How to avoid incidents on caravan sites

Preventing bumps and scrapes on site will help protect your no-claims bonus as well as your caravan. Read our blog for our top tips and advice for staying safe when moving on site.

It may not be well known to Club members, but every year we have to deal with a small but significant number of Site Incidents - which are incidents of damage to Club property on Club sites. Obviously, every site incident has a resulting cost, and if it can’t be fixed by Site Staff, we get a quote to fix the damage. If the damage is a member’s fault, the Club will look to recoup that cost from the member. It sounds a little harsh, but without it, the costs incurred by a few members will be passed on to the entire membership base.

Now before you start worrying if this will happen to you, it should be noted that in 2023, there were 510 site incidents, but only 54 of these resulted in members having to pay anything back. That’s about one claimable incident in every 7,000 visits!

Member photo by Sarah Symons

The total cost claimed back in 2023 was just over £20,000, which averages out to around £378 per incident. The good news is that, following an effort to raise awareness last year, 2023 figures were significantly lower than 2022.

However, in these challenging economic times, as the advert goes, every little bit helps, so here’s a little reminder that nearly all incidents arise from manoeuvring. The main items that get damaged are:

• Bollards
• Low-level lights
• Barrier sensors and barriers

To help avoid unnecessary incidents here's some things to consider:

• If you’re just getting back behind the wheel after a winter of inactivity, be aware that you may be a little rusty
• Take care arriving at sites, don’t let that end-of-journey rush to get settled turn into something that could significantly increase the cost of your trip
• Note in particular that bollards are not always in the same places on each site and that low-level lights can be sporadically placed
• Ensure the barrier has completely opened before driving through
• Don’t walk under the barrier, this can cause the barrier to descend as it thinks the vehicle has passed, and it could hit you
• Don’t tailgate, allow the barrier to descend between vehicles
• Be aware of the size of your unit, don’t turn too sharply before or after the barrier, overhang can damage hardware

If you are unlucky enough to have an accident that results in a bill from the Club, you can of course consider claiming it under your insurance policy or Caravan Cover if it is covered, but remember there will most likely be an excess to pay and you should always consider the effect that a claim may have on future premiums.

And, of course, think about booking on one of the Club's training courses up and down the country as a refresher. Find out more here.

So, to finish, a reminder that chargeable incidents are very rare - but with your help, we can make them rarer still, and save the Club, and therefore you, even more money.

Published July 2024