FAQs

From 1992 most caravans in the UK were sold with a 17 digit CRiS number etched onto windows as well as a VIN or chassis number on the A frame or by the door.

From 2016 window etchings were replaced by tamper proof VIN Chip stickers placed on the inside of caravan windows and inside gas lockers.

For most UK caravans CRiS numbers begin with the letters ‘SG’.

Touring caravans manufactured before 1992 should have a plate on the A Frame or by the door – this should give the VIN or chassis number.

Folding campers and trailer tents should have a chassis number on the A frame also.

Please check your schedule to make sure all other details are correct.  If you don’t need to make any changes and are happy to pay for your annual premium, please renew your policy online here.

However,  if there are any other changes in your circumstances, or if you wish to add, remove or discuss any policy options, please call us.

We offer a range of ways to pay for your touring caravan insurance policy.

Credit / Debit Card
Paying by Credit or Debit card couldn’t be easier. Simply call us for a quote, and when you choose to take out the policy we’ll take your details over the phone and process the payment for you.

Monthly Direct Debit
Many of our clients use Premium Credit’s financing to spread their premium using monthly direct debit. Premium Credit’s financing solution is easy to manage online at www.mypremiumcredit.com

My Premium Credit gives secure 24/7 access to your account. You’ll be able to keep tabs on your direct debit payments, view correspondence, sign your credit agreement, settle missing payments by card and make changes to your personal or banking details online.

If you would like to set up a direct debit call us on 01422 397735, weekdays 8am – 8pm and weekends 9am – 4pm.

Please note a charge for credit applies, written quotations available. Credit availability is subject to status.

Renew online

If you don’t need to make any changes to your policy and are happy to pay for your annual premium, you can renew your policy online here.

Unless you’ve sold your caravan, we don’t recommend you cancel your policy – even if you’ve had to change your plans and won’t be using it for a while. Accidental damage when caravans are being used only makes up a small proportion of claims costs. Happy Place insurance protects you against other risks, such as storm damage, flood, fire, theft and vandalism – you still need cover in place in case the worst happens. Unfortunately some of these risks can be even higher when you’re not using your caravan.

If you have sold your caravan or still wish to cancel for any other reason, please call us on 01422 395 895.

We’re aware of significant delays with garage and repair centres to carry out estimates for repairs and the availability of bookings. There are also significant delays with the availability of parts from UK and European manufacturers, which is beyond our control and will unfortunately lead to delays in the settlement of some insurance claims. The Happy Place Claims Liaison team will be on hand to help where possible to keep your claim moving and offer any help.

If you’re planning a holiday to Europe in your caravan, fifth wheeler or trailer tent you no longer need to carry a Green Card to show proof of insurance.

If you’re towing a caravan or trailer in the EU, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland, your motor insurance documents will be sufficient and will give you the same level of cover that you have in the UK.

You’ll need a copy of your tow vehicle insurance documents to prove you’re insured for driving in the EU.

Please also check your passport is valid for travel.

In general, you will not need an International Driving Permit (IDP) when driving in most EU countries for up to 90 days, but you must carry your driving licence photo card with you. There are some exceptions where an IDP might be needed:

• If you only have a paper licence (no photo card)
• If your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

You can keep up-to-date and request alerts from the Government’s visiting the EU website.

If the policyholder dies, arrangements will need to be made to cancel the policy or to make a temporary change to the policy for cover to remain in place.

We will ask for a copy of the death certificate and updated contact details for the spouse or Executor. If an Executor or Administrator is handling the estate of the deceased we will also need their contact details and a copy of the grant of probate or letter of administration.

The spouse or partner handling the estate of the deceased policyholder can cancel the policy or it can be reissued in their name.
If the policy is to be reissued we will need to update the risk details and provide a new quotation for the new owner. This will be subject to our usual underwriting criteria.

We cannot cancel the policy until we have a copy of the death certificate and, where necessary, other supporting documents. This would usually be discussed and arranged over the phone.

