According to over-50s specialist insurer
Saga, around 347,000 Britons went caravanning in 2015. However, this type of holiday isn’t always an easy ride, as the company has paid out over £500,000 in insurance claims for caravan repairs last year.
Saga shared some of the most outrageous claims they’ve handled:
1. Loo looter
A policyholder had his caravan kept in storage over the winter. One day, the storage unit manager called, saying there was a break-in. At first, it seemed that the thief had only stolen the valuables inside, but it turned out, the fridge and toilet were stolen, too.
2. Blooming blowtorch
A customer parked his caravan on the driveway so he could keep an eye on it. However, his neighbour decided to take care of weeds on his driveway with a blowtorch. Unfortunately, the fire got out of control, spread to a bush, and ruined the caravan’s paintjob. The repairs cost £2,000.
3. Runaway wheelie bins
Another customer parked his caravan on the driveway in the evening so he could clean it the next day. By the morning, he found that a runaway wheelie bin had collided into his motorhome multiple times, causing over £4,000 worth of damage.
4. Tipping point
A policyholder went to the shop and upon returning, found out his caravan was laying on its side due to very strong winds. Repair bills amounted to almost £2,000.
5. Humongous hailstones
The policyholder was out caravanning when bad weather struck, pelting their motorhome with golf ball-sized hailstones. The hail caused dents to the caravan costing almost £5,000 to fix.
6. Un-pheasant experience
A customer's vacation turned quite unpleasant when a pheasant dashed into their path while crossing the road. As well as damaging the customer's car, the colourful bird bounced off the caravan, causing almost £2,000 worth of damage.
Roger Ramsden, chief executive of Saga Services, commented, “Last year we were clearing up after Kamikaze pigeons, this year we’ve been fixing damage caused by runaway wheelie bins. It’s fair to say that owning a caravan and holidaying in one is more adventurous for some than others. A caravan calamity can be made worse if you don’t have the right insurance.”
