Anyone who owns a caravan will know that it’s just like having a second home, and whether it’s a top of the range or a modest tourer, this will probably have been the most significant purchase since their main home, so it is important to ensure that the right caravan insurance cover is in place.

It’s important before buying caravan insurance to decide how you plan to use your caravan. To help make this easier Moneyextra.com has put together a short checklist to ensure you get the best possible insurance cover for your caravan.

Will you be taking the caravan to Europe or just using in the UK

• If you’re taking it to Europe then check your policy provides you with emergency accommodation should your caravan be inhabitable. Also policies that do include European cover will have a limit on them to the number of consecutive days you can travel, so check this fits in with your needs before purchasing.
• Check the level of possessions cover provided. This is your second home, and most people will furnish it as such. If anything is lost or damaged, it’s important to ensure these items can be replaced at minimal inconvenience
• Where and how you store your caravan will affect the premium. If it’s kept on a site or away from your home your premium will be more.
• Wherever you keep your caravan, ensure you have adequate security such as an alarm, wheel clamp and tracker. This will not only help to reduce your premium but will also act as a deterrent to any would be vandals and thieves.

Whether you use your caravan for a weekend break from routine or a month touring the continent, it’s vital to ensure you have a decent caravan insurance policy in place. It is also wise to not only check on price but also on policy benefits as these can vary greatly between insurers. Also to bear in mind are add on’s such as awnings and outside storage boxes; these may not be covered, or if they are you may have to adhere to additional security rules.

When you’re buying motorhome insurance there are many features to take into consideration. The cover motorhome insurance policies provide can vary greatly and the cheapest policy may not always be the best for your needs, so it is sensible to shop around for cover before committing to buying.

Moneyextra.com has put together some points to consider when looking for motorhome insurance, to help you get the best policy for your needs.

1. Consider how you use the vehicle. Will you be taking it overseas, if so make sure that your policy has European cover, and more importantly check what level of cover this provides you with as some European cover will only give you third party protection. Also check the number of days you can travel overseas in your policy year.
2. Ensure you have adequate cover for your possessions. When touring, especially if you’re going for a long period of time, there’s every possibility you’ll have a considerable amount of possessions with you, such as clothing, TV’s, bedding, bikes and even awnings. All of these can easily add up and should something happen you want to ensure that they are all covered.
3. Check that you cover can provide you with alternative transport and accommodation should your motorhome be unusable or inhabitable.
4. You can bring your premium down by installing additional security devices such as alarms, trackers, wheel clamps and even tracking devices.
5. Consider a higher voluntary excess. As with any insurance, by opting to pay more in the event of a claim can reduce your upfront premium.

Finally, it’s important to shop around for the best policy for that matches your requirements. There isn’t one insurer who is good overall so don’t assume that the best policy for your car or home is necessarily the best for your motorhome.