Static caravan owners should brace for increased storm damage amid climate change, warns Compass Insurance

• 16% increase in storm damage claims
• Almost a third of total claims in 2022 were due to storm damage

Static caravan and lodge owners should prepare for the likelihood of increased storm damage due to climate change, according to Compass, a specialist provider of caravan and leisure insurance.

The company saw a 16% increase in total claims caused by storm damage between 2021 and 2022.

The insurer is warning owners to ensure their caravan is storm-ready and also to check they have comprehensive insurance. During 2022, 32% of Compass’ static caravan claims were due to storm damage.  In one such instance, an entire static caravan was destroyed during a storm, resulting in a £148,590 claim.

Due to the effects of climate change, claims for storm and flood damage have the potential to increase in the coming years, making it even more important that static caravan owners purchase insurance to protect their home-away-from-home as extreme weather events become more frequent.

According to the Met Office, July 2023 was one of the wettest on record, with many parks across the country also being impacted by unseasonably windy weather, with gusts of up to 55mph recorded in Devon, Gwynedd, and Northumberland.

Analysis of claims data highlights how unpredictable UK weather can be. As a result of Storms Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin, February 2022 saw a significant increase in the number of claims for storm damage, up more than 2,000% on the previous year.

Not a legal requirement

In the UK, it is not a legal requirement to insure a static caravan. However, it is a condition of many caravan parks that caravan owners have adequate insurance to cover damage to their property when it is on-site. This insurance will also ensure a safe and efficient removal of the unit, should it be destroyed beyond repair.

However, even if not completely destroyed, storm and flood damage can make a static caravan completely uninhabitable.

Karen Stacey, Managing Director, Compass said: “Unlike bricks and mortar holiday homes, static caravans are particularly susceptible to damage from storms or floods. Unpredictable weather events, especially flash floods caused by heavy rain on parched ground during the summer, can cause a significant amount of damage to static caravans.

“We know caravan parks do everything they can to protect the units on their site all year round but freak storms and the damage they cause are somewhat out of their control. Caravan owners should make sure that they have adequate insurance for their unit and take the time to do regular maintenance to ensure any damage is kept to a minimum.”