When considering ensuring your trailer tent there are lots of things to think about. The main thoughts are likely to regard safety, security and longevity. With insurance the terms and conditions and elements of a policy are likely to be very similar to those for a touring caravan but there are a few differences.
The main difference obviously concerns the fact that a tent or a folding camper is inherently somewhat less secure than a metal caravan. What that means is that insurers perceive trailer tents as having a higher level of associated risk and feel that more people may make claims with trailer tents than trailer caravans.
The first thing to do when you’re thinking about whether or not you need Trailer Tent insurance is to look at the policy for your car. Some vehicle insurance policies already have a built in insurance provision for trailers but that’s only third party cover and it doesn’t cover any accidents which happen when the trailer isn’t attached to the car or any thefts or damage which the trailer tent itself suffers.
Types of Cover
The types of cover a good trailertent insurance policy include are numerous and they relate to the fact a trailer tent is naturally less secure than a traditional metal caravan. Just like you ensure your home contents and your home itself against fire, theft and vandalism it can be prudent to ensure your trailer tent too. Often by showing insurers that you’ve taken additional steps to make your trailer tent more secure you can also take advantage of cheaper insurance deals.
If the trailer tent is stolen, vandalised, damaged by a natural catastrophe such as gale force winds or if items within the trailer tent are stolen you should be able to make a claim on most policies. Check that all of the coverage that a policy offers relates to your needs.
People who are members of caravanning clubs can also often get good deals because members of clubs usually park on very secure well maintained campsites and so reduce the risk of theft. Telling an insurer you have a good hitchlock connecting your trailer to your car and that you have good locks on the tent itself can also save you money on a premium.
Types Not Covered
Some types of potential claim are very unlikely to be covered by an insurer, however. For example, while environmental damage from freak weather conditions might be in your policy, damage to your trailer tent which is caused by mildew, rot or fungus is highly unlikely to be.
This would be seen more as a neglect of care on behalf of the trailer tent’s owner by an insurance company. Equally, loss of items or damage to items or the trailer tent as a result of vermin, domestic pets or insects would be seen as the fault of the owner in not taking precautions to get rid of these pests rather than be covered by insurance.
There are not many factors within your control which will lower your trailer tent insurance premium but you might find it possible to lower your premium by agreeing to only park and camp on secure camp sites, or by providing an insurance company with details of the type of locks and hitchlocks you use to secure your trailer tent and affix it to your automobile.
Some insurers are happy to lower the prices of a premium if the features of the trailer and the features of the policy itself allow for less risk from their side of the bargain. For example, you might opt for a policy with a high excess amount (excess being the amount of money you need to contribute yourself in the event that you make a claim.) Or if you use tracking devices on your trailer they might offer you a cheap trailer tent insurance. Caravan club membership and storage of your trailer at registered, well respect and secure camp sites can also lower the amount of money an insurer expects you to pay.
Other Ways to Lower Premiums
As with motoring, a no claims history can also stand you in good stead with some trailer tent insurers and security features such as the type and brand of wheel clamp you use or the type or model of hitchlock you secure the trailer to the car with can also factor in to earning you big savings.
There are lots of ways to impress insurers by making a personal effort to reduce the chances of you needing to ever make a claim too. Telling an insurer that you never leave expensive things where potential thieves can see them, that you keep doors securely locked and that you take good care of your belongings within your trailer tent will all reassure them that you are less likely to make a claim and could lower your premium.
You can also keep items which you need to store outside such as a generator or bicycle safe by chaining them to the chassis of the trailer but it’s prudent to cover them with a tarpaulin or other suitable cover where possible to avoid attracting thieves and reduce the chances of the trailer and adjacent items taking natural damage (such as rust or rain damage.)
Choosing Wisely
Where you choose to park your car can alter your car insurance premium at home, for example cars in garages pay lower premiums than cars parked on the street. Sometimes insurers use a similar system to decide how much to charge you for trailer tent insurance. Trailers which are parked in secure camp sites are less likely to be quoted high premiums than those parked in rural and unofficial sites. That’s one reason that Caravan Club membership can be a huge asset, because people with a Caravan Club membership are more likely to choose well established, professionally run camp sites than potentially dangerous or risky ones.
It can be a good idea to list the precautions you take on a notepad before you call an insurer or apply for insurance online. That way, you can easily make sure that they’re aware of all the factors which could lower the price of your trailer tent insurance quotes.
Sometimes trailer tent owners don’t realise this but it is a legal requirement that any vehicle or trailer which is driven or pulled on a public road has appropriate insurance. The legislation which governs the legal requirements pertaining to towed trailers is The Road Traffic Act 1988 and in some cases, motor insurance policies already include cover for any attached trailers. Have a look at your car insurance policy to see if it includes insurance for trailer tents.
This sort of ‘towed trailer inclusive’ insurance is not always part of a policy, so it’s prudent to check to see if yours includes it and make arrangements to take it out if it doesn’t. The minimum legal level of insurance which is required for using a trailer tent is third party insurance which is intended to provide cover for any accidents that befall other people either as a result of, or otherwise involving your trailer.
