Holidays on four wheels – the number of camping fans is increasing from year to year. In 2022 alone, more than 90,000 caravans and mobile homes were registered in Germany. If there were no delivery problems in the meantime, the number of registrations would have been far higher than 100,000, as in previous years.
The downside of this growth is that many people often rush into camping with little naivety and don’t even know what insurance they need, for example. “What many people don’t know is that household contents insurance does not cover possible theft or damage,” says Elke Weidenbach, an insurance expert at the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) consumer center. But if you take out the right policies, you save yourself a lot of trouble, the expert explains. The three most important:
1. Full or partially comprehensive cover for campers and caravans
Motor vehicle liability insurance is mandatory for both campers and caravans, just like for cars. It covers damage you cause to others. But what about damage to your own vehicle? The insurance expert recommends partial or fully comprehensive insurance, especially for high-priced campers. Otherwise damage to your own vehicle can be extremely expensive.
2. Contents Insurance
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a camper or caravan to be broken into and valuables stolen. But there is no replacement for the stolen items if the holidaymaker only has household contents insurance. Because this usually only covers loose objects in the car, but not in a caravan or mobile home.
Therefore, campers need a so-called contents insurance. It covers loose equipment that travelers take with them, theft, but also fire, storm, lightning and water damage. Are insured depending on the policy
- luggage,
- or electronics such as laptops, cell phones, cameras and tablets
- or sports equipment such as bicycles, surfboards, kayaks, etc.
Warning: look closely! Cash, debit cards and jewelery are often not covered by the policy! And: Luggage insurance is also unsuitable for camping holidays, as it only covers the luggage you take with you during transport, for example on the train or in the car.
Holidaymakers also have to be careful with bicycles and other sports equipment that is mounted outside the vehicle, for example on the luggage rack. Because they are often only insured when they are in the camper.
3. Insurance for rental vehicles
For rental vehicles, insurance coverage is part of the rental agreement. Nevertheless, tenants should take a close look at what damage is insured. Because those that arise through the use of the vehicle are often not included.
In addition, landlords often demand high deductibles in the event of damage. Renters can protect themselves with additional rental camper insurance policies, which cover a large part of the deductible in the event of damage and also cover damage to tires and glass, for example. The landlords often offer such additional packages.
Anyone who rents vehicles via camper sharing platforms on the Internet is usually comprehensively insured, according to the NRW consumer advice center. The costs for this are usually included in the rental price.
If you rent privately for money, you have to be careful: Because such rentals are not permitted under insurance. This is only permitted if the vehicle documents contain the note “Self-drive rental vehicle”.