Static homes or caravans are becoming an increasingly popular option for those looking to downsize, or live in a more rural environment. The advantges are you live in a small community, often gated or with a private road and some basic services are often supplied on site. But insurance is just as important as it is for a bricks and mortar house. Here’s the word from Compass, a specialist provider of caravan and leisure insurance.
Compass says it saw a 16% increase in total claims caused by storm damage between 2021 and 2022. The insurer is warning owners to ensure their caravan is storm-ready and also to check they have comprehensive insurance. During 2022, 32% of Compass’ static caravan claims were due to storm damage. In one such instance, an entire static caravan was destroyed during a storm, resulting in a £148,590 claim.
According to the Met Office, July 2023 was one of the wettest on record, with many parks across the country also being impacted by unseasonably windy weather, with gusts of up to 55mph recorded in Devon, Gwynedd, and Northumberland. This is despite the UN, UK Met Office and other climate scientists predicting a heatwave summer in 2023 back in 2022. Fact is, they were completely wrong.
Now we are entering late August and it’s likely that more stormy weather will hit the UK from late September onwards. As a result of Storms Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin, February 2022 saw a significant increase in the number of claims for storm damage, up more than 2,000% on the previous year, says Compass.
Static Home Insurance: Not a Legal Requirement
In the UK, it is not a legal requirement to insure a static caravan. However, it is a condition of many caravan parks that caravan owners have adequate insurance to cover damage to their property when it is on-site. This insurance will also ensure a safe and efficient removal of the unit, should it be destroyed beyond repair. However, even if not completely destroyed, storm and flood damage can make a static caravan completely uninhabitable.
Karen Stacey, Managing Director, Compass said: “Unlike bricks and mortar holiday homes, static caravans are particularly susceptible to damage from storms or floods. Unpredictable weather events, especially flash floods caused by heavy rain on parched ground during the summer, can cause a significant amount of damage to static caravans.
“We know caravan parks do everything they can to protect the units on their site all year round but storms and the damage they cause are somewhat out of their control. Caravan owners should make sure that they have adequate insurance for their unit and take the time to do regular maintenance to ensure any damage is kept to a minimum.”
For more information on specialist caravan and leisure insurance, visit compass.co.uk
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