Caravan Insurance Cost

Caravan insurance cost in the UK runs from around £80 to £410 or more a year, with touring caravan cover averaging about £162.45 and static caravan cover about £121.83 in 2026, according to InsureMy quote data collected between January 2025 and June 2026 and accurate as at June 2026. What you actually pay depends on the caravan’s value, how it is stored, whether you want new-for-old or market-value cover, and your claims history.

Caravan insurance is not a legal requirement for a touring or static caravan, unlike the compulsory cover a van or car needs under the Road Traffic Act 1988. Many owners still buy it because a mid-range tourer can be worth several thousand pounds and is a common theft target. We compare van and caravan-related cover from a panel of UK providers, so this explainer sets out the real price drivers and how to keep your premium down.

Last updated: October 2026

Written by the Free Price Compare editorial team | Reviewed October 2026

What you’ll actually pay for caravan cover in 2026

Caravan insurance typically costs between £80 and £410 a year, with the average touring premium at around £162.45 and the average static premium at around £121.83 in 2026, based on InsureMy quote data collected between January 2025 and June 2026 and accurate as at June 2026. Some specialist insurers report that a proportion of new customers pay relatively low premiums, although prices depend on the cover selected, optional extras and payment method.

These figures are specialist-insurer quote and sales data rather than a regulator-published average. No current caravan-specific premium index from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) was available at the time of writing, so treat the numbers as a realistic guide rather than a fixed benchmark.

If you also own a van you use for work or towing, it is worth comparing both covers together. You can compare van insurance quotes and look at caravan options in the same sitting.

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What affects how much caravan insurance costs?

Caravan insurance pricing is driven mainly by the caravan’s value, where it is stored, and the level of cover you choose. Insurers assess the risk of theft, accidental damage and the cost of putting things right, so anything that lowers that risk tends to lower the premium. A newer, higher-value tourer parked on the road presents more risk than an older caravan locked away on a secure site with a tracker fitted, and the quotes reflect that difference. Your own record matters too, because a clean claims history and towing experience reassure the insurer, while recent claims push the price up. The sums insured you request for contents and awnings, how often you use the caravan, and whether you travel abroad all feed into the final figure as well.

• Value and age: a newer, higher-value caravan costs more to insure because replacement or repair costs more.
• Cover basis: new-for-old cover is dearer than market-value cover (explained below).
• Storage and security: a locked storage site, a hitch lock, wheel clamp and an alarm or tracker reduce theft risk and can cut the price.
• Claims and towing history: a clean record and towing experience help; past claims push the premium up.
• Contents and awning sums insured: higher cover limits add cost.
• Use and travel abroad: frequent use and European trips can raise the quote.
• Excess: a higher voluntary excess usually lowers the premium, but you pay more towards any claim.

A caravan registered with the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme (CRiS) carries a unique VIN that helps recover stolen units, and many insurers reward it. The National Caravan Council and bodies such as Thatcham Research also set security standards that insurers recognise.

New-for-old versus market-value cover

New-for-old cover replaces a written-off or stolen caravan with a brand-new equivalent, while market-value cover pays only what the caravan was worth at the time of loss. New-for-old is the more expensive of the two options but protects you against depreciation, which can be steep in the first few years of ownership when a caravan loses value fastest. Market-value cover costs less because the insurer never has to fund a full replacement, only the depreciated sum your caravan would fetch at the point of the claim. Which basis suits you depends largely on the age and value of your caravan, since a nearly new model benefits most from new-for-old while an older one rarely justifies the extra premium.

Eligibility is age-based. One provider, Everywhen, offers new-for-old on touring caravans up to 10 years old when you take out a new policy, and market-value cover on caravans up to 30 years old. The Caravan and Motorhome Club offers new-for-old cover through its discretionary policy, subject to its current eligibility rules and terms. Terms vary by insurer, so check the age limit before you assume you qualify.

A frequent mistake is valuing the caravan at what you paid rather than its brand-new list price when the insurer asks for a new-for-old figure. Under-declaring can leave you under-insured, so give the figure the policy actually requires.

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Do I need caravan insurance if it is not legally required?

Caravan insurance is not legally required in the UK, confirmed by specialist insurers and the Caravan and Motorhome Club, because a caravan has no engine and sits outside the compulsory motor cover that applies to vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988. You can legally own and tow an uninsured caravan, which is the key difference between a caravan and the car or van doing the towing. The towing vehicle still needs valid motor insurance, but the caravan hitched behind it carries no separate legal obligation. That freedom does not mean cover is pointless, however, since the financial exposure of going uninsured sits entirely with you if anything goes wrong.

