A study has found that the amount of caravan claims relating to storm damage was seven times higher from October to December 2023 than they had been during the same period in 2022.
The analysis, which was conducted by Ripe Caravan Insurance, was carried out by studying two years of internal data and also revealed the average claim cost had risen by 64% during the same period.
Claims covered a variety of areas, ranging from caravan water ingress and collapsed caravan awnings to flood-damaged carpets and electrics. In some instances, caravans have even had their roof ripped off.
This has come at a time when the UK has had numerous severe weather events, most recently with Storm Henk.
The study follows recent research conducted by Ripe that warned caravanners that storm damage costs an average of £4,000 per incident. Ripe went on to offer guidance on how to prevent damage during a storm, which included buying a good caravan cover to help protect it from the elements.
Dan Dawson, Underwriting Manager at Ripe, said: “For thousands of Brits, owning a caravan is a joy, but it’s also an expensive asset that comes with risk. Storm damage is just one of the many issues facing owners but it’s been a particularly bad few months for it.”
“In most circumstances, making a claim against your insurance for storm damage is very straightforward. Above all, we would urge owners to report the incident as soon as reasonably possible (usually within a few days). The extent of the damage may not be immediately clear to you but it’s important to file a report quickly – not doing so could jeopardise the success of your claim.”
Lead image: Getty Images
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