TOURER SELECT

TRAVEL INSURANCE

WHITTLESEY INSURANCE SERVICES LTD
Cover for all types including American Motorhomes.
WILKINSON RODGERS
Motorhome insurance and caravan industry insurance.

Oldskool

Good in depth stuff that got me thinking about SORN.

If they don't cover vehicles that have been SORNed where would I stand in the event of fire or theft during the SORN period.