Getting the right cover for you

Making sure that your holiday home has the right level and type of insurance cover is essential, for several reasons. It could be your second home, or investment property which is rented to others and, by the nature of being a holiday home, could be left unoccupied for days or weeks at a time. You need to be confident that you are properly covered should you have to make a claim. 

Insurance for holiday lodges, leisure homes and static caravans is quite different from standard home insurance, so it’s advisable to speak to a specialist insurer. They will be able to explain the cover to you and ask you the right questions to ensure that your insurance policy meets your needs. In addition, because the policy is more specific and tailored to your requirements, you may find that it is less expensive than a more general policy. Specialist cover doesn’t mean expensive cover, it means that the insurer understands what is being insured.

What does holiday home insurance cover?

Policies differ, but your main goal is to protect your holiday home and the contents inside, so holiday home insurance mainly comprises ‘buildings’ and ‘contents’ cover against the risks you want to be covered for.

‘Buildings insurance’ covers the structure of your holiday home itself against risks such as fire, storm and flood, and could assist in repairs if the holiday home is damaged, or even replaced if the home is beyond repair.  You must take into consideration the cost to replace your holiday home to make sure that you have the right level of cover. You also need to consider items such as decking and hot-tubs as part of the sum insured.

‘Contents insurance’ can cover possessions inside your holiday home and it’s essential to consider this if others are using your holiday home – either loaning to friends and family or on a commercial basis. You must consider the cost of your contents to make sure you have sufficient cover.

The importance of having the right insurance

Steve Leech, Director at My Holiday Home Insurance, explains the importance of having the right insurance: “It’s crucial that you tell your insurer that the property is a holiday home and not your main home, as a standard home insurance policy could be invalid if you don’t. For example, if your holiday home is left unoccupied for more than 30 days, there will be additional responsibilities of you as the home owner, especially during the cold winter months. Making sure you have the right level of cover for your holiday home is essential, so always read the policy documents.”

He adds: “At My Holiday Home Insurance, we have over 13 years’ experience of insuring holiday lodges, park homes, leisure homes and static caravans. Our staff are used to helping people who are insuring holiday homes for the first time, so we can talk them through the policy and explain the cover in detail. For example, they may not have considered emergency travel cover. This can be included for holiday homes in the UK, along with cover for alternative accommodation, which may be a significant cost if you need to visit your property in the case of an emergency.  You are also covered for the loss of rental income if you are unable to fulfil a rental for your holiday home – for example if it is damaged by flood or fire.”

About Assist Insurance services

My Holiday Home Insurance is a part of Assist Insurance Services Ltd. Established in 2005, the company specialises in insurance services in the leisure sector including holiday homes, holiday lodges, static caravans, park homes and boats, and provides an award-winning claims service for their 30,000 policyholders across the UK.

Assist Insurance Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under register number 435530 for Insurance Mediation and as a Credit Broker. The company does not charge any fees to customers in relation to Credit Broking activities. 

For more information about holiday home insurance, contact My Holiday Home Insurance on 01604 386 046 and an advisor will be able to help you, or visit the website myholidayhomeinsurance.co.uk.