Claims, accidental damage and declinatures - an update
We revisit the statistics and reasons around claims on Caravan Cover to find out what's changed in the last couple of years.
Back in mid-2022 we published the results of our first deep-dive into accidental damage claims for Caravan Cover. We noted that in 2021, accidental damage accounted for nearly half of all claims made, and the average cost to settle was around £2,300 - and rising.
We highlighted that the most common types of damage claims arose from manoeuvering, parking and hitting posts and gates on sites, as well as collisions with a third party, and offered some handy hints on how to reduce the chance of making an accidental damage claim. These included investing in a motor mover and refreshing your skills with one of the Club’s caravan-specific training courses.
We also shared some statistics around claims that we decline, and the key reasons why this might happen, such as: stress fractures to panels, sunroofs, and gas locker doors; window delamination or separation; and water ingress - all incidences that come under the general description of ‘wear and tear’ rather than an accidental incident.
So, a couple of years have flown by and we thought it would be interesting to revisit such an important subject and see where things stand. So here’s a few statistics around Club Caravan Cover claims for the full year 2023:
- We paid out 95% of all claims in 2023 - a number we’ve consistently achieved for over five years
- The most expensive claims are, naturally, for theft - with the average claim costing over £20,000
- The most common claim remains accidental damage, which accounted for 51% of all claims
- The average cost of an accidental damage claim in 2023 was around £3,150 - up 30% from two years previously
- The majority of accidental damage claims still come from people bumping into things - let’s face it, it happens!
- But a significant proportion resulted from the storms we’ve had in the 2023/24 winter season*
- We declined around 5% of claims, for which the average claimed amount was £3,800
- Of the small proportion of unpaid claims the average age of the caravans was around nine years, and 68% of these were for stress fractures to panels, windows and sunroofs
*The Met Office have named an unprecedented TEN storms over this winter season. For a bit of fun, can you name them? Don’t forget they are named alphabetically, beginning with the letter A. We’ve listed them at the bottom of this article - no peeking!
So, although the numbers have shifted a little - and, inevitably, the costs have gone up - the underlying issues still apply:
- People will still bump into things
- There’s (sadly) still a demand for stolen caravans (so keep them as secure as possible)
- Claim costs are rising as fast as - maybe faster - than many other costs
- There will always be a small core of claims that we, or an insurer, will decline because the damage has not arisen from an accident, but rather from the inevitable wear and tear on an ageing caravan.
So, it goes without saying, but drive carefully and keep your manoeuvring skills up to scratch. Keep your vans as secure as you possibly can. And be aware that, as your rig ages, the chances of incurring costs from wear and tear - which won’t be covered - will increase.
And, on that last point, what can be done? If you’ve got a 9-year-old van, and it’s just starting to show a few signs of its age, but you don’t want to (or can’t) part with it, now’s the time to start thinking about a little ‘preventative medicine’. Have you checked your window seals lately? Is that sunroof starting to squeak? Is that door sticking? When was the last time you had your caravan fully serviced? As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
If that sounds like too much of a faff, maybe explore the idea of setting up a ‘savings account’ - put a little money aside that will build up a fund to pay for, or top-up, possible losses or repairs that your insurance or cover won’t. And most bank accounts allow you to ‘partition’ your savings, so you can ring-fence that cash and only use it when you need it.
We hope you never have to put in a claim, but rest assured that if you’re in an accident, or have your van stolen, we’ll be there for you, which is why the Club’s Caravan Cover has members coming back year after year.
Storm Answers - The ten storms in the 2023/24 winter season were Agnes, Babet, Ciaran, Debi, Elin, Fergus, Gerrit, Henk, Isha, and Jocelyn.