Motorhome Insurance

What is a Motorhome?

There’s often understandable confusion around the difference between motorhomes and campervans, but we’re here to give you a bit of clarity.

A motorhome can be described as a motorised vehicle which has its own living quarters, blending both transportation and accommodation into one. You’ll find that almost all motorhomes have an area at the front which is used for driving the vehicle, whilst behind the driver and passenger seats is a living space where you’ll find all the comforts of a home such as kitchen facilities, a bed and a bathroom. You may have heard motorhomes referred to as ‘RVs’ as well, especially in the US.

Motorhomes are also categorised into different classes (either A, B or C), depending on their size, how much storage space they have, their facilities and how easy they’re the drive. The DVLA say that a motorhome must include the following internal features:

• A kitchen or cooking facilities
• Permanent storage units
• Somewhere to sleep
• Adequate seating and a table

What is Motorhome Insurance?

To put it simply, motorhome insurance is there to provide you with financial protection in the event that your motorhome becomes damaged or stolen whilst it’s parked or being driven.

Just think of motorhome insurance as being very similar to car insurance, but instead it’s a specialised type of motor cover, designed to specifically cover any unexpected expenses that occur following an incident with the motorhome.

Do I need motorhome insurance?

Yes, to use your motorhome, you’re required to make sure you have specialist motorhome insurance. Like owning a car, it’s important you protect your motorhome against risks such as theft, collisions, damage and liability, whilst also ensuring you don’t leave yourself out of pocket in the event of an incident.

The only time you don’t require a motorhome policy is if you officially declare that the vehicle is off the road and by applying for a SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification).

What does Motorhome Insurance cover?

Motorhome insurance covers you in the event of a wide range of incidents, but the number of incidents you can be covered for depends on the level of cover you pick. Below you’ll see that the three levels of motorhome cover are:

• Third-party – this basic level cover only protects you if there’s any damage or injury to other vehicles of road users following an accident. This is the minimum legal requirement for motorhomes.
• Third-party fire and theft – this is similar to the basic level Third-Party cover, with the only difference being that it also covers you for a motorhome replacement if it’s stolen, destroyed in a fire, or damaged in a fire.
• Fully comprehensive – this is the highest level of motorhome cover. You’d be provided with compensation to cover any damage caused to your motorhome if it’s stolen, damaged by a fire or in an accident. It can be reassuring to know that fully comprehensive insurance cover will also protect you if damage done to your motorhome is your fault.

What won’t motorhome insurance include cover for?

It’s important to be aware that insurers won’t cover your motorhome for absolutely everything. For example you shouldn’t expect your policy to cover:

• Damage caused by vermin, insects or animals, which includes pets
• If the motorhome becomes lost or damaged if the keys were left in the ignition
• Damage caused by wear and tear
• Any deliberate damage caused on a named driver on the policy
• Damage caused by a window or roof being left open
• If the motorhome becomes lost or damaged after it had been used for a purpose which was not declared on the insurance policy
• Any damage caused by an individual who was driving the motorhome and isn’t included as a named driver on the policy

Once again, it’s important that you check your motorhome policy so you can understand exactly what you’re covered for.

Added extras with motorhome insurance

Motorhome insurance doesn’t need to be black or white. You’re able to adapt your policy to be as unique as your motorhome is, and suited to your particular circumstances. So, we offer the below added extras you may want to include in your policy:

• European cover
• No claims discount protection – your no claims discount will be unaffected if you claim on your insurance
• Motorhome breakdown cover
• Legal expenses in the event of a legal dispute related to an accident
• Lost key replacements
• Cover for your contents e.g., personal belongings, awnings

Just bear in mind that each insurer will have its own policies and various optional additional extras available to you. By speaking to an insurance broker you can save some time and fully understand what’s on offer from each insurer.

Different types of Motorhome Insurance

So not only are there levels of motorhome cover, you can also cover your motorhome for different types of usage.

The type you go for will depend on your reasons for buying and using your motorhome, and those reasons will need to be reflected in your policy. The three different types of motorhome insurance are:

• Commuting - for when you’re travelling to a single place of work from your home.
• Social, domestic and pleasure - for any non-business trips that doesn’t include commuting. You won’t be covered if you drive to work if you have chosen to insure your motorhome for this purpose
• Personal business use - for work-related driving such as attending meetings or events for business. You’ll also still be insured to commute to your usual place of work.

It’s always important that you double check the definitions of these classifications with your insurer to ensure your policy covers your motorhome under the correct classification.

How much does Motorhome Insurance cost?

How much your motorhome insurance will cost is dependent on several factors. These factors include:

• The age of the driver
• Their address
• Where the motorhome will be kept whilst it’s not being used
• The driver’s driving record
• The amount of time / experience a driver has driving motorhomes
• The motorhome’s make and model
• The driver’s annual mileage
• Whether the driver uses any other vehicles
• The other named drivers on the policy
• The security devices the motorhome is fitted with.