If you do have car insurance cover which includes towed trailers then that insurance only ever applies when the trailer is attached to the vehicle. So, if the trailer wasn’t attached to a car and an accident occurred then the policy would not apply. It also doesn’t provide coverage for theft or damage, it only offers cash towards a third party accident, not any other kind of mishap. That means that with the minimum legal level of insurance, if there were a crash, fire, theft or natural catastrophe which damaged your trailer tent or its contents you’d have no insurance money to buy replacement items or fix the damage.
Also, because third party cover (as sometimes included with a car insurance policy) doesn’t cover the trailer when it is detached from the vehicle, accidents can happen outside of the jurisdiction of existing policies and cause major problems. If a detached trailer rolled on uneven ground and damaged someone else’s property such as a parked car or caravan an ordinary towing inclusion on a car insurance policy would not cover that accident. Ordinary towed trailer, third party insurance policies which come with car insurance only cover accidents which occur when the trailer is attached.
Apart from third party cover, which must either be included in your car insurance or added if it isn’t, there’s no legal requirement for any additional types of insurance. However, you could find that taking out additional cover for your trailer tent offers assurance and peace of mind. For example, trailer contents insurance or insurance which protects your trailer from theft or vandalism might be a good idea.
Legal experts advise that unless you know for certain you have third party insurance which covers your trailer tent, you shouldn’t take it out on to the road whatsoever. This is because you would be breaking the law and also putting yourself and others at great financial risk. In the event that you had an accident involving an unsecured trailer you’d be legally obligated to pay potentially large sums of money to the third party who was involved in the accident for any medical and court costs.
There are lots of resources and websites in the UK that provide trailer tent insurance quotes online. Most of these, however, are corporate insurance sites which just promote their own deals and offers without giving you the chance to compare their services and premiums with other companies.
With sites like CaravanQuoter, you get to see and compare quotes from different companies which can be much more useful. If you’re looking for the perfect trailer tent insurance policy then you might start your search online. Some specialists have websites which just offer simple insurance quotes but little in the way of resources. Meanwhile, other websites such as Caravan Quoter and Towergate Bakers also offer information, tips and in some cases also host articles or news sections.
Information and Resources
If information is what you’re looking for then ukcampsite is a must see, they’ve got articles, forums and run regular competitions with exciting prizes such as quality sleeping bags and other pieces of essential camping equipment. They also provide some information on various insurers which could provide you with a trailer tent insurance quote.
Quoterack meanwhile, offer lots of different forms of insurance including trailer tent insurance but they just don’t have the expertise or resources, with no additional information on the site that relates to trailer tents and outdoor adventure.
www.caravan-insurance-quote.co.uk is another similar website. However, it does specialise in the right area and can compare quotes from different companies. The only problem is, they don’t have the same wealth of resources as Caravan Quoter, making it harder for a visitor to their website to work out what parts of an insurance policy most apply (and appeal) to them.
Choosing a Quote Comparison Site
Before comparison sites sprang up you had to trawl through all of the individual websites for different trailer tent insurance companies to compare prices of premiums yourself. Now though, it can seem as if we have to compare comparison sites to find one which offers everything we need; good quality information, a range of quotes and special competitive deals and offers.
It’s a good idea to choose a comparison site like Caravan Quoter which is truly specialised in outdoor activities, caravans and trailer tents because then you know that you’re receiving precise information and working with a company you can trust.
There are plenty of companies out there which compare quotes for everything from pet insurance to house insurance and also have a trailer tent section but specialists are usually a wiser option because they understand your needs better.
Other Sources of Information
Camperlands has a website and is an online store which sells folding campers, trailer tents and other outdoor camping and holiday items. They also promote various insurers and have a comprehensive news and resources section on their easy to navigate website. They especially promote Towergate Bakers and CaravanGuard both of which are insurance businesses which Caravan Quoter also works with when comparing quotes, prices and coverage. That makes Camperlands well worth a visit; they have an events calendar, news and articles sections and a good monthly newsletter.
As with most insurance premiums there are some really competitive deals out there so instead of sticking with last year’s provider, look for quotes online and find someone who provides the level of cover you need at a price you like!
Trailer tent insurance works the same way as any other form of insurance. In other words the premium or cost quoted is calculated based on the level of cover provided and an assessment of the likely risks. In other words the lower the risk the easier it is to find insurance at reasonable cost.
It therefore follows that the more we do as owners to improve the security of our trailer tent the lower our premiums should be. And most specialist trailer tent insurers will reduce the cost of their cover if they can see that you are taking all responsible steps to improve the security.
So what can we do to get great value trailer tent insurance?
The first thing to do is make sure that all the obvious stuff is done. Check that there are sufficient good quality locks on the trailer tent. Everything that can be locked should be locked and it is worth paying a bit more to ensure you have the best locks you can afford. You should recover the cost in lower insurance premiums. It is also good sensible advice to make sure that all your valuable contents are always kept out of view and hidden.
Also think about where your trailer tent is stored and its security. If you can keep your trailer tent off the road and even better in a locked up garage, the cost of your insurance policy should fall dramatically. You may also find that you will get reduction for membership of something like the Caravan Club and if you use your trailer tent to visit authorised and licensed sites on the basis that the levels of security provided at these sites is usually enhanced.
