Compass Insurance

BIBLICAL CHALLENGES

Posted on May 5, 2021

BIBLICAL CHALLENGES

Insurance companies respond to unprecedented times...

It has been an unprecedented period for holiday park operators with challenges of biblical proportions as they faced floods, a global plague and a stop-start famine then feast on bookings. It is a period that has also challenged insurance cover suppliers to step up for their holiday park customers. Given the extraordinary circumstances of Covid, one of the hottest insurance topics has been Business Interruption (BI) cover. Long-awaited clarity about how BI claims should be handled came with the publication of the Supreme Court judgement on 15th January 2021. Not all customers will have the specific cover the test case referred to, which means that not all customers’ policies will be expected to cover Covid. The process of assessing BI claims is a complex one, and there are steps that need to be followed in order to submit a valid claim. Specialist insurers are working with the holiday trade who had the relevant policy coverage to confirm and assess their claims as quickly as they can. Champions of the Park Protect Scheme, David Moffat, Associate Director, of PIB Insurance Brokers says: “Unfortunately the pandemic has coincided with a significant hardening of the insurance market with insurance rates for certain types of insurance increasing markedly in recent months.

PARK PROTECT
“This often happens at a time of uncertainty as it usually comes with increases in claims and the insurance market reacts accordingly,” David explains. “Insurers have seen increasing claims costs, particularly from natural disasters but also due to an increasingly litigious society,” David continues. “As insurer profitability declines, they either decide to exit unprofitable markets or increase premiums.” Meanwhile, Leisuredays have been working hard, often behind the scenes: “We worked hard to educate caravan and lodge owners that their units remained at risk during lockdown using press releases, online content and through our advisers,” says Gareth Walker, Head of Leisuredays Development. “Covid, may have meant parks were closed for long periods but the winds still blow, rivers still flood, thieves still steal and pipes still freeze,” Gareth continues. “We calculate over 90% of claims could still occur even when units are unoccupied and parks closed, with storm and flood, fire, vermin damage and theft topping the list of claim types,” says Gareth. With parks’ income drying up overnight, it was clear that specialist insurance companies needed to do whatever we could as quickly as possible to help customers through the lockdown period. Compass were quick out of the blocks, developing a tailored product, Compass Essentials, which was offered to all holiday park businesses from May 2020. The product was designed to ensure all park customers, existing and new, could be offered a discount or refund of some sort. It largely worked on the premise that parks’ insurance needs changed, as a direct result of being closed to the public. For many, this meant liability covers could be reduced without putting the park business at risk. By further eliminating less critical covers such as frozen food cover and accidental damage, many parks were able to secure immediate premium refunds of up to 25%.

HOME OWNERS
Several Compass insured parks have experienced flooding in the past six months, and a few have been very badly affected. Over half of the claims that Compass handles relate to flood and storm. One of the biggest lockdown issues for holiday home owners has been their ability to comply with insurance policy conditions. Holiday caravan owners also need to think about their sums insured as pressures on the supply chain mean that the cost of replacing caravans is likely to increase sharply, if only for the next 12 – 18 months “Coronavirus has had a significant impact on the way in which holiday caravan and lodge manufacturers can operate,” Richard Walker, of Compass points out. “Coupled with supply chain issues, this has resulted in fewer units being produced at a time when staycation bookings and new caravan/ lodge sales have boomed. “The high demand for the units that are available could potentially impact any total losses experienced by parks and their customers in the next year or so. “The fact that the dearth in available units is driving up prices may also be relevant, as will the increased costs of many of the materials used in caravan/ lodge construction,” Paula adds. Once parks re-opened, Leisuredays say they dealt with a record number of insurance enquiries as parks enjoyed healthy sales of new units.

