A motorhome or campervan is part vehicle, part home, and insuring one needs cover that reflects both. This guide explains motorhome and campervan insurance in plain English: what it covers, how it differs from car insurance, and the features worth looking for, from contents to European cover.
What motorhome insurance is
Motorhome and campervan insurance covers your vehicle on the road, like car insurance, but also reflects that it carries living equipment and personal belongings and is often a high-value vehicle. It is a legal requirement to insure a motorhome used on the road. Because a motorhome is both a vehicle and, in effect, a holiday home on wheels, the cover combines motor insurance with elements more like home contents cover.
The cover levels
As with other vehicles, motorhome insurance comes at third party, third party fire and theft, and comprehensive levels, as our guide to the types of cover explains. Given the value of most motorhomes and the cost of repairs, comprehensive cover is usually the sensible choice. The right level depends on the vehicle's value and how much you would need to replace it and its contents if the worst happened.
Contents and equipment cover
A key difference from car insurance is cover for the contents and fitted equipment, the furnishings, appliances, and the personal belongings you carry. A motorhome contains a lot of valuable equipment, from the kitchen and beds to awnings and outdoor gear. Good motorhome insurance covers these, so check the limits for both the fitted equipment and your personal possessions, and make sure they reflect what you actually carry, to avoid being under-insured.
How the vehicle is classed and used
Insurers want to know how the motorhome is used and how often, since many are used seasonally rather than daily. Lower mileage and seasonal use can reduce the premium. They will also consider the type and value of the vehicle, from a compact campervan to a large coachbuilt motorhome. Being accurate about your usage helps you get the right price, and policies are often tailored to the leisure pattern of motorhome ownership.
European and travel cover
Many motorhome owners tour abroad, so European cover is an important feature to check. Policies vary in how much European driving they include as standard and for how long, so if you plan extended trips on the continent, make sure your cover matches. You may also want cover for the journey and for getting home if the vehicle breaks down abroad, which links to specialist breakdown cover for larger vehicles.
Where you keep it and security
Because motorhomes are valuable and often parked up between trips, where you keep it and its security affect the premium. Secure storage, such as a locked compound or a drive with good security, and fitted alarms, trackers and immobilisers, can reduce the price and the risk of theft. Many specialist insurers recognise approved storage schemes. Good security is worthwhile both for the saving and for protecting a high-value vehicle.
Breakdown cover for large vehicles
A standard breakdown policy may not be suitable for a large, heavy motorhome, which can need specialist recovery equipment. If you want breakdown cover, make sure it is designed for motorhomes and can recover a vehicle of that size, including from abroad if you tour, as our guide to breakdown cover explains. Matching the breakdown cover to the vehicle avoids being stranded with a service that cannot help.
Agreed value for motorhomes
For a valuable motorhome, an agreed value policy can be worthwhile. With standard cover, a total loss is settled at market value, which the insurer estimates and which may not reflect what your motorhome, especially a well-equipped or cherished one, is really worth. An agreed value, set in advance with supporting evidence, fixes the figure you would receive, avoiding disputes after a write-off. For a high-value vehicle, this certainty can be valuable.
Campervans and self-build conversions
Campervans, including self-build and professional conversions, need cover that recognises the conversion and its value. A converted van is worth more than the base vehicle, and the fit-out, furniture and equipment should be covered. Declare the conversion accurately, and consider specialist insurers who understand campervans, particularly for self-builds, so that the work and equipment you have invested in are properly reflected in the cover and any payout.
Awnings, bikes and accessories
Motorhome owners often carry awnings, bike racks, outdoor furniture and other accessories, which may need specific cover or have limits under the contents section. Bikes carried on a rack, in particular, can be valuable and at risk of theft. Check whether these accessories are covered, and to what limit, so the gear that makes motorhome life enjoyable is protected, not left out of the cover by a low contents limit.
Seasonal and limited use
Many motorhomes are used seasonally and cover relatively few miles, and declaring limited mileage and seasonal use can reduce the premium. Be realistic about how much you use the vehicle, since exceeding a stated mileage could affect a claim. If the motorhome is your only or main vehicle and used year-round, the cover and price will reflect that, so describe your actual use accurately to get the right policy.
Insuring it as a second vehicle
For many owners a motorhome is a second vehicle alongside a car. Some insurers recognise this, and a no claims discount built on a car may, in some cases, be relevant, though rules vary. Keeping the motorhome securely stored and used carefully helps keep the premium down. As with any vehicle, comparing specialist motorhome insurers is the way to find cover suited to how you actually use it.
The bottom line for motorhome owners
A motorhome is a substantial investment that is both a vehicle and a home, so insure it with cover that protects both, usually comprehensive, with adequate limits for the fitted equipment and your belongings. Consider agreed value for a high-value vehicle, check European cover if you tour, store it securely, and arrange breakdown cover suited to its size. Specialist motorhome insurers understand these needs best, so compare them to find cover matched to how you travel.
Treated as both vehicle and home, and insured to reflect that, a motorhome can carry you on years of trips with the reassurance that the vehicle, its equipment and your belongings are all properly protected wherever the road takes you.
In short
Motorhome and campervan insurance combines motor cover with protection for the living equipment and belongings a motorhome carries, and is a legal requirement. Comprehensive cover is usually sensible given the value involved. Check the contents and equipment limits, European cover if you tour abroad, secure storage and its effect on price, and specialist breakdown cover suited to a large vehicle. Seasonal, lower-mileage use can reduce the premium.
Where to get help and next steps
Read our guides to caravan insurance if you also have a caravan, the types of cover, and breakdown cover. This is general information, not financial advice.