Insurance a cautionary tale re storage

Solobay
Solobay Forum Participant Posts: 156
100 Comments
edited March 2019 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

There was a recent fire in the compound where we store our caravan - 28 caravans, motorhomes and one boat burned to the ground/chassis. 25 including ours affected by heat. We are insured via CAMC and have nothing but praise for the way it was handled - within a week loss adjuster out and repairs agreed (whole new front) within 10 days our dealer had the approval to get the work done(£8,5k roughly)

Site was a CASSOA gold site so distances between vans etc all as should be

Moral - at least one caravan wasn't insured and as the fire was not malicious and broke out in one of 4 vans, basically no likelihood of a claim.

Advice - make sure your insurance is up to date and don't be tempted to save a few bob as your vans off the road for a while!!

Best fun bit from all of this - speaking to one couple whose caravan was totalled, a question was asked - wonder if the smoke alarm went off!

Comments

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #2

    Good advice and good to know the CAMC insurance worked well

    yes lol.laughing

     

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #3

    Good to hear the insurance claim was dealt with well. Might be interesting to know how your neighbours got on.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2019 #4

    what is the distance between the vans on a gold storage site as I don't think I have seen anything about this on the CaSSOA website and the gold site I am on doesn't measure between vans.

  • Solobay
    Solobay Forum Participant Posts: 156
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    edited March 2019 #5

    TBH I have no idea re spacing just assumed that there would be some sort of minimum in such as standard.

    One of the reasons we chose the site we use is that space between vans in a row is about 2 feet and between rows must be about 35ft - other sites we looked at, to get access to van you had to pull it out and between rows was somewhat less.

    Our site all the plots are well lined and defined

    If the rows had been much closer the fire would have jumped the gap. 

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2019 #6

    Don't think 2 foot would stop fire spreading as you said yours was damaged just by the heat. some sites like to keep them close as thieves cannot get in through the door or windows. The last site I was on had over 400 caravans in storage and you rang up the day before and they pulled it out and pitched it ready for you to reverse and hitch up and away.

  • Solobay
    Solobay Forum Participant Posts: 156
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    edited March 2019 #7

    Agreed re the 2ft but certainly the 35ft stopped a cross row fire, fire brigade burst into two motorhomes on the burning row and moved them to stop it spreading down the burning row.

    Good thing about our site is that you have full access for minor fixes, cleaning of vans etc 

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #8

    You do need several meters separation to stop a fire spreading, but this would be impossible on a storage site. Even with that sort of figure some damage can occur even if the fire does not spread.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2019 #9

    same as, that's why I moved sites so I could come and go when getting ready for a trip a day or two before and at what time I wanted. much easier.

  • Paul Sumpter
    Paul Sumpter Forum Participant Posts: 4
    edited March 2019 #10

    I am having difficulty finding an insurer who will cover my motor home (Chausson 630) while i am storing it during returns to the UK.

    Any suggestions asto who will cover this please?

     

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,829 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #11

    Paul, When you asked earlier in another thread I gave you the names of two insurance brokers whom I thought might be helpful, but you didn't respond.  Were they of any value to you?   If they were not I will cross them off my "trying to be helpful" list.

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
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    edited March 2019 #12

    Always found the CAMC insurance excellent. Good advice. You don’t think of things like this until they happen and then it might be too late! 

  • Solobay
    Solobay Forum Participant Posts: 156
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    edited March 2019 #13

    Update - call from Knowepark(local Coachman dealer) just 8 weeks after fire, 95% of parts in already (a world record) bring it in Monday - we'll need it for 3-4 weeks. Rest of parts due in next week, but we'll get started!

    All been sorted between Knowepark and Insurance - first class service

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2019 #14

    Looks like Coachman are improving. It was some time back, but when ours needed a new table top, that took 3 months. For the caravan industry 8 weeks is good, but in the real world it is pathetic. When we have needed car parts, the next day has been the norm.

     

    .

  • brenpet
    brenpet Forum Participant Posts: 8
    edited March 2019 #15

    Very sound advice about having good insurance. Although we are members of both clubs we are insured with the camping club. We went to pick our van up from storage last week and get it ready for our first trip this year. On removing the cover we found a split in the roof fabric, quite annoyed as it’s not very old, on entering the van this is what faced us. It is not stored directly under a tree but there are trees nearby so was probably the result of one of the recent storms. We had been down to check after the storms but all looked fine and the damage couldn’t be seen as the branch had broke off flush with the roof. Insurance were brilliant because our holiday had been booked we were told to book either a hotel or static van for our holiday. Our van has been taken in for a temporary repair while we are away as they can’t fit the full repair in until the end of September, complete new roof is required plus interior carpets severely water damaged. This was all sorted within the week over the phone. At least when we get back our van will be useable for the summer season. We cannot praise them enough

     

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