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Classic Park Home Insurance

Park home insurance can help protect your home and your belongings against a number of unforeseen circumstances. To make sure you get the cover you need at a price that fits your budget, here’s what to consider.

What is a park home?

Park homes are prefabricated buildings which are fully built in a factory then transported to a park site. Park homes are also described as static caravans, trailer homes and mobile homes.

Park homes that meet British Standard BS3632 are suitable for living in on a permanent basis and meet regulations for insulation and heating. Park homes that don’t meet this standard can only be used on a short-term, seasonal basis.

Why do I need classic park home insurance?

Park home insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing your home and belongings if they’re damaged or destroyed. Policies cover you for a range of incidents known as insured events – for example, a fire or flood.

It’s important to bear in mind that standard home insurance is unlikely to cover your park home unless the policy clearly states that it does. That’s because park homes are built from mainly timber and metal rather than traditional bricks and mortar. Based on that, they’re considered ‘non-standard’ buildings by insurers and need specialist cover.

Although park home insurance is not something you need by law, park site owners might insist you have a policy in place before they lease you a plot. Plus, if you don’t have appropriate insurance, you won’t receive any compensation if your home or belongings are damaged or stolen.

What does classic park home insurance cover?

Classic park home insurance covers the structure of the building and your contents under one combined policy. You can buy them separately, but your choice of providers may be limited.

The events you’re covered for will vary by insurer but you can expect to be insured for damage caused by:

• Fire, flood, storms.
• Subsidence.
• Theft and vandalism.

As well as these essential features, policies will often include a range of other features to increase the level of protection you get. If they aren’t included as standard, you should have the option of adding them on for a small increase in cost.
Popular additional features include cover for:

• Accidental damage.
• Malicious damage.
• Loss of metred water.
• Freezer contents.
• Loss of keys and replacement locks.
• Home emergencies such as boiler breakdowns or burst pipes.

What isn’t covered by park home insurance?

Exclusions are events not covered by your policy. Nearly all types of insurance comes with exclusions – including those for your park home.
Insurers set their own exclusions so they can differ slightly but in most cases you won’t be covered for:

• Wear and tear – insurers are unlikely to pay out for items that stop working because of age.
• Negligence – for example if you leave doors and windows open and belongings are stolen as a result.
• Damage by animals – this includes vermin as well as accidental damage by pets.

Do I need to insure the land my classic park home sits on?

Generally speaking, no, you won’t need to insure the land your park home sits on. In most cases, the park site owner is responsible for the land and will have this covered under their own policy. Needless to say, it’s worth double checking the conditions of your lease to make sure this is the case.

How much should I insure my classic park home for?

Most insurers that offer park home insurance provide blanket cover (or blanket insurance). This just means they automatically provide cover up to a certain amount.

The value of blanket cover varies by insurer but can range from £300,000 – £600,000 for buildings cover and £40,000 – £75,000 for contents cover. If you don’t think it’s enough, you can ask to increase the amount, but this will be reflected in your premium.

How can I get cheap park home insurance?

Although price will always play an important part in choosing an insurance policy, it shouldn’t necessarily be the overriding factor. The policy you buy should cover your specific needs based on the size of your park home, its value and the value of your belongings.

Cheap park home insurance might seem like a bargain but check to see whether it gives you the cover you actually need. If you drill down, you might find a number of limits and exclusions whereas a more expensive looking policy has fewer. Pricier policies may also include a number of extra features that give you better value overall.

Of course, there are way to keeps costs as low as possible without compromising on cover – for instance:

• Look for discounts – some insurers work with specific park sites and offer residents discounts. You can find out whether these apply to you by checking with your park site owner.
• Keep your park home secure – investing in a security alarm or making sure locks comply to British Standard regulations can help keep premiums low.
• Build up your no claims bonus – this can shave a considerable amount off your premium so think carefully about what you claim for.
• Increase your excess – a higher excess can lower your overall premium. The amount still needs to be affordable because you’ll have to pay it before a claim can go ahead.