It is also worth asking your trailer tent supplier about installing an alarm to alert you, your neighbours or anyone else in the vicinity that your trailer tent is being tampered with. Even if there is no one around, no thief likes to do their work with the sounds of an alarm ringing in their ears. Alarms scare people off.
And in the unlikely event that someone should make off with your trailer tent and all your possessions, a tracker device fitted should ensure that the trailer tent can be tracked, quickly intercepted and the property recovered. Again a tracking device properly and professionally fitted should see your insurance premiums fall.
Consider too postcode marking or the use of smart water on your possessions. These security devices mean your property can be quickly recovered and restored which means reduced payouts for insurance providers and lower costs for you.
As always at the end of day when buying insurance it is always worth doing your research and here the internet can be a very helpful and useful friend. But first do as much as you can to reduce the premiums and increase security. It is only common sense and surely we all want to have enjoyable incident free beaks with our trailer tent. By doing all you can to look after your trailer tent it will look after you.
So you have now bought your trailer tent and are ready to enjoy the freedom and independence that having a trailer tent offers. The highways and byways beckon. The world truly feels like it’s your oyster.
But wait. Have you organised the insurance for your trailer tent?
At this point you might think that all you have to do is add your trailer tent to your car insurance policy. Well you can but perhaps that might not be the best way. Now is the time to think through how else you might insure your new belongings.
There is no doubt that adding your trailer tent to your existing car insurance policy will be the most straightforward thing to do and it will probably be the cheapest thing to do as well. But cheapest is not the same as good value and most car insurance policies will only cover trailer tents on a third party only basis which means you will be covered should your car or trailer tent cause damage to a third person or their property and possessions. In other words your property and possessions will not be covered even if you have a fully comprehensive insurance policy for your car.
Quite frankly this is not good enough. You want a policy that will cover you, your trailer tent and its possessions against any eventuality. No one wants their holiday ruined. No one wants to be out of pocket should they suffer any loss, damage or theft caused by something out of their control.
Trailer tents are specialised things to insure and so require specialist insurance to make sure that you can enjoy the freedom and independence you get from holidaying under your own steam, stress free. And that is why it is always best to insure your trailer tent separately from your car.
Specialist trailer tent insurance will cover you not just for the trailer and the tent but also for its contents though check carefully to see if more expensive items need separate or additional cover. You will also find that most trailer tent insurance will offer new for old cover as well as cover against accidental damage for both the trailer tent and its contents.
And because you are dealing with specialists who know how important your trailer tent is to you and your family, you will also be able to get cover which will provide for emergency recovery of the trailer tent as well as including hiring charges should you need an emergency replacement trailer tent to be hired.
Hopefully you are now persuaded that while including your trailer tent on your car policy might be more straightforward, taking the time and trouble to seek out a specialist trailer tent insurer is really a no brainer. If not, let’s hope that your holidays go incident free.
And two final tips before you hit the open road with your trailer tent. Make sure your policy will give you the level of cover you think you are going to need. And always shop around. Even for specialist insurance it still pays to shop around.
Buying a trailer tent is becoming an ever more popular option, offering the benefits of rapid assembly combined with ease of transportation. However, there are a number of things which need to be taken into account before you buy one. Whilst many people prefer to buy new, trailer tents are expensive items and as such, you may want to explore the option of buying a used one.
In basic terms, a trailer tent unfolds at the side of the trailer body, allowing you to use this as a base from which to peg out your tent. The trailer body supports the tent, which is usually made from fairly standard tent fabric. This offers many benefits to campers. The sleeping area is generally of the ground and some models offer a separate daytime lounge which is also raised off the floor. You can also store your cutlery, crockery and other essentials with the tent instead of having to load them every time.
On the road, a trailer tent is far easier to tow than a caravan, simply due to its size. There is less wind resistance, together with lower associated fuel costs as a result of the reduced weight. You will also enjoy far better rear visibility when compared with a caravan. The other major advantage is that you can store a trailer tent in your garage rather than having to pay ground fees or leave it parked on your drive. There are of course speed restrictions to which you must adhere when towing your trailer tent and you must also remain within the inner two lanes of a motorway: you cannot drive in the outside lane.
When looking at the available models, you first need to make sure that the trailer tent you have in mind is going to be suitable for your vehicle: the last thing you need is to be forced into buying a new car simply to suit your trailer tent – overtones of the dog wagging the tail! The trailer tent must be of a size and weight that your car can easily tow and which will allow you to maintain full control of it as you drive. Your car’s owner’s manual should provide detailed guidance as to the maximum permissible towing weight. Not only is this essential for safety but exceeding this weight could invalidate your trailer tent insurance policy.
Before committing to a specific model, you should also consider that setting up a trailer tent takes longer than setting up a caravan. You will need to consider how much you are prepared to spend on your trailer tent and also how many people will be sleeping in it: the two factors of size and cost will be directly related. Since trailer tents are fairly complex, it is reasonable to assume you will need spares at some stage so do check as to their ongoing availability of parts: online reviews and communities are a vital source of information in this respect.