A Beginner’s Guide to Motorhome Insurance
A beginner’s guide to motorhome insurance starts with one fairly simple idea: a motorhome is both a vehicle and, for part of the year at least, a home on wheels.
If you’ve recently bought a motorhome, insurance can feel slightly more complicated than ordinary car insurance. You are insuring something you drive on public roads, but also something in which you may carry clothes, camping equipment and other personal possessions, travel abroad and spend nights away from home.
The good news is that the basics are not difficult once you know the questions to ask.
First things first: do you need motorhome insurance?
Yes. If you are driving your motorhome on public roads in the UK, it needs appropriate motor insurance.
You must also make sure that the vehicle is correctly registered, taxed and has a valid MOT where one is required. The Government website has a useful overview of your legal obligations as a driver, including insurance, tax and MOT requirements.
One important point for new motorhome owners is worth checking: are you licensed to drive your particular motorhome?
A standard Category B driving licence generally covers vehicles up to 3,500kg maximum authorised mass. Heavier motorhomes may require Category C1 entitlement, so checking the weight of the vehicle and the categories shown on your driving licence can save an awkward surprise later. More information is available here: Driving licence categories – GOV.UK
What does motorhome insurance actually cover?
This is where it pays not to assume that every policy is the same.
At its simplest, motorhome insurance protects you against risks connected with driving and owning the vehicle. Depending on the policy, comprehensive cover may also protect the motorhome itself against events such as accidental damage, fire or theft.
For a new owner, some useful questions to ask are:
- What happens if the motorhome is stolen?
- Am I covered if I damage it in an accident?
- What happens if somebody else damages it?
- Are the belongings I carry inside covered?
- Is the awning covered?
- What about camping equipment?
- Can I take the motorhome abroad?
- Is windscreen damage included?
- What excess would I have to pay if I made a claim?
These are simple questions, but together they tell you far more about a policy than the price of the premium.
Think about what is inside the motorhome
It is easy to concentrate on the value of the vehicle and forget everything travelling inside it.
A motorhome holiday can involve outdoor furniture, an awning, clothing, cooking equipment, bedding and plenty of other personal possessions. If you travel with expensive electrical equipment, bicycles or other higher-value items, you may also want to check exactly how these are treated.
Our current motorhome insurance offers up to £3,500 cover for camping equipment, awnings and personal effects. As always, policy limits, conditions and exclusions matter, so it is worth reading the wording rather than simply assuming everything you take away is covered.
How far will you travel?
This is one of those questions that may seem obvious until you actually start using your motorhome. A few weekends away can soon become a summer of touring. Mileage limits therefore matter.
Park Home Assist’s current motorhome insurance cover allows mileage of up to 10,000 miles a year. If you expect to travel extensively, checking this figure before buying a policy may avoid problems later.
It is also worth thinking about where those miles will take you. If France, Spain or elsewhere in Europe is part of the plan, check whether European cover is included and for how long. Our current policy includes up to 180 days of European cover as standard.
What is an excess?
If this is your first insurance policy of this kind, an excess is simply the amount you agree to contribute towards a claim.
For example, if the excess is £250 and you make an accepted claim, you would normally be responsible for the first £250, subject to the terms of the policy.
A cheaper premium with a very high excess is not necessarily better value, particularly if the excess would be uncomfortable to pay unexpectedly.
Our current standard motorhome excess is £250. Windscreen cover is also included, with a £90 excess where an approved repairer is used.
What is a no claims discount?
A no claims discount, sometimes called a no claims bonus, may reduce the price of insurance if you have gone for a period without making a claim.
Some policies also offer protected no claims bonus as an optional extra. This can help protect the discount after certain claims, although the precise rules will depend on the policy. It is worth asking and our award-winning team are always happy to assist with this.
Does the value of the motorhome matter?
Very much so. Motorhomes can represent a serious investment, so make sure the value you give your insurer is realistic and current.
Park Home Assist currently offers insurance for motorhomes valued up to £60,000. It is worth noting that vehicles worth more than £40,000 require a tracker under the current scheme.
If you have recently bought the vehicle, keeping the purchase paperwork and details of any significant fitted equipment somewhere safe can also be useful.
What about security?
Your insurer may ask about alarms, immobilisers, trackers and where the motorhome is kept when it is not being used. That is not simply paperwork. A motorhome may spend considerable periods parked up, sometimes with valuable equipment inside.
We have a separate guide to security tips for motorhome holidays which covers some simple precautions you may want to consider.
Insurance is only part of preparing to travel
For a first-time owner, there is plenty to learn besides insurance. The Caravan and Motorhome Club has an excellent beginner’s guide to motorhomes, covering everything from choosing and using a motorhome to technical advice and holiday preparation.
And once you start travelling further afield, the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s route planning information can help you think about vehicle size, suitable roads, campsite approaches and restrictions rather than simply following the quickest satnav route.
The simplest way to compare motorhome insurance
For a newcomer, perhaps the easiest approach is to ignore the sales language for a moment and compare policies using the same short list:
- What is covered?
- What is not covered?
- How much is the motorhome insured for?
- What possessions and equipment are included?
- What is the excess?
- Are there mileage limits?
- Can I travel abroad?
- Are there security requirements?
- What happens if I need to make a claim?
Once you have those answers, comparing value for money rather than simply the cheapest premium becomes much easier.
A motorhome can give you an enormous amount of freedom. Getting the insurance right at the beginning may mean that, once you have packed everything away and turned the key, you can concentrate on the more interesting question: where are you going first?
Please note that all insurance cover is subject to acceptance of terms and conditions.
This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi award-winning providers of park home insurance, mobile home insurance, insurance for static caravans, insurance for holiday homes and holiday lodges, as well as boat insurance and touring caravan insurance. If you have any questions about your insurance, then please call our office on 01604 946 796 and one of our insurance advisers will be happy to help.
Published – 16/10/26
