Another of those very common questions, now featuring in the FAQ section of our web site, it’s one of those questions we felt needed looking into in a little more detail.
The first, and most common question is; “Do I need to insure my folding camper”? Strictly speaking, the answer to that question is; “No. You don’t NEED to insure it” (but we would very strongly recommend that you do).
The reason we say you don’t need to is that any trailer is covered for the minimum legal level of cover, as long as it is attached to an insured towing vehicle. The ‘minimum legal level’ of cover, basically, means that it will be insured third party only, and ONLY when attached to the towing vehicle. Obviously, therefore, if you were to have an accident, involving your camper, and it were to cause damage to another vehicle, property, or, God forbid, person(s) then you are covered for their claim, but not for the costs of replacing your own camper (which is far from ideal).
Another thing to be aware of is the phrase ‘whilst attached to an insured towing vehicle’. Whilst it is not common, there have been instances of insurance companies refusing to pay because a trailer has become detached from the towing vehicle, and then gone on to cause damage to property, whilst no longer attached. No point in giving the insurance companies another reason not to pay out, so another argument, perhaps, for taking out specialist folding camper insurance.
It is also true to say that some insurance companies will cover your folding camper, on your household insurance policy, against theft or damage, as long as it is on your property (although, sometimes, they may specify that it needs to be garaged). Some will even cover it away from home, but, often, only up to a specified value (usually around £2,000, although you can pay to increase this). The problem here is that many companies don’t provide this cover, and, then, there is the issue of contents etc, even if they do, plus, the majority won’t cover you for damage caused whilst towing.
In the vast majority of cases, therefore, it will be preferable to look at taking out specialist folding camper / trailer tent insurance. In doing so, you are, automatically, insuring yourselves and your pride and joy against a number of contingencies. Most policies will include cover for such aspects as;
- Damage caused to the camper whilst towing, or due to vandalism, storms, accidental damage etc
- Damage to third party property
- Public liability cover
- Legal expenses
- Emergency accommodation costs
- Recovery and delivery to repairers, if damaged
- Recovery and delivery to destination / home, if the driver falls ill
- Family and friends option, so you can lend it to them (if you dare) and be covered on your existing policy
These are just some of the things a dedicated folding camper insurance policy can cover, and, with annual costs starting from around £1 a week, can you afford not to?
Be aware, though, that, due to the lack of physical security in a folding camper, or trailer tent, whilst many will cover you, some insurers will not provide cover for the contents of the camper, as they simply cannot be secured to any reasonable degree. In these cases, it will be necessary to ensure adequate cover on your home contents policy, in order to protect TVs, laptops, phones, tablets, etc.
Below are a list of some of the key players in the folding camper insurance market. We have no affiliation with any of these, nor do we recommend any specific one, and, hence, they are listed in alphabetical order, only. You will often find that the company offering the best deal on one day, may not offer the best deal on the next, plus, what suits one individual, may not ideally suit another. As with most things, it is always best to shop around, but these are those that, in our experience, are the most commonly used within the folding camper fraternity.
Adrian Flux Insurance (Specialising in older and more unusual models)
Towergate Insurance (Up to 20 years old, only)
Feel free to give as many of these a call as you like, in order to get the most appropriate and cost effective cover for yourselves. Whilst it may not be a legal requirement, you know it makes sense…
Blue Sky Thinking 
Great advice
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