Going on holiday in your touring caravan can be a liberating adventure. However, it might put a dampener on things if your pride and joy, or its contents, are visited by thieves. Even when your ‘van is unlikely to be on the road for a while, as is so often the case at this time of year, you could still be at risk. To help you avoid this heartache, we at The Insurance Emporium have these tips for improving your caravan’s security over winter and beyond!
1. Lock all doors and windows
When you aren’t staying in your caravan, make sure all the doors and windows are locked up and the keys are removed. You would really kick yourself if you found out that a thief had accessed your ‘van, and all its contents, through the front door. It can be tempting to leave a window open if you don’t think you’re going to be away long but it isn’t worth the risk.
2. Hide valuables
No matter whether you’re on holiday or storing your caravan for winter, make sure any valuables stored within your pride and joy are hidden away. If there’s nothing immediately on view that could tempt an opportunist thief then they’ll be less likely to break in. Also, when your caravan is in storage for winter and all your valuables are removed, it could be worth making this obvious to thieves by leaving cupboard doors open, for example.
3. Make sure it’s alarmed
If someone were to break into your caravan then a noisy alarm could scare them off, or alert people nearby to what was occurring. Be sure to do your research to find an alarm that is suitable for your ‘van and has a great independent approval rating. You might consider a system that monitors movement within the caravan or one that detects tilting of the ‘van itself. If you have an alarm, always be sure to activate it whenever you leave your caravan.
4. Clamp it or lock it
Whenever your caravan is going to be left unattended, you should ensure that it is left as secure as possible. At The Insurance Emporium, the use of devices such as wheelclamps, wheel locks, hitchlocks and hitch posts is a minimum security requirement. When your caravan is in tow, you need to use either a proprietary wheelclamp or an axle wheel lock. If it’s not in tow and is on holiday, at a residential property or at a compound not approved by the Caravan Storage Site Owners Association (CaSSOA), you must use either of these devices or a proprietary hitchlock. The latter might also need to be attached to a hitch post cemented securely into the ground. Why not check our security requirements here? It is important to note that other insurers’ security requirements might vary.
5. Keep it in a compound
If you’re not planning on taking your caravan on any more adventures this year, you could consider putting it into a secure caravan storage facility. Should you choose to do this, it might be worth shopping around because the standards of these places can vary widely. Consider checking CaSSOA for ideas on where to keep your pride and joy. At The Insurance Emporium, we value the standard of security set by CaSSOA, which is why we offer a discount up to 15%* if your caravan is stored at a compound that has received a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award from CaSSOA.
6. Make it identifiable
As well as using measures to keep your caravan from getting stolen, it could be useful to have a plan in place for if it is taken. You might want to take measures to make sure your caravan can be identified when police are searching for it, such as by registering it with the Central Registration & Identification Scheme (CRIS). Many new ‘vans come with CRIS identification codes and a VIN chip anyway. It could also be worth marking your postcode within your ‘van using UV pens.
7. Add a tracking device
Another method that could aid with recovering your caravan, in the event that it is stolen, is to fit it with a tracking device. These boxes can be concealed within your caravan’s structure and could be used to guide you, and the police, to the location if it’s stolen. If you have a tracker, it might also be worth putting a sticker up to let thieves know this device is on board and to potentially deter them.
Your caravan could help you reach many exciting places on your adventures, which is why it can be a worry if something were to go wrong. For peace of mind, it could be worth getting Caravan Insurance. What’s more, you could consider taking extra measures to keep yours secure. An important fact to note because, as with other insurers, we have our own security requirements. Stop by The Insurance Emporium to find out more today!
The Insurance Emporium offers a 45% discount* on new caravan policies. *
The 45% discount is available on lunar and calendar monthly policies and policies where the premium is paid annually. The discount is capped at 45% and is made up of a range of discounts (if appropriate). Please see our website for the additional discounts. The 45% discount is available for the first 12 premium payments on lunar and calendar monthly policies or one premium payment on annual policies..
This blog is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association or the Central Registration & Identification Scheme.
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. We will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. We will not be liable for any loss, injury or damage arising from the display or use of this information. This policy is subject to change at any time.
