Is your camping gear properly insured?

25 January, 2018

I’m going away and I’m taking … a tent, sleeping bag, clothes, camera, smartphone and camping stove. Wherever you’re going and whatever you’re doing, your camping gear probably cost a considerable sum. It’s best not to dwell on it, but everything you take with you could in fact be damaged or stolen. And that’s where proper insurance for your camping gear comes in extremely handy.

Do you know if you or your camping gear are properly insured? Don’t end up facing nasty surprises; before setting off, take a little time looking into this properly. Should something go wrong on holiday, this time will have been absolutely well spent. While it’s unlikely anything will happen, bad luck might be just around the corner. That’s why proper travel insurance before setting off is essential.

Insuring camping gear

Water damage due to a heavy downpour, tent canvas ripped by a strong storm or an invited guest who spotted your camera. With travel insurance, your luggage – thus also your camping gear – is insured against damage, loss or theft. Cover for camping gear sometimes involves a limit. Although you receive a payout, this depends on the insurance and the insurer, meaning you should check your policy conditions and compare this before taking insurance out. If you always take your most expensive camera on holiday, it might make sense to look for insurance compensating this up to a high amount.

Theft on the campsite

Campsites are all about everyone getting on together, but there might just be someone walking around with their eye on your valuables. You’re only actually insured against theft if something can be locked away, and while this might not be a problem with campers or caravans, locking a tent is a different story. You aren’t in fact insured for something if it’s stolen from your tent. Exceptions are frequently made if you’re sleeping in the tent when something’s stolen, although often up to a certain maximum amount. That means you shouldn’t leave your things unattended, but rent a safe – often possible at the campsite itself – or if need be keep them in a lockable suitcase.

The right travel insurance and cover

The travel insurance suiting you best depends on a variety of factors. How frequently and how long do you go on holiday? If you’re away for a week or ten days once a year, short-term travel insurance is enough. However, if you’re away more often or for longer, you’re better off with continual travel insurance.

What’s your holiday destination? Insurers often split the world into three parts – your own country, Europe, and the rest of the world – and this also affects the best insurance to choose. Also have a good look at what cover matters for you. All insurance has a basic policy you can extend with one or more supplementary policies; so if it’s a beach holiday in sunny Spain, you might need basic cover plus water sports. Be sure to choose the right modules so you’re insured for things applying to you.

Tips for saving

Insuring costs money and although we recommend everyone take our proper travel insurance, we don’t recommend anyone spends lots of money on it. Sometimes you’re insured for the same risk by different policies. For instance, it might be that you’re insured for roadside assistance through both your car insurance and your travel insurance. This double cover is unnecessary, and even though you’re paying a double premium, you won’t get a double payout! Look into this properly and check that you’ve actually cancelled all your old insurance.

If you’d like to save even more, see whether you could claim a collective discount – such as through your employer or sports club – or a package discount (several policies with the same insurance). If you have children, take a good look at their insurance, since they’re often jointly insured on the parents’/carers’ policy.

Want to stay informed with fun and useful camping news? Then sign up for the Eurocampings newsletter!