The Caravan Owners Club

[rentahouse]

OKAY so we all seem to know the score with 8 ft wide vans in the UK...... but what about towing abroad??? Is it legal to tow 8ft wide vans with vehicles under 3500KG whilst in France or indeed the rest of Europe. If so would you UK car insurance be valid (obviously subject to a use abroad clause) or would they try to claim you used it in the uk to get to the ferry port etc.

Martin

This may seem a bit picky but i have a house in France and keep my van there (560 prestige) and tow it with my pajero LWB with out too many problems.

[Roy Armstrong]

Shouldn't be a problem.
Did you manage to get a French insurer to cover your caravan on UK plates?
I have had a caravan in France for 4 years and UK insurers will not cover it and the French ones all seem to want a Controle Technique and registration with a French plate.
Cheers,
Roy

[rentahouse]

Not bothered to insure van - is it compulsory .. what have you done.. could you send me details ( i could always claim it is kept in UK and ever need to claim i was here on 2 week holiday)

Thanks for help
Martin

[Roy Armstrong]

I haven't managed to find a French insurer to cover it.
No it is not compulsory if your car is on UK plates but I would have liked to have third party liability cover whilst I am on site in France.
I have a holiday home in France which I have to insure with a French company but they wouldn't cover the caravan without it being registered in France and having a Controle Technique (MOT). Although my caravan in France is German, it is a nightmare getting the DRIRE to accept the certificate of conformity, it is even worse for a UK caravan with the door on the "wrong side".
At the moment I have sited it pemanently in a different region in France so I now have two holiday homes!
I do get a camping carnet each year which hopefully will take care of third party liability on site.
Best of luck,
Roy

[rentahouse]

Thanks Roy,

No joy insuring mine but if i do i will let you know. Where in France are you ? I am in central Brittanny. My Hobby is my touring van and also additional guest quarters when we have too many visitors. Not many vans can stand up to 4 months use a year and not fall to bits!
Martin

[PETERA]

I don't know if this is of any use to you, but we are thinking of keeping our van in Spain. I looked into insuring it, and after ring round a dozen or so insurers, Bakers of Cheltenham (01242 528844) said they would insure it. They quoted me £435-80 for £13,000 + £2,500 contents. I did query the condition of having a wheel-clamp fitted, as where we are thinking of storing it they park the vans and need to move them. I was told that if it was a secure storage area that this condition would not be enforced. They also said that caravan crime abroad is virtually non-exsistent.

its cold, wet and miserable

WHEN WILL THE SUN SHINE

[Roy Armstrong]

Martin,
My house is near Perpignan and my caravan has been sited near Dijon for the past 4 years and as PETERA says, caravan crime is virtually none existant, hence my main concern being public liability insurance.

Opportunist tourists (none French) who stop over for one night on the site have relieved me of 1 plastic bucket (£1) and 1 light lens (£4) during this time. It is always best to remove the jockey wheel as the visitors appear not to be able to resist these but the site owner did warn me of this so I still have mine!
I was insured with Bakers but at the time they would only insure for holiday visits to the continent with a maximum number days in any one year.
Cheers,
Roy