RECORD NUMBERS

“For those suffering temporary financial difficulty as a result of Covid, we were able to defer payments or waive cancellation charges,” says Gareth. “If a customer asked to cancel their policy but was intending to keep their unit uninsured, we would do everything possible to keep them insured because the last thing they needed on top of everything else was an uncovered bill for a caravan repair or replacement. The closing of parks at the end of October also brought difficulties for customers to drain down their units for winter in line with insurance policy terms. “We were able to offer flexibility for customers to arrange for their parks to drain down within an extended timeframe yet maintain full cover until this was completed,” he adds. Leisuredays set about making it even easier for park customers by offering a new online renewal portal so they could renew 24/7. Gareth explains: “To ease any stress, we provided an up to 10% uplift to policy sum insured at no charge. “This was beneficial to customers on a new for old policy who have to insure at the price of a brand-new equivalent unit.” In effect, the Leisuredays approach meant the customer could renew and be sure their caravan would be fully replaced with a new one on the park – it also reassured the parks that the customer would have sufficient funds to replace their unit via them.

SUFFICIENT FUNDS
“If anything, our way of working with parks has worked extremely well during the pandemic,” Gareth emphasises. “Because our parks work with us as Introducer Appointed Representatives they effectively introduce the customer to us for us to quote, then setup and administrate policies. “When parks re-opened in July 2020, many parks were keen to maximise sales so they bundled our free insurance offer with new units as a deal sweetener. “This proved extremely popular for new owners who wanted everything to be provided as part of the purchase package.” Gareth believes Covid has made self- administration of customer insurance even less attractive for holiday park operators. “We’re even more confident the route of introducing to a specialist like ourselves delivers better results,” says Gareth. “Letting a specialist such as Leisuredays do the insurance admin lets them concentrate on their core business. Gareth adds: “We firmly believe they’re in for a bumper season of demand for holiday caravan sales and holidays so they need to make hay whilst the sun shines in that regard – why let insurance get in the way?”

COMPANY CONTACTS

Compass Insurance
Tel. 0344 274 0276
enquiries@compass.co.uk
www.compassparks.co.uk

Leisuredays Insurance
Tel. 01422 396 693
parkoperator@leisuredays.co.uk
www.leisuredays.co.uk

PIB Insurance Brokers
Tel. 01422 358 525
david.moffat@pib-insurance.com
www.pib-insurance.com/business/hospitality/caravan-and-holiday-park-insurance

BEST IMPRESSIONS

Posted on January 25, 2021

TATTERSHALL LAKES’ OUTDOOR ROOF BAR benefits from a strategic tensile canopy. Pic Fordingbridge

BEST IMPRESSIONS

Never has there been more attention on outdoor space, as Sue Hollingshead reports…

With the advent of a ‘new normal’ you could argue it has never been more important to ensure the outdoor space on our holiday destinations, not just meets but exceeds customer expectations. As we witness the stampede to UK holiday parks, demands on our outdoor space have been dramatically heightened with the combined influences of social distancing, and the need to stay at a safe distance, coinciding with a renewed interest in the great outdoors. “The initial first impression when a customer arrives on the park is paramount and can set the scene for the remainder of their stay,” believes Sian Gomersall, Group Marketing Services Manager, Poole Bay Holdings. “To create a great outdoor experience for owners and holiday makers alike, it is vital that holiday parks create a warm and inviting atmosphere,” she adds. “We offer recycled plastic furniture that has a host of benefits and lasts 25 years so there is no need to replace it for a long time,” Sian continues.

“Play areas for children are a big plus and again, recycled plastic outdoor play furniture such as play boats and planes can encourage little ones to explore imaginative play,” she says. Doug Barr, Sales Manager at Woodberry, points out “Customer flow and signage is also key to a great visitor experience, knowing where to park for reception, which way to go, what to do, all helps people feel relaxed and reassured - especially after this year of uncertainty.” It is not just about the landscaping, entrance layout, and perfectly planted floral pots, all of which are indeed important. Throw in a tidy grassed area, well maintained gardens, thoughtful customer-focused layouts into the mix and you are moving towards the ultimate top rates on reviews. Discreet bin storage is an essential day to day management element that can adversely affect the atmosphere if not managed effectively. Park lighting strategies are needed for visibility and safety, however, is also a vital part of the aesthetics. Small pockets of communal seating, in open spaces within the park, are essential for creating good aesthetics and areas for relaxation.

