Max towing length.

Settermum
Settermum Forum Participant Posts: 127
First Comment
edited August 2016 in Towcars & Towing #1

I've just come across a facebook post about a caravan insurance company refusing to pay out after an accident due to the caravan length being over 7 metres. The tow vehicle was a twin cab pick-up truck. I had never heard before, that a vehicle under 3500kg
could not tow a caravan over 7 metres even if it's max towing capacity and gross train weight allowed. 

Is this common knowledge?

Comments

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments Photogenic
    edited August 2016 #2

    Unless this was relevant to the accident the insurer would be wrong in turning the claim down. The policyholders should have complained to the Ombudsman.

  • Settermum
    Settermum Forum Participant Posts: 127
    First Comment
    edited August 2016 #3

    If they were towing an illegal outfit though?

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016 #4

    The 7m refers to body length, not overall length, but yes, it is illegal in the UK for a vehicle with a plated gross vehicle weight under 3500kg to tow a trailer if the body length exceeds 7m.

  • cariadon
    cariadon Forum Participant Posts: 861
    500 Comments
    edited August 2016 #5

    If you check the Gov web site for towing I think the issue was her driving licence not the insurers, until we know the full facts cannot be sure but that what's it look like to me.

  • Settermum
    Settermum Forum Participant Posts: 127
    First Comment
    edited August 2016 #6

    Ah I see, well that won't help either and that's a separate issue. I was just wondering how well was it known that 7 metres was a max towing length for a vehicle under 3500kg, cos I've never heard any mention of it till now.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #7

    Ah I see, well that won't help either and that's a separate issue. I was just wondering how well was it known that 7 metres was a max towing length for a vehicle under 3500kg, cos I've never heard any mention of it till now.

    I knew Cool and knew it was body length ... & not shipping length Laughing

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2016 #8

    But, as pointed out, it is the BODY length of more than 7 mts not the towing length.  My Bailey towing length is 7.15 mtrs yet the BODY length is just over 5 mtrs.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2016 #9

    Actually, caravans with a body length of over 7m are few and far between and limited mainly to a few Continental offerings where this restriction doesn't exist.

  • KENNYG
    KENNYG Forum Participant Posts: 215
    100 Comments
    edited August 2016 #10

    Gov Web site the max length for a trailer towed by a vehicle up to 3500 Kg is 7 meters not including A frame.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #11

    Gov Web site the max length for a trailer towed by a vehicle up to 3500 Kg is 7 meters not including A frame.

    ie body length

  • Settermum
    Settermum Forum Participant Posts: 127
    First Comment
    edited August 2016 #12

    OK I see it was generally known about and that it was just me that didn't know. I also seem to have caused confusion by using the wrong term. I meant body length because I had read the .gov.uk website info on this, but I termed it wrongly, sorry. Thanks
    for your responses. :)

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #13

    OK I see it was generally known about and that it was just me that didn't know. I also seem to have caused confusion by using the wrong term. I meant body length because I had read the .gov.uk website info on this, but I termed it wrongly, sorry. Thanks
    for your responses. :)

    I'm sure ALL responses were in jest ... mine were Kiss

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments Photogenic
    edited August 2016 #14

    If they were towing an illegal outfit though?

    The Ombudsman requires insurers to be fair to policyholders which essentially means the problem has to be relevant to the accident. I suppose there could be something relevant to an overlength caravan but if he ran into the car ahead it would not be.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2016 #15

    If they were towing an illegal outfit though?

    The Ombudsman requires insurers to be fair to policyholders which essentially means the problem has to be relevant to the accident. I suppose there could be something relevant to an overlength caravan but if he ran into the car ahead it would not be.

    Firstly I am not qualified to quote.

    There are two insurances presumably involed - Car and Caravan.

    In relation to the car they were driving otherwise than within the terms of their licence. Is this cause for the insurer to not pay up on his car and to pay out any third party claims and chase the person for the cost of those?  

    With relation to the caravan insurance could they say that a major contributory factor was towing with an unsuitable vehicle that was proscribed in law. No idea. Also no idea of the cause of the accident which might well be relevant

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