Motorhome Insurance through the club.

PennineMan replied on 30/08/2018 23:07

PennineMan

Posted on 30/08/2018 23:07

I have been insured through the club for a good number of years both with the caravan and lastly with the motorhome. I have just sold the motorhome after nearly 7yrs of ownership, through Motorhome Depot and had a very good experience with them.

However, today the van went and I thought I must phone up and cancel the insurance, which had until 7th November to run, I was gobsmacked to be told that it would incur a £35 cancellation fee. I had never thought of asking other insurance companies if they apply a charge such as this, obviously I will in the future.

I will be at the NEC on the 16th October looking for a new motorhome but, will not be re-insuring with the Caravan Club again. Please be aware of this ridiculous charge.

16 replies

JVB66 replied on 31/08/2018 08:08

Member

JVB66

Caravanner

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:08

Did you contact the club direct or via their (as a lot are)agents,who charge an "admin"fee

PennineMan replied on 31/08/2018 08:41

Member

PennineMan

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:08 by JVB66

Did you contact the club direct or via their (as a lot are)agents,who charge an "admin"fee

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:41

Hi, yes all insurance completed through the club. The phone number given on the club site is direct to Devitt Insurance and not (as I thought) the caravan club.

DavidKlyne replied on 31/08/2018 08:41

Moderator

DavidKlyne

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:41

Is it not quite common to pay a cancellation fee when you prematurely cancel an insurance policy, your home broadband, mobile phone contract etc? As to whether you reinsure with the Club is a different matter. Surely you will go for the best policy which might happen to be one by the Club or it could be with another insurer. To completely rule out the Club might mean you pay more (than £35) elsewhere.

David

replied on 31/08/2018 08:47

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:47

In my experience it is common David with car insurance and \i suspect also other insurances.

replied on 31/08/2018 08:52

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:52

The user and all related content has been Deleted User

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Tinwheeler replied on 31/08/2018 08:56

Tinwheeler

Campervanner

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:52 by

Try NFU Mutual they make a point of NOT charging for any form of amendment or cancellation and in my experience offer really fair and good cover. Certainly not the cheapest but also not the most expensive.

Incidentally OP would it have been cheaper to have just let the cover rub until expired?

Posted on 31/08/2018 08:56

Agreed. NFU also have a hassle free and efficient claims service. An office I can visit staffed by real people is worth a lot as well.

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PennineMan replied on 31/08/2018 22:09

Member

PennineMan

Motorhomer

Posted on 31/08/2018 22:09

Regrettably I had already said I had sold the van and you cannot have a vehicle insured twice. Many years ago when we had a caravan and stored on a farm, the only company that would insure it was the NFU. We found then very helpful and good to deal with however, when changed to the motorhome they were not competitive.

BlueVanMan replied on 01/09/2018 09:57

Member

BlueVanMan

Campervanner

Posted on 01/09/2018 09:57

"Regrettably I had already said I had sold the van and you cannot have a vehicle insured twice."

In my view where a vehicle is not owned by a person who happens to have a "live" policy on it that policy does not insure it because the insured does not have an insurable interest or indeed any interest.

Fees for variations and cancellations are the norm nowadays. It may be that they help keep premiums down or if you are cynical profits up.

I sold a motorhome in 2011 before delivery of a replacement.

I informed my insurers who said that they would charge a cancellation fee. The amount of the return premium was less than the fee so they wanted me to pay them. So I said OK don't cancel. They said this would cause difficulties because the vehicen"would be insured twice" however in my view since I did not own the vehicle I could not receive the benefit of insurance (technically I had no insurable interest) but I could not see any legal obligation for me to cancel as opposed to informing the insurance company.

Matters ended there for me and AFAIK the new owners had no difficulties either. However in most cases where the return premium is more than the fee this approach won't work.