The children’s playground is typically a well populated area and an area where seating is important as Doug explains: “Seating is always a welcome addition adjacent to playgrounds, parents are on holiday too so they get to relax whilst still keeping an eye on their children and enjoying family time together. “It is also well known that timber play equipment has more anti-bacterial qualities than metal or plastic as wood naturally kills bacteria on surfaces quickly,” Doug adds.

“DEMANDS ON OUTDOOR SPACE HAVE BEEN DRAMATICALLY HEIGHTENED."

PERSONAL SPACE

Well-managed communal areas are great, but we do all like our own space don’t we. Therefore a few finishing touches of accommodation essentials should surely include for outdoor tables, chairs, parasol, BBQ and maybe an outdoor hot tub. “Within a holiday park, it is vital that the private lodge area has everything a visitor would want,” Sian emphasises.

“The option of a BBQ and dining tables and chairs create a home from home environment. Recycled plastic furniture can be wiped cleaned, meaning that the visitors can simply wipe down after a rain shower and use immediately. Decking and walkways can also be created from recycled plastic with an anti-slip finish for a safe environment. Recycled plastic raised beds would also be a great addition for summertime with blooming flowers, adding a nice touch of colour to the outside area of a cabin/lodge. EV charging facilities are now pivotal. In September, electric vehicle registrations increased by 183.4% compared to the same period last year. “Visitors will be at peace of mind knowing that the destination offers EV charging, whether that be free charging or tariff-based charging,” says Sultana Rahman, Marketing & Social Co-ordinator at Rolec Services. “As the government have set out plans to completely abolish the sales of diesel and petrol vehicles, the need for charging points at such destinations is fundamental and will be a determining factor towards which caravan/holiday park they decide to visit.”

PEDAL POWER

With the major uptake of cycling this summer, it would be a mistake to forget cycle storage, advises Fraser Dixon, Business Development Manager at Fordingbridge . “It makes perfect sense to promote cycling through a holiday park,” says Fraser. “Guests, more often than not, are looking for a healthy outdoor lifestyle when away, and anything to promote this is a definite must. “Not only will you have the safety benefits from reduced traffic through the park, but it also creates a feeling of wellbeing with guests. “That said, it is wise to move away from generic steel cycle stores in a holiday park setting; the last thing you want to achieve is remind guests of their daily commute to the train station when on holiday,” he says. Covered cycle areas can be pretty too; living sedum roof structures or flowing tensile canopies serve the need perfectly and complement the surroundings without looking utilitarian. Doug adds: “A good option is to have a few bike storage areas around the park, not necessarily that each accommodation has one – but so there won’t be one far away.” However you prioritise the multiple elements of your outdoor space management strategy, the overall principle is the same; to deliver the ultimate customer satisfaction to trigger return visits and repeat business, a worthwhile investment in your annual business planning

 

COMPANY CONTACTS
Woodberry of Lemington Spa
www.woodberry.co.uk
Fordingbridge
www.fordingbridge.co.uk
Poole Bay Holdings
www.poolebayholdings.co.uk
Rolec Services
www.rolecserv.co.uk

 

ATTENTION TO OUTDOORS DETAIL

Offering the ultimate flexibility for kerbside working, a Quad Chip 160 from Green Mech is the chipper of choice for Andrew Steel of AS Tree care - assisting him in delivering domestic tree works in and around Surrey and South West London. With parking and space at a premium in tight urban and suburban locations, the 360-degree turntable of the Quad Chip improves the speed and efficiency with which both timber and brash can be processed.

Green Mech - www.greenmech.co.uk

 

 

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY WITHOUT DOOR COVER

pic: Fordingbridge

On any park, the cost of buying and maintaining outdoor essential equipment can quickly add up. Compass Insurance recommend you record the replacement value of all your equipment, no matter how large, small, cheap or expensive the items are, ideally backed up with evidence of values, such as receipts. It will then be easier to make insurance claims (or make the decisions not to claim) should they get damaged or destroyed. As with any other equipment on a park, the likes of bike shelters, racks, bins, seating and other outdoor furniture will need to be regularly inspected for damage, wear and tear etc. All equipment should be kept in good condition and records of all risk assessments made, maintenance, checking, cleaning etc. should be formally documented and kept readily accessible. This is particularly important in relation to any Public Liability that might arise.

