Category: Other personal lines · Reviewed by Al Jabbar, Broker · Specialist Risks · Last reviewed 2026-06-05
Static caravan insurance is a UK general insurance product that covers a holiday caravan sited on a UK holiday park against fire, storm, flood, theft, accidental damage and malicious damage, together with cover for contents, decking and external structures, and the legal liability of the owner as occupier or as employer of cleaners or maintainers.
Category: Other retail Also known as: holiday caravan insurance, holiday home park insurance First codified: Regulated as general insurance under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 Related legislation: FSMA 2000; FCA Handbook ICOBS; Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960; Occupier’s Liability Act 1957 Apex Wiki link: /wiki/static-caravan-insurance/
Static caravan insurance is the personal lines insurance product for a static holiday caravan sited on a UK holiday park. The caravan is typically used by the owner for personal recreational use, and may also be sub-let to third parties for short-term holiday lettings — in which case the cover specification needs to be extended.
The standard product covers the caravan structure and fittings, the contents (furnishings, white goods, soft furnishings, the owner’s belongings kept at the caravan), decking and external structures (if declared), and the owner’s legal liability as occupier of the caravan and as employer of any cleaner or maintenance contractor.
Insured perils typically include fire, smoke and explosion; storm, flood, lightning, and weight of snow; theft and attempted theft (subject to evidence of forced entry); accidental damage; malicious damage; impact by vehicle, animal or falling object; and (with care) escape of water. Subsidence is normally excluded because the caravan is not built on conventional foundations.
The product is distinct from touring caravan insurance (for towed caravans) and from residential park home insurance (for caravans used as the owner’s main residence on a protected site). The principal underwriting variable for static caravan insurance is the location of the park: coastal parks have higher storm and flood exposure than inland parks.
The product is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under ICOBS [1].
Static caravan insurance is general insurance within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, falling within classes 8 (fire), 9 (damage to property) and 13 (general liability) [2]. Insurers must be FCA-authorised; intermediaries must be authorised or appointed representatives.
Sale of static caravan insurance is governed by ICOBS [1]. Consumer disclosure is governed by the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 [3]. The Insurance Act 2015 applies to the contract once formed.
The underlying legal characterisation of the caravan is provided by section 29 of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, which defines a caravan as ‘any structure designed or adapted for human habitation which is capable of being moved from one place to another’ subject to specified limits [4]. A static caravan is a caravan within this definition, even though it is rarely moved once sited.
Caravan park operators are required to hold a site licence under the 1960 Act, governed by model conditions that set requirements for spacing, fire safety, water supply, sanitation and (since 2014) the standard of management. Most parks impose contractual requirements on caravan owners to hold static caravan insurance to a defined minimum standard, with annual proof of insurance required as a condition of pitch occupation.
The Occupier’s Liability Act 1957 provides the statutory framework for the duty of care owed by the owner of the caravan to visitors lawfully on the premises [5]. The static caravan policy’s public liability section indemnifies the owner against claims by visitors injured at the caravan.
The Mobile Homes Acts 1983 and 2013 apply to protected residential sites only and do not generally apply to holiday caravan parks. Where a caravan is used for residential occupation contrary to its holiday designation, the insurance product is the wrong one and may not respond fully.
A consumer buying static caravan insurance is asked to declare: the caravan’s make, model, year and value; the location and name of the park; whether the caravan is sub-let to third parties; the security and gas safety arrangements; and the policyholder’s claims history.
Premiums in 2026 vary significantly by park location. A typical inland park caravan worth £25,000 might attract a premium of £180–£250 per year. A coastal park caravan in a high storm and flood risk area might attract a premium of £400+ per year for equivalent cover, and may be subject to exclusions or higher excesses for storm damage.
Park operators routinely require the caravan to comply with annual gas safety inspections (under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998) and with the park’s site rules on weather protection, winterisation and sub-letting. Insurers may include warranties referring to these compliance requirements.
At the point of claim, the consumer notifies the insurer and provides: proof of ownership; for theft, a police crime reference number and evidence of compliance with security warranties; for storm or flood damage, photographs and a description of the weather event including (where claimed) confirmation that the storm met the insurer’s wind-speed threshold (commonly 55 mph for a ‘storm’ claim); and for liability claims, the third-party’s particulars.
Storm damage claims are a recurring source of dispute. Most policies define ‘storm’ by reference to a wind-speed threshold or to a description such as ‘violent wind usually accompanied by rain, hail or snow’. Where the damage is caused by weather below the threshold, the claim may be refused on the basis that the damage was due to wear and tear or to inadequate maintenance.
Sub-letting to third parties materially affects cover. Many standard static caravan policies exclude sub-let periods or require an explicit extension. Where the caravan is sub-let as a holiday let, a holiday-let extension is typically available adding additional cover for theft by guests, damage by guests, public liability with the higher limit appropriate to commercial letting, and (for some policies) loss of letting income following an insured event.
Coastal flooding is an increasing area of underwriter focus. The Flood Re scheme does not apply to static caravans, so insurers price flood exposure into the premium without reinsurance support. In high-risk parks, flood cover may be excluded or available only at significantly higher cost.
Standard owner-occupier cover for caravans used by the owner and family only.
Sub-let extension covers periods when the caravan is sub-let as a holiday let to third parties — typically requiring the owner to demonstrate that lettings are managed through a recognised booking platform or letting agent.
Loss of income extension for sub-let caravans, providing indemnity for lost letting income when the caravan is uninhabitable following an insured event, typically for up to 24 months.
Decking and external structures cover for the wooden decking, steps, balustrades, hot tubs and external storage installed around the caravan — these are often substantial assets in their own right (£5,000–£15,000) and require explicit declaration.
New-for-old cover for caravans less than five (or ten) years old, with a switch to indemnity basis for older units.
Park-purpose-built dual-unit cover for twin-unit static caravans, which have different specifications and exposures.
Multi-caravan cover for owners with two or more static caravans on a single park or across multiple parks.
An illustrative example. A consumer purchases a £35,000 static caravan in March 2026 on a coastal holiday park. They take out static caravan insurance for £420 per year. The cover includes new-for-old on the caravan, contents to £8,000, decking and hot tub to £12,000, and £5m public liability. Storm damage is covered with a £250 excess; flood damage is covered with a £500 excess and a sub-limit of £15,000 because the park is in a Flood Zone 2 area.
In November 2026 the park is hit by storm damage. The caravan roof skylight is broken and water enters, damaging the interior. The consumer notifies the insurer with photographs and a report from the park’s maintenance contractor confirming the storm met the policy’s wind-speed threshold. The repair estimate is £6,800. The insurer accepts the claim and pays £6,550 after the £250 storm excess.
In a separate incident, a visitor to the caravan trips on the decking and sustains injury. The owner’s occupier’s liability under the Occupier’s Liability Act 1957 is engaged. The visitor claims £14,000. The public liability section indemnifies the owner.
This entry is part of the Apex Insurance Wiki. Last reviewed by Matt Bartlett on 2026-06-05. Next review: 2026-12-05.
Apex Insurance Brokers Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 724952. Registered in England and Wales, Companies House 07014570. This entry provides general information about UK insurance concepts and is not regulated advice. Consult your insurance broker on your specific position.
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