It’s really not too complicated to get a caravan insurance quote, just make sure you’ve got the following to hand:

• The caravan make, model and berths, e.g. Bailey Phoenix 420, two berth.
• The new or used value of your caravan and its equipment. Equipment values soon add up so make a list of all your equipment and calculate it to make sure you set the insured value sufficiently. You don’t want to underinsure. Our Advisers will help you check the value of your caravan if needed.
• Storage location address and the details of security features in place there.
• Caravan security devices. What do you plan to fit and find out what your caravan has as standard. Does it have the AL-KO Secure receiver and lock? Does it have a tracking device you could subscribe to?
• Caravan safety devices. Does it have the AL-KO ATC electronic anti-snaking (you’ll see the ATC logo and LED indicator on your caravan A Frame cover) or perhaps a reversing camera or tyre pressure monitoring system?
• When you plan your caravan cover to start (usually your pick-up date)?

If going on cover you’ll need to supply the caravan’s CRiS number or VIN number. This is usually on a window sticker or etched onto your caravan window and has 17 digits.

If you don’t know the market or new for old value of your caravan please contact us as we may be able to help get you a figure.

As a minimum we require a wheel clamp and hitchlock to be fitted when the caravan is left unattended and detached from the tow vehicle. Of course you wouldn’t need to fit this security when you were just stopping at a motorway services.

An axle wheel lock is accepted in lieu of a wheel clamp.

For some higher risk caravans we may require additional security such as axle wheel locks, alarms or Happy Place approved tracking devices.

Absolutely, just make sure you’ve added the value of your motor mover into your caravan equipment sum insured.

If your caravan is insured on a new for old basis and your caravan is stolen or written off we’ll replace your insured caravan with a brand new equivalent model. To take cover on a new for old basis you’ll need to insure your caravan at the value it would cost to replace with a new equivalent.

If you take cover on a market value basis and your touring caravan is stolen or damaged beyond economic repair we’ll pay to replace it with a model of equivalent value, or pay out your caravan’s current market value. As you pay a premium against the caravan’s current value, premiums are generally cheaper than if you took cover on a new for old basis.

Caravan insurance is not a legal requirement. Your car insurance will cover any damage caused to third party property whilst the caravan is been towed, however, a car insurance policy would not pay to repair any damage to your caravan or buy a replacement if your caravan was stolen. Specialist caravan insurance like that offered by Happy Place gives your caravan cover for accidental damage, theft, stormy weather or flooding.

Personal possessions are things you’d take from home on your caravanning trips. This might include clothing, toiletries and bedding. We can cover these items for touring caravan owners, but not for trailer tent and folding camper owners. Before adding such items to your caravan policy, check your home contents insurance to see if that covers you to take such items on your caravanning holidays.

Personal possessions worth over £300 and high risk items such as jewellery and tablets cannot be covered on this policy.

Any items that are specifically used for the caravan are classed as caravan equipment. Examples include cutlery and crockery, televisions that you keep in your caravan, and specialist caravan accessories like awnings, aqua rolls, waste masters, motor movers and security devices. Make sure you add an adequate insured sum for caravan equipment to your policy so that all items are covered.

We will accept any Thatcham Category 6 or 7 approved tracking device. We also accept the Custodia Systems ApelloGEO and Club Secure System, as well as the Outsmart the Thief Defender. To check if your tracking device is Thatcham approved please use this link and search by “Product manufacturer”.

Most owners store their caravans either on their home driveway or in a secure storage facility when not touring.

If your caravan is of higher value we may stipulate certain storage security levels. At home that could include a permanently locked barrier such as a drivepost or in a storage site we may look for features such as access control, perimeter fencing and CCTV.

If you’ve selected a caravan and equipment sum insured of less than £7,500, we may be able to insure it when kept on the road outside your house or inside a residential car park. We are unable to insure caravans stored away from home in open fields.

Dial our claims helpline number on 01422 861 828 and we will take care of the rest.

The claims helpline number and further information is detailed in your touring caravan insurance policy booklet.

Unfortunately we can’t insure a caravan that is stored outside the UK. We can of course provide cover for UK caravanners to take their caravans on holiday abroad.

You can pay for your policy in full using a debit or credit card. We also can offer an option to pay monthly by Direct Debit.