Compass Insurance
Tel. 0344 274 0277
www.compassparks.co.uk

Holiday Park Innovation PREVIEW

Posted on October 31, 2019

Holiday Park Innovation PREVIEW

ABOVE: More than 4,000 visitors are expected for this month’s Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show.

Underlining its reputation as one of the leading holiday park shows in Europe, this month’s Holiday Park Innovation aims to attract over 4,000 key decision makers in the industry to the NEC for its unmissable annual gathering. For added appeal, the event from November 6 to 7 inclusive, reinforces its recipe for success by running other rural shows alongside, including the Farm Business Innovation Show, Family Attraction Expo, and our launch show, the Leisure Food and Beverage Expo. The Holiday Park & Resort Innovation Show is dedicated to providing the country’s most ambitious holiday park and resort owners and managers with the best advice, services, and products to make their holiday business stand out from the rest. With 400 exhibitors and 170 seminars dedicated to the industry, it’s the perfect opportunity to create the idyllic getaway for your customers. Learn the latest industry knowledge and gain insight into the newest innovations and technology currently available. If the exhibitors themselves were not enough to pack your visit, over the two days, the organisers offer a tempting seminar programme backed by insightful speakers.

Take some time to visit the Keynote theatre from 11 am to 4 pm. On both days speakers will be covering topics as broad as Post-Brexit Tourism, Maximising the Natural Environment, and Busting Outdoor Accommodation Myths while Hoseasons’ Shelley D’Arcy discusses the benefits of using land for the holiday market. Three other theatres offer stand-out presentations from 11 am to 4 pm daily covering subjects as varied as holiday hot tubs, playground design, to water conservation. Look out for Vicky Parr, from Visit England, discussing ways of boosting your business for holiday makers in the UK while Dave Courteen of Mosaic Spa and Health Clubs will outline How to Create a Profitable On-Site Leisure. So what are you waiting for? Register for your free tickets via the Holiday Park & Resort Innovation show website with your chance to see the show first hand.

  • ABOVE: The exhibition is supported by 170 seminars all targeting the holiday destination sector.
  • ABOVE: Event exhibitors offer the best advice, services, and products to ensure holiday businesses stand out from the crowd.
  • ABOVE: Some 400 exhibitors offer an insight into the newest innovations and technology currently available.

As the main media partner to the event, Holiday Park Scene is a B2B print and on-line magazine for the holiday park sector, earning itself a reputation as an essential read for anyone involved in holiday park management. Packed with fresh ideas and essential reading for anyone who runs or works in a holiday park the magazine is available on-line at www.holidayparkscene.com Holiday Park Scene offers the inside track on the latest market news and reports covering all aspects of holiday park management. Most importantly, Holiday Park Scene provides you with a targeted platform to promote your products and services across all areas of the UK and Eire holiday park sector. If you would like to get involved with this exciting publication, please don`t hesitate to visit the team at the show or make direct contact now, to help us understand how to make you stand out from the crowd.

Exhibition Showcase

British Holiday & Home Parks Association
Tel. 01452 526911
Web. bhhpa.org.uk

BusinessesForSale.com
Web. businessesforsale.com/sell

Family Holiday Association
Tel: 0203 117 0650
Web: familyholidayassociation.org.uk