Going without cover means you carry the full cost of theft, fire, storm damage or an accident yourself. A mid-range tourer can represent a substantial financial investment, and caravans can be targeted by thieves, so many owners choose insurance to protect against potential losses. A key point many people miss: your car or van policy covers your legal liability to others while you tow, but it does not usually cover accidental damage to the caravan itself or its contents.

Does my car insurance already cover my caravan while towing?

Car and van insurance covers your third-party liability while towing a caravan, but it does not normally cover damage to the caravan itself, theft of the caravan, or its contents and awning. That gap is exactly what a standalone caravan policy fills, and it catches many owners out who assume the towing vehicle’s cover stretches to everything attached to it. Your motor policy responds to claims from other people and their property, not to the loss of your own caravan. Understanding where your motor cover stops and caravan cover starts helps you avoid an expensive surprise after an incident, so it is worth reading both sets of terms side by side before you set off.

In practice, if you jack-knife and damage another vehicle, your motor policy’s liability section responds. If the same accident wrecks your caravan, or the caravan is stolen from a storage yard, you need caravan cover to claim for the caravan. Check your motor policy’s towing terms, because some only extend third-party cover and some require you to notify them that you tow.

Check what van cover includes

How to get cheaper caravan insurance

Improving security and comparing quotes from specialist providers, rather than renewing automatically, is the most effective way to cut caravan insurance cost. Specialist caravan insurers often price more keenly than a bolt-on from a general insurer because they understand the risks and reward sensible precautions. Fitting approved locks, alarms and trackers, storing the caravan on a secure site, and registering it so a stolen unit is easier to trace all signal lower risk to the insurer and can bring the premium down. Choosing the right cover basis for the caravan’s age, taking a sensible excess, and paying annually where you can afford it all help as well, so a handful of practical steps combined usually make a noticeable difference.

• Fit a hitch lock, wheel clamp and an insurance-approved alarm or tracker.
• Store the caravan on a CaSSOA-rated or otherwise secure site rather than on the road.
• Register with CRiS so a stolen caravan is easier to trace and recover.
• Choose market-value cover if your caravan is older and depreciation has already happened.
• Take a sensible voluntary excess if you can afford it at claim time.
• Pay annually rather than monthly where possible to avoid premium-finance interest.
• Compare renewal quotes each year instead of letting the policy roll over.

Members of clubs such as the Caravan and Motorhome Club or The Camping and Caravanning Club can sometimes access member rates. Whichever route you take, get at least three quotes on identical cover levels so you are comparing like with like. Our guide to caravan insurance costs and cover breaks down the typical add-ons.

What does caravan insurance cover?

Caravan insurance typically covers theft, accidental and malicious damage, fire, storm and flood, and your public liability if the caravan injures someone or damages property. Many policies also include contents and awning cover and liability cover as standard.

As a guide to the sums involved, one touring policy from Everywhen includes £5 million of public liability, at least £1,000 of contents cover, and up to £2,000 loss-of-use cover for up to 14 days if your caravan is unusable after an insured event. Limits differ between insurers, so read the policy schedule for the exact figures. European use is usually an optional extension rather than automatic.

Am I covered for taking my caravan to Europe?

European cover for a caravan is normally an optional extension you must add, not something included automatically, and the number of days abroad is often capped by the policy. Always confirm the territorial limits and the maximum trip length before you travel, because assuming your UK cover simply follows you across the Channel can leave you unprotected abroad. Some policies restrict how long the caravan can stay outside the UK on any single trip or across the year, so a long continental tour may need a specific arrangement. Keeping or storing a caravan abroad for extended periods falls outside many standard policies altogether, which is where a specialist arrangement becomes necessary rather than optional.

If you store or keep a caravan abroad long-term, standard UK policies may not apply at all and you may need a specialist arrangement. Some club policies list useful extras for touring abroad, such as emergency accommodation and personal-effects cover, but these vary widely, so check the schedule rather than assuming.

Can I insure an old caravan?

Yes, you can insure an old caravan, though cover is usually offered on a market-value basis rather than new-for-old once the caravan passes an insurer’s age limit. One provider covers tourers up to 30 years old on a market-value basis, and others set their own thresholds.

For an older caravan, market-value cover often makes financial sense because new-for-old would charge a premium for a replacement value you would not realistically claim. Insurers may ask for photos, a service record or proof of security features, and a well-maintained, secured older caravan is generally straightforward to insure. If you also run a work vehicle, reading up on the information you need to compare insurance can speed up your caravan quotes too.

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Information correct as of 18 October 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Free Price Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).