Caravan storage in France insurance cover

[Rudestar]

Hi, I am new to the forum and would like to know if anyone can recommend an insurance company that will cover my touring caravan whilst being stored in France?

My family and I are going to France in August for the first time with our tourer with the intention of leaving the van there in storage after our holiday until we can get there again in October or spring 23.

I have spent a whole day researching and haven't been able to find the answers. Your help/ knowledge is much appreciated!

 

[Raywood]

I think this is so out of the normal that nothing on the web will mention this. I am afraid that unless someone has one in France and can help, the only answer is to ring round and ask.

 

[Rudestar]

No worries! I’ve taken the view that I’ll continue with my UK insurance that has EU touring cover, but will take out insurance once in France at the end of my stay when storing the caravan there.

 

[otherclive]

No worries! I’ve taken the view that I’ll continue with my UK insurance that has EU touring cover, but will take out insurance once in France at the end of my stay when storing the caravan there.

Will a French insurer cover a UK van as aren’t French caravans legally registered?

 

[Rudestar]

Good point, I was assuming it could be done. That’s why I’m on here looking for answers. Someone must know the what the best way is. I looked up a thread from a couple of years ago and the three UK insurance companies they mentioned do not provide the cover anymore. Maybe I’ll have to rethink this idea of storing the caravan out there and tow it home each time. 😂

 

[otherclive]

Good point, I was assuming it could be done. That’s why I’m on here looking for answers. Someone must know the what the best way is. I looked up a thread from a couple of years ago and the three UK insurance companies they mentioned do not provide the cover anymore. Maybe I’ll have to rethink this idea of storing the caravan out there and tow it home each time. 😂

You could look up a French touring site that provides storage for UK caravans and ask how is insurance arranged. One that did store UK vans is La Tournerie near to Montignac. They were all kept in a large barn and brought to the pitch with awning set up for the owners arrival. The two club magazines often have ads for French sites providing storage.

 

[Rudestar]

Thank you! That’s brilliant advice. I’ll check it out as going to Brittany and that would be a perfect place for storage if all works out. Will let you know how I get on. 👍🏼

 

[Notmyvan]

No worries! I’ve taken the view that I’ll continue with my UK insurance that has EU touring cover, but will take out insurance once in France at the end of my stay when storing the caravan there.

I lived in France for a few years and insured my UK car and my UK boat with a French AXA Insurance Agency.
I could be wrong but French Insurers are stricter over there, In the UK you can insure a boat for virtually any amount, you only get asked to prove what it is worth if you make a claim. In France to insure my boat (£20,000)
it had to have a survey (to prove it existed) with a valuation. I would suggest that if you take your Caravan you get it valued before you go.

 

[Notmyvan]

Thank you! That’s brilliant advice. I’ll check it out as going to Brittany and that would be a perfect place for storage if all works out. Will let you know how I get on. 👍🏼

Brittany. When I brought a 22ft boat back from France I chose Roscoff as its an overnight ferry and would arrive in the UK at 6 am so I was doing my 300 mile towing trip in daylight.
One snag is that the day before whilst in France I received an email saying that they were allowing loading as 4 pm instead of 6 pm. So arrived at 3pm. And waited, and waited. I believe that Brittany Ferries have the policy that their freight traffic is more important than leisure vehicles. At 10 pm we were allowed to load, being the last vehicle and only just got on. Had we not got on it would be the following day ferry.

And St Malo. Three times a year when there are spring tides and low water slack is the lowest of the lows, the morning ferry leaves over an hour early, but they dont tell people, so when I arrived a Sy Malo the ferry was just leaving and as I had hired a van to take furniture back to the UK plus another vehicle with a driver we had to drive the 160 miles to Cherbourg and get the Fast Ferry. Got £200 voucher compensation.

 

[Raywood]

I lived in France for a few years and insured my UK car and my UK boat with a French AXA Insurance Agency.
I could be wrong but French Insurers are stricter over there, In the UK you can insure a boat for virtually any amount, you only get asked to prove what it is worth if you make a claim. In France to insure my boat (£20,000)
it had to have a survey (to prove it existed) with a valuation. I would suggest that if you take your Caravan you get it valued before you go.

As someone who worked in insurance our impression was that French insurers were far more ruthless than ours.