Fordingbridge
Tel. 01243 554455
Web. fordingbridge.co.uk

Gemapark
Tel. 01983 282420
Web. gemapark.co.uk

Light Sauce
Tel. 0845 470 6060
Web. light-sauce.co.uk

Marquis Spas
Tel. 07722 187272
Web. marquishottubs.co.uk/holidaypark

Suntrap Systems
Tel. 0121-428 1155
Web. suntrap-systems.co.uk

Wicksteed Playgrounds
Tel. 01536 517028
Web. wicksteed.co.uk

Wilby Park Protect Insurance
Tel. 01422 358 525
Web. parkprotect.co.uk

AstralPool
Tel. 01329 514000
Email. sales@astralpooluk.com

Just One Click

Posted on September 10, 2019

Just One Click

The case for running an on-line booking system almost speaks for itself.
Because holiday destinations that move to full online bookings, typically, see increased in turnover – and profit -- of 40-50%.
You can cut overheads too. Parks who change to automated systems, regularly reduce staff administration costs by 30%.
I call that a win, win situation. Yet many older or smaller parks still work with wall charts, diaries and spreadsheets. So why the reluctance to make the switch?
“For a significant percentage, they have a small park and it is always full and they feel they don’t need a bespoke booking systems,” explains Dawn Bee, who runs one of the industry’s most popular systems in GemaPark.
“For others, it is a reluctance to lose the ability to talk to -- and vet -- their customers,” Dawn adds.
Allocate is a flexible online booking system you can embed in your existing website that is ideal for holiday home lettings and campsite bookings.
“There are some campsites that operate under the 28 day rule that don’t believe they would benefit sufficiently from a booking system,” comments Allocate’s Charles Holdsworth.
“Some of these are cash-only sites where few, if any, arrangements are made in advance,” he adds.
“Over the last five years though, the rise of payment systems that do not have a fixed monthly fee has made booking systems far more attractive to the seasonal market, even those with a low turnover.”
Smaller sites can be victims of their own success as they tend to have several lines of business and the time they can devote to each is limited. In this case, the booking system will ease the burden of taking bookings and simplifying all customer interactions.
SEASONAL MARKET
Charles again: “The smallest of customers with just a handful of pitches that takes around 100 bookings a year would find it impractical to operate without an online booking system that make running a small establishment viable. Dawn says smaller business still need to be a step ahead on the competition.
“As the parks around them go online, offering more convenience to the newer web-orientated generation of customers, they will eventually have to follow,” she predicts.
“A booking system will undoubtedly make your life easier but more importantly it makes your customers life easier.
“It’s a question of service, of talking to a new generation of customer in the way they want to communicate. “ The benefits are significant. Customer service can increase massively because the process is consistent for every customer.

Booking documents, welcome letters and other documentation, can all be automated so if there is an issue, you fix it one place and it’s fixed for everyone.
Dawn points out: “Cash flow is better and by automating collection of deposit and balance before arrival, no-shows are massively reduced.” Driving direct bookings is key to maximising returns, she adds: “Without their own booking system, the lion’s share of bookings will have a hefty commission,” Charles emphasises.
“People expect to be able to book online, at any time of day or night. Sites are keen to keep all their bookings in one place, to that end, when they receive calls they will either direct the customer to make the booking online or enter the booking online for them.
As one smaller site operator said: “I’m fed up with all the interruptions to manage phone and email bookings”.
This is a common theme, the amount of time a booking system saves is considerably more than people estimate. Online bookings automate the collection of money too which was always a time -consuming burden.
The management information a good booking system provides is invaluable, whether to manage guest arrivals, to prepare on site services, or to organise third party activities.
An interface to an accounts package is another way a booking system can reduce overheads, there is no need for double entry of data.
The data can also be reviewed to analyse the customer base and booking patterns in order to appropriately focus marketing activity.
But what if the system crashed and the great Internet in the sky lets us down.
Dawn admits, it can happen but urges: “A ‘cloud’ solution is a lot more reliable than your work PC and will have full backups.
“They are very rarely down and then rarely for longer than a few minutes.
“You can still print off daily arrival reports, the night before as a fall back, if you want to.” Unfortunately, nowadays, even the most clued-up of businesses are still vulnerable to a cyber-attack. As a result, the popularity of cyber-specific insurance products is growing.
While existing insurance policies such as commercial property, business interruption or professional indemnity insurance may provide some elements of cover against cyber risks, businesses are increasingly buying specialised cyber insurance policies to supplement their existing insurance arrangements, particularly if they:
• hold sensitive customer details such as names and addresses or banking information
• rely heavily on IT systems and websites to conduct their business
• process payment card information as a matter of course.
Many insurers, including Compass, include technical assistance with managing a breach as part of the insurance policy.
Adding-on cyber insurance cover is widely available, but as with all insurance, quality can vary and from an economical perspective, it would be sensible for parks to seek out add on products that ‘wrap around’ their existing cover.
CYBER PROTECTION
First-party cyber insurance covers your business’s own assets.
Third-party cyber insurance covers the assets of others too, typically your customers.
With reliable booking systems out there, and supplied with reliable safety nets, we would urge you to take the leap for your 2020 bookings – and reap the rewards.

