I am currently using RACV for my caravan insurance. I’ve asked them a few time about including a lay-up period in the insurance policies, just like boat insurance. ie its a period of time when the caravan would not be used and remain at its safe storage location. They don’t want to know about it, even though their ‘sister’ org - NRMA does allow it, albeit , it must be in a secured garage - which is still very limiting as most caravan aren’t in such a storage location.
Well now that most of us can’t use our vans this season due to govt travel restrictions and isolation requirements, the issue of lay-up period must be raised again. Significant travel reduction must mean significant risk reduction. This means that insurance companies are going to make a fortune out of reduce risk and lack of claims whilst maintaining their fees this year.
Could Choice advocate for us with major insurance companies to
include a lay-up period in touring caravan insurance covers
reduce/rebate our premiums or extend our insurance periods for say 4-6 months this year?
Not being a caravan or boat owner, an honest question. I presume you are not concerned with comprehensive, fire, or whatever for wilful or accidental damage while ‘off use’. Does ‘lay-up’ status provide that in a restricted manner or is it a full pause?
If the latter is the case why not cancel the policy and buy another when ‘it’ is over?
The NMRA policy cover PDS says - ‘If an incident we cover causes loss or damage to your touring caravan during the lay up period’. bad wording…but thats directly from the PDS.
I’d want to retain cover for theft, fire, wilful or accidental damage during the lay-up period so cancelling is not really my option.
Agree, a lot of noise needs to be made but insurance has been quick in areas like travel insurance to exclude pandemics etc to reduce their risks.
As they often talk about risk profiles to justify exclusions or price hikes, I think it only reasonable to adjust covers for reduced risk.
The actual wording NRMA uses is
'whilst your touring caravan is:
– kept under a carport or in a lockable garage at the address shown on your
current Certificate of Insurance, or
– being serviced or repaired by a licensed repairer ’
I typical caravan storage facility is not under cover at all, albeit behind locked gates though.
My RACV insurance doesn’t even offer this lay-up option though and NRMA doesn’t offer insurance to VICTORIA. (Gee, wonder why!!).
Toward the end of March, 2020, I received my policy renewal from CIL Caravan and RV Insurance who I have been for a number of years. As usual with insurance policies the premium was up slightly and the cover was down. I got to thinking that because of the Covid-19 virus I would not be able to use my caravan due to interstate and state travel bans. My thinking was that CIL’s risk would be substantially reduced due to these bans particularly road accident damage claims. Their risk for fire, storm and theft remained but again the risk was reduced to no small degree due to people tending to keeping them locked in a secure yard, their garages or under carports etc. I emailed CIL and set out my theory and requested that they consider a discount. I initially met resistance to this request however after further contact with them CIL offered me a discount that I was well pleased with which prompted me to immediately take up their offer. The person I dealt with thanked me for bringing this to their attention and stated that the company was considering including a lay off clause in their policy to cater for this type of situation. So as far as I am concerned a BIG bouquet to CIL insurance
