Caravan security

Unfortunately, crime, and with it theft, is a part of life. As touring caravans are often left unattended for long periods of time throughout the year, this can leave them vulnerable to thieves. That's why we recommend you take all the necessary precautions to protect your outfit. And in doing so, it can also help reduce the cost of cover, through the discounts we offer on our Caravan Cover.

Here are our top tips to prevent your caravan from being stolen, which can help deter a thief or stop them in their tracks. Make sure you read through them and also see how they can reduce the cost of your cover!

Alarms

Many different types of caravan alarms are available, with prices, sophistication and reliability varying greatly. Issues such as power consumption during periods of storage and ease of disablement are difficult for purchasers to assess when determining which to use.

In order to protect not only the outfit but also the contents as well, a good-quality alarm should be considered. The best of these tend to be those with ‘Thatcham approval’ - Thatcham Research is an insurance-industry funded research centre, which, among other activities, accredits alarm and tracker security products to demanding test standards.

If you are considering or have our Caravan Cover product for your caravan, we offer a discount on the cost of cover for owners who have an alarm that detects theft or attempted theft of the outfit through the use of either a tilt/movement sensor or a corner steady sensor.

Most alarms should be fitted by a competent installer - alarm suppliers often have recommended fitters; if not, many companies that install car radios also fit alarms.

Wheel Clamps/Locks

A variety of wheel clamps are available on the market, but not all are sufficiently robust to withstand sustained attack. Be wary of those which could be removed by simple deflation of the tyre. For all-round confidence in such products, look for approval markings by organisations such as Sold Secure.

If you have Caravan Cover, or are looking to buy our Caravan Cover to protect your outfit against financial loss, you can get a discount on the cost of cover if you use either an approved wheel clamp or locks:

• AL-KO Secure
• Winterhoff Diamond
• Milenco Wraith
• Purple Line Excalibur
• Nemesis Ultra
• Milenco Compact C
• Stronghold Protector Caravan Alloy wheel lock, which has received certified approval from either Sold Secure, Thatcham or SCM.TASS C.

If you have a twin-axle caravan, both axles must be fitted with an approved wheel lock; otherwise, the caravan can still be ‘easily’ stolen if only one is used.

Tracking and registration systems

Tracking systems enable a vehicle to be located after it has been stolen. There are various types of systems available. Again, we recommend looking for systems that have passed the requirements of Thatcham accreditation - confirming their suitability for caravan use, durability and resistance to attack. These are the only systems we consider to have a proven level of performance for vehicles which spend a significant period in storage.

There is also a fundamental difference between ‘Monitored’ systems, where any alarm is directed to a monitoring centre, which can then contact the owner and/or the police and ‘Unmonitored’ systems, which usually alert the owner directly, often by mobile phone text messages. In all cases, the equipment is relatively expensive, and monitored systems additionally incur an annual fee for the monitoring service.

The effectiveness of all tracking systems depends on the ability to not only locate, but also recover the stolen caravan.

Current police policy does not guarantee a response to a stolen caravan report via a tracking system. Forces may respond to reports alerted via a legitimate, accredited monitoring centre, but are far less likely to respond to an alert made directly to the owner. When choosing a tracking system, ask the provider for details of any monitoring centre used, and look for characteristics like a police-allocated Unique Reference Number and compliance with the Association of Chief Police Officers and Home Office guidance on Stolen Vehicle/Caravan Tracking Systems. Some tracker providers work with non-police asset recovery organisations for this reason - they may be able to recover stolen vehicles from publicly-accessible areas without police support.

Tracking systems are building a reputation for themselves as being an effective way of recovering stolen vehicles. Often recovery is very rapid, and before any significant harm has been done. Do not assume that all insurers will recognise a tracking system as justifying a discount – check before buying.

However, our Caravan Cover product offers a discount if you use a tracking device that has been granted Thatcham accreditation, and the tracking system is in full and effective use at all times and is maintained.

Secure Storage Locations

Given that your caravan is a holiday home and will be left vacant for most of the year, where and how you store it is crucial. Where you store your caravan can also affect the cost of your cover or insurance.

Secure Storage

If you don't have room to store your caravan at home, a storage site is a great option.

CaSSOA (Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association) operate a Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze award system that ranks storage sites according to their security features. ‘’Platinum award’ and 'Gold award' storage sites will generally have some or all of the highest levels of security features mentioned above in place. You can search for a local storage site on the CaSSOA website.

Some insurers offer a discount for caravans stored at Platinum or Gold-rated facilities. We also offer a discount on Caravan Cover when you use one of these storage sites, as well as our own storage sites.

If you are considering storing your caravan away from your home, look for storage sites that have security features such as 24-hour access control, perimeter fencing, CCTV and an on-site warden, as these will provide the best protection for your caravan and may help reduce the cost of your insurance.

A caravan visible from the road may attract unwanted attention. Conversely, one hidden from view might be less targeted but also less monitored by passing traffic or neighbours.

Security lighting around your storage area serves as an effective deterrent. Gravel driveways create noise that alerts you to potential intruders. These practical steps you can take can help to ward off criminals and complement direct protective measures.

If you relocate your caravan seasonally, inform your cover/insurance provider about these changes. You may be able to save money when your caravan remains in secure storage and is not in use.

At home or at another residential property

Having locked gates or a driveway security post at your home may help you reduce the cost of your caravan cover or insurance. Improving the security rating at your home can be relatively easy; for instance, it could be achieved by adding a strong padlock to your existing driveway gates.

It’s a condition of our Caravan Cover, and often that of caravan insurance providers, that you inform your provider of, and they agree to, any change in storage when your caravan is not in use.

More details on Thatcham and Sold Secure

Thatcham Research is the UK’s only not-for-profit automotive risk intelligence organisation. Thatcham Security Certification is a robust verification programme for the assessment and recognition of automotive security products. Thatcham Security Certification is a robust verification programme for the assessment and recognition of automotive security products. You can search for Thatcham Security Certified products here or to find a competent alarm/immobiliser installer, contact Thatcham Research on 01635 293174 or visit www.thatcham.org.

Sold Secure, an independent testing and certification security products organisation, which is owned by the Master Locksmiths Association, provides ratings on products they have tested that are designed to prevent thieves or criminals. Manufacturers of security products and similarly increasing numbers of caravan insurance companies recognise the work done by Sold Secure. Current information on products is available on the Sold Secure website www.soldsecure.com or by phone on 01327 264687.