Wind up camper insurance while travelling long term
Submitted: Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 19:25
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Paparata R
I have had an interesting day attempting to insure a new Goldstream Crown ST wind up camper that we have just purchased. I had joined CMCA and obtained quotes from Ken Tame to insure the wind up camper. On the day we picked it up we activated the quote and were given a cover note and instructions to complete the application.
I duly sent the application and supporting details including requested photos. I was then told that they regarded the wind up camper as a
camping trailer and did not insure these.
So onto RAA, who we had also obtained a quote from. During discussions on the phone I indicated we would be travelling and living in the wind up camper for 12 months. At this point they indicated they were not interested in insuring the wind up camper...although they were quite happy to continue to insure our personal contents, and car !!!
Is there anyone out there who can advise me on an insurer who will insure a windup camper whilst it is being used full time for an extended period. I have a quote from CIL but am too scared to tell them we are going to travel for a 12 month period in case they refuse cover.
We will retain a home address but it will be the address of a friend. Our contents will be in storage.
Any advise much appreciated
Reply By: Member - willawa - Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 21:27
Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 21:27
Try GIO or Allianz
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Reply By: Ron N - Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 21:34
Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 21:34
Paparata R - I'm surprised at how badly worded and badly written a lot of these insurance company statements are.
They say they insure camper trailers in advertising - then that suddenly becomes "Caravan" in PDS documents - and there are no definitions of the various groups or types of "Caravans" or "Campers" in their agreements.
Try RACQ - they actually state they insure camper trailers on their front page, but I can't find any documentation to support that definition in their PDS document.
http://www.racq.com.au/insurance/caravan_and_trailer_insurance
Cheers, Ron.
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Reply By: Garry E1 - Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 21:51
Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 21:51
I had trouble getting insurance for my caravan. One thing I have found out was insurance companies will not insure a caravan (maybe camper trailers too) that are over 30 years old.
I see you made contact with the RAA so obviously live in SA.
Well the best results was I made contact with Elders Insurance at
Clare. No problems at all. You should be able to do this at any Elders Insurance branch
Gaza
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Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 23:43
Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 at 23:43
I guess if you tell insurance companies you are going to use your van every day for the next year , they see that the exposure to risk is much greater that the guy who uses it a few weeks a year! Avoid telling them if they don't ask! Michael
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Reply By: olcoolone - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 07:37
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 07:37
We are reviewing our personal and business insurance and gave Westfarmers insurance a call, our business and residence is in metro
Adelaide.
When we made the phone call we were advised that they could not help us as there was a fire within 50km of our post code, this small fire was in the
Adelaide Hills about 25km away.... a 50km radius covers most of
Adelaide metro and for the fire to reach us 10's of thousands of home would of been burnt and 1/4 of
Adelaide.
We have on average 10-20 small fires of some sort in this 50km radius a week so they must do a lot of "sorry we can't help you".
BTW I would as the insurers for their definition of a camper trailer and a caravan.
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Reply By: Member - LeighW - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 10:33
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 10:33
RACV in
Melbourne insured
mine, they only asked the brand ie Jayco didn't mention anything about the wind up aspect, nor does the product spec.
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Reply By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 12:30
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 12:30
When I had a soft-floor camper it was insured with AAMI. AAMI and GIO are in the same stable now, so give either or both a call. My hybrid is with GIO (NSW) because they insure portable solar panels and deployed generators (as long as they are tethered) - that might be a worthwhile consideration for people such as yourself doing long term travel.
Cheers
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Reply By: Shany - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 14:30
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 14:30
You have a duty of disclosure to tell them you will be travelling for 12 months, even if they don't ask the particular question, I'd rather have cover declined up front than pay the premium and need to use the insurance and have them not pay the claim, to big of a risk, go to an insurance broker, they will have products that won't have access to
Hope this helps
Merry Xmas
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Follow Up By: Member - LeighW - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 15:40
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 15:40
Well I just dragged out my insurance documents, no where does it mention or refer to the amount of time the caravan will be in use for per year.
I also checked their website and nowhere does it indicate that you need to inform of such a requirement. When I took out the insurance, I took it out as caravan insurance and as such is covered whenever or wherever (within reason) I'm using it.
If they need to know to decided on whether they will cover the van then they should ask that question the same as the other million questions they ask when purchasing the policy.
Cheers
Leigh
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Follow Up By: Member - LeighW - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 15:43
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 15:43
Forgot to mention I have an agreed value policy, they would have checked the model against there data base to ensure the value fell within what they consider acceptable, they can therefore not later say that they where not aware it was a wind up.
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Follow Up By: olcoolone - Saturday, Dec 14, 2013 at 08:58
Saturday, Dec 14, 2013 at 08:58
You have no duty of disclosure if they don't ask you about something, duty of disclosure is only relevant to the questions they ask, duty of disclosure is much the same as swearing on the bible in court..... just not as comical.
If they asked if you going to be living in it for 12 months then yes you have to tell them, if they don't ask then you don't have to tell them.
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Reply By: Shany - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 15:54
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 15:54
Some insurers may not have a problem with it, but PaparataR mentioned that some insurers had declined to offer her cover, I'm just trying to help, my profession is insurance - god help me ;). And I have seen so many claims go south due to clients being misinformed or not having their policy explained to them, hence why using a broker you have a safety net, as the broker must be "so to speak" the piggy in the middle
But every insurance policy requirers you to have duty of disclosure
Under section 21 of the IC Act a consumer is required to disclose every matter known to them that they know to be relevant to the insurer's decision to accept the risk, or that a reasonable person in the circumstances could be expected to know is relevant to insurers.
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Follow Up By: Paparata R - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 16:17
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 16:17
Hi Shany, thanks for your advice. I went to a broker, explained fully that we required cover for continuous travel for a 12 month period. They came back with a quote for insurance from CIL. Independently I had obtained my own quote from CIL which was $70 per annum less. So I have gone with CIL but not through the broker. My assumption is that the broker has outlined our requirements, that CIL have accepted them and that I may as
well save myself $70. Do you think I am on safe ground based on this?
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Follow Up By: Member - LeighW - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 16:17
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 16:17
Shany your informed input is appreciated by all, the part I have a problem is:
"a consumer is required to disclose every matter known to them that they know to be relevant to the insurer's decision to accept the risk"
If your aware of it, but I would assume most like myself assume touring caravan insurance is what it implies, covers the van whilst touring, parked in a caravan
park or at home etc.
I would not even have imagined the amount of time on away from home would come into therefore how do I know to disclose it unless the insurance asks or makes me aware by some other means?
PS my sympathies with regards to your chosen occupation:)
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Follow Up By: Shany - Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 16:38
Friday, Dec 13, 2013 at 16:38
Paparata cgu, qbe, cil/vero Zurich (I think) are some of the other insurers that do caravans, I'm surprised your broker only obtained one quote, but then some brokers only hold domestic insurances as a convenience. I had my hawk (wind up) with cill but I don't live on the road -yet, however with my new expanda I moved over to NRMA as I didn't like cil wording, a lesson in life - never make assumptions, if your worried a quick phone call will clear it up, cil are a caravan purisific insurer so I can't imagine there would be a problem, won't hurt to ask.
leighW lol no one chooses insurance as an occupation, it's something you fall into, then it's bloody hard to get out ;)
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Reply By: TTTSA - Monday, Dec 16, 2013 at 08:01
Monday, Dec 16, 2013 at 08:01
Also remember that if you are travelling for a period of time (I don't know how long matters) that your home and contents may not be covered also as the risk has increased by you not being at home for an extended period.
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