Taking to an insurance broker and providing all these details can allow a motorhome insurance expert to not only identify the right insurance options, but also the policy with the best value insurance premium.

How to reduce your motorhome insurance premiums

Everyone wants to know how they can save some cash, and who can blame them. They’ll be glad to know that there are multiple ways you can cut the cost of your motorhome insurance.

The simplest ways include opting to pay for your policy annually instead of in monthly instalments, and making sure that you compare insurance policies to ensure you get the perfect cover for your needs. You can also avoid extra insurance add-ons which you don’t need.

Contacting an insurance broker will help you sift through the different policies and add-ons to help you find the most affordable motorhome insurance policy options.

There are some steps you can take to help reduce your premiums further:

• Reduce the number of miles you drive each year
• Take an advanced driving qualification to prove your experience as a driver
• Become a member of a motorhome club
• Add extra security features to your motorhome
• Store your motorhome in a secure location, ideally on a site which is registered with CASSOA (Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association)

What do I need to get a Motorhome Insurance quote?

In order to help find the best motorhome insurance quotes for you, we need you to provide us with the following information:

• Your personal details, such as your name, age and where you live
• Your claims history and if you have any other vehicles you use
• Where your motorhome will be parked or stored
• The make/model/year of make of your motorhome.
• An estimate of your annual mileage
• Information about your driving license and experience
• Security devices that you have had fitted on your motorhome.

If you wish to include optional additional cover for your motorhome, such as protecting its contents or maybe your awning, you’ll need to provide all of the above information to us so we can compare motorhome insurance quotes and source the perfect policy to suit your needs.

Who we work with

The great relationships we have with a wide range of trusted motorhome insurance providers allows us to provide a service which supports each and every one of our motorhome clients.

The years of experience our team have working in the insurance industry, in addition to being enthusiasts themselves, has meant that Howden continues to be rated highly by our clients.

Claims

We’re here to assist you when it matters most.

Whatever’s happened to you or your motorhome, we’re here to help. It’s part of our service to make sure that your claim is dealt with as quickly as possible and without any hassle.

MAKE A CLAIM

What security devices should I fit to my motorhome?

We know that some insurers will discount the price of their policies if owners fit their motorhomes with a good amount of security devices. Security devices you could look to have fitted include:

• Wheel clamps
• A steering wheel lock
• A tracking device
• An immobiliser
• Alarms
• A gear or handbrake lock
• A removable steering wheel

For the most specialist motorhome insurers, they may even insist that you have some, if not all, of these security devices fitted to your motorhome in order for them to issue you a policy.

Can I drive a motorhome on my car insurance?

As a motorhome, or a campervan, isn’t used in the same way as a car, you’re not able to drive a motorhome on a car insurance policy. It’s a legal requirement that you have a specialist policy to protect yourself against added risks that come with staying in a motorhome, such as sleeping or cooking in the vehicle.

Does motorhome insurance policy cover trips to foreign countries?

Whether a motorhome insurance policy will cover trips to foreign countries is entirely dependent on the insurer. It’s important to let your insurance broker know exactly what you require from your policy, particularly if you plan to take regular trips abroad. You may be able to buy a separate travel insurance policy if you want to leave the UK on a one-off trip in your motorhome.

Can I drive a motorhome with a car license?

Provided you passed your driving test before January 1st 1997, you can use a standard UK car license to drive a motorhome. If you passed your test after that date, you may need to obtain an additional license category (C1) as a legal requirement to drive a motorhome that weighs over 3,500 kg.

What's the difference between a campervan and a motorhome?

Motorhomes are generally larger in size compared to campervans, which means they have more room for all the home comforts such as a separate bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and seating area and additional storage space.

They have more space because they’re normally built on chassis like those used by buses or trucks, whilst campervans are more like converted vans. With this mind, motorhomes are therefore typically more expensive and offer a different driving experience to campervans.

Can I live in a motorhome?

Yes, you can live in a motorhome. There are no laws in the UK to stop you from living in a motorhome, but you must make sure that the vehicle is fully legal to drive on the road, and it has passed its MOT.

How much is road tax for a motorhome?

The amount you’ll ned to pay for road tax for your motorhome will depend on its age, the size of its engine and its revenue weight.

You can find out more about how motorhome tax rates in the UK on the UK government’s website.

Can you park a motorhome on the street?

It depends on the street and local laws. In some areas, parking a motorhome on the street is allowed for a certain period, while in others it’s prohibited. It's best to check the local parking regulations or contact the local authorities for information on specific restrictions and requirements.

Keep in mind that parked motorhomes can block visibility for drivers and pedestrians and may take up a significant amount of space on the street, so parking regulations aim to balance the needs of motorhome owners with the safety and convenience of everyone using the road.