Getting Your Park Home Contents Insurance Right

As with all insurance, getting your park home contents insurance right can save a great deal of hassle and potential disappointment further down the line. While the cost is always an important factor, value for money is perhaps a more useful measure as cheaper doesn’t always mean you get the cover you need. Here are some questions to have in your mind to make sure you get your contents insurance for your park home right.

What is contents insurance?

Contents insurance can save you the cost of replacing lost, stolen or destroyed items inside and outside your park home. It is sometimes sold separately, but if your park home insurance includes contents insurance as standard, as it does at Park Home Assist, the question is already settled. The benefits of having both with one insurer, who knows your specific circumstances, are many. This is in terms of getting the right cover in the first place and in the time and trouble saved dealing with a claim.

What should my park home contents insurance policy cover?

Your policy should cover damage caused by fire, flooding, storms and theft. You may have to pay extra to cover accidental loss or damage to your possessions. This may be worth considering if you have children or pets.

The insurance covers your own possessions and those of close family members living with you. It may not cover the possessions of anyone staying with you temporarily.

It can also cover you if you take items out of the home, on holiday, for example.

Will there be an excess?

Most policies carry an excess. This means that you won’t be covered for the first few pounds of a claim. This is to make sure that very small claims, which don’t even cover the cost of the administration involved, don’t push up the price of your premiums.

Is the cover ‘new for old’?

Most policies offer new for old cover. This means you get the full replacement cost of items that are lost, stolen or damaged. However, some policies will only offer you the amount that your items are currently worth if you need to make a claim. Make sure you know what your policy is offering to replace before you take it out.

How do I make sure I am not underinsured?

First check what is included as standard. At Park Home Assist we find that the £60,000 contents insurance included as standard is usually entirely adequate cover for most park home residents.

If you are unsure, find an insurer who is easily contactable by phone and with enough experience to take you through the process of estimating your own cover.

Does my age matter?

If you are over fifty you may be able to get a discount. For instance, at Park Home Assist we offer a discount for all over fifties.

Is there a discount for newer park homes?

A newer park home will be built with more exacting standards in lots of areas and will probably give less cause to make a claim. This is not guaranteed of course, but it can mean your insurer offers a discount. At Park Home Assist a discount is available for newer homes.

Is there a discount for customers who have made no claims?

It only seems fair that a record of no claims affects the price of your insurance premium.

(For example – For the first years no claims you get up to 10% discount, Year 2 up to 15% and Year 3 up to 20%)

Is there a discount for my residential park?

Parks themselves have different track records for safety and general standards. An experienced insurer will know some residential park very well and should be able to offer a discount for them. For instance, Park Home Assist could offer a discount of up to 20% to park home owners on parks we know well.

Is there a discount for recommending a friend?

Many insurers will run a scheme which rewards recommendations. Not only is there a discount for recommending a friend with Park Home Assist, there is a discount for the person who is recommended. All the more reason to make friends in your park!

Is the insurance personally tailored to my needs?

Some policies can be taken out online without ever talking to anyone. While this may seem quick and convenient, the process is left entirely down to you and sometimes the specific needs arising from your unique circumstances are missed. Taking a few minutes to talk to someone over the phone can provide the extra reassurance that you have got everything right before you commit to buying a policy.

Is my garden furniture covered?

It is a shame if, following some event like a flood, the beautiful garden furniture set which floated off to destinations unknown turns out not to be included in contents insurance. Look for an insurer like Park Home Assist who includes this as standard.

Is the contents of my freezer covered?

In the event of a power outage, the contents of your freezer may be lost. It is important to make sure this is included in your policy. At Park Home Assist, this is included as standard.

Are outbuildings or garages covered in case of theft?

Don’t forget your other buildings. Theft is often from one of these as opposed to the main park home. Look for an insurer that includes theft from outbuildings and garages as standard.

Is cash stolen from my home also covered?

A cash amount that is covered as standard should be included in your policy. It should be more for amounts secured in a safe.

Look at the optional extras which can be added to your park home contents insurance policy

You should, for example, be able to add personal possessions cover to your policy if you have items of particular value. Also, you may want to be covered for loss or damage to items you regularly leave your home with, such as glasses, cameras, mobile phones, valuable watches, bracelets, rings, necklaces and even hearing aids. Find out if you can specify each item or if there is a large fixed sum for this additional policy.

We hope that asking these questions will help you narrow down your search for the right park home contents insurance. Of course, we think that at Park Home Assist we have good answers to all of them. Please talk to one of our experienced professionals on 01604 946 796.

This is a marketing article from Park Home Assist, multi award-winning providers of residential park home insurance.  If you would like to speak to an advisor regarding insurance for your park home, please contact our friendly team in our Northampton office on 01604 946 796.

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Published – 22/07/21