COMPANY CONTACTS
Allocate
Tel. 01732 316613
www.allocate.co.uk
Compass
Tel. 01452 511430
www.compass.co.uk
Gemapark
Tel. 01983 282420
www.gemapark.co.uk

Champagne Compass Celebrations

Posted on September 10, 2019

Champagne Compass Celebrations

Binnacle was established in a unique, strategic alliance between BH&HPA and Rural & Commercial Holdings back in December 2018.
The name Binnacle was chosen for the business because a binnacle supports and houses a ship’s compass.
Some six months later, it was celebrations all round this summer, when the Compass team were able to finally and formally celebrate the re-birth of their scheme.
The official grand opening of the airy new Binnacle/Compass offices took place in Pullman Court in Gloucester, which is also home to the British Holiday and Home Parks Association (BH&HPA).
Invited guests were welcomed by both the Compass and BH&HPA teams for a champagne lunch and a blue ribbon was cut to mark the occasion.
In welcoming everyone to the event, BH&HPA National Chairman Andrew Baragwanath explained how important it is to the Association to ensure that the right insurance cover and services are available to park business and their customers. He also outlined some of the history of the Compass Scheme, which dates back to 1976, and explained the work involved in establishing Binnacle.
Compass
Tel: 0344 274 0277
www.compassinsuranceservices.co.uk

Timely Cover

Posted on May 15, 2018

Timely Cover

Timely Cover

Compass, a trading brand of Thistle Insurance Services, is keeping its fingers crossed that this summer will be accident and incident free for its customers. The chances are that something will go amiss on a handful of parks over this busy period, so they have issued some timely advice. In the event of an accident involving a customer always do the obvious first! If the emergency services need to be called, do so immediately and ensure people are in place to guide them to the site of the incident. Be kind and sympathetic. It would not be advisable to enter into a debate about the cause of the accident, but apologising to a customer that the visit/holiday experience hasn’t gone as planned isn’t the same as admitting liability and can help to ensure that matters don’t escalate. Gather information immediately, as any delay can mean that things get missed or mixed-up. Conducting suitable and sufficient risk assessments is a legal requirement. For further general advice on risk assessment, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/. If a claim arises, your insurer/broker will need to know whether or not you have taken reasonable precautions to prevent the accident or incident occurring. There’s no excuse for not carrying out regular risk assessments. There are plenty of companies out there that can do this for you if you need help. It’s really important that you can produce documented (written down) evidence that you have used a tried and tested risk management system if a claim arises.

 

Just a Penny More…

Posted on March 7, 2017

Just a Penny More...

A holiday experience wouldn’t be complete without trying your luck on the prize crane or the coin tipping machine. In fact, the arcade has been a staple attraction of the Great British seaside holiday since the early 1900’s. Part of the Bourne Leisure group, Haven currently operates 37 arcades at its parks across the UK and has seen a shift from traditional arcades moving to all-encompassing family entertainment centres. “Our guest feedback indicates that arcades are a valued part of the holiday offering.

Arcades have long been and are still very much part of the seaside family holiday.

I wouldn’t suggest that anyone books a holiday based purely on the arcade offering, as we have seen a focus towards our Nature Rockz activities, but it is a very wellused facility and part of the overall holiday experience,” says Kevin Scott, Head of Arcades at Bourne Leisure. “The arcades are now environments where families can play together and often we include other family products such as soft play.” Redemption games, where the player is rewarded proportionally to their score, are Haven’s most popular arcade games, closely followed by cranes and coin pushers.

 

“We have expanded the redemption and prize offers at the expense of the gaming element of the business. A very high proportion of our games offer has a prize element which is very well received by both the holiday makers and our owners,” reveals Kevin. He adds: “Arcades have long been and are still very much part of the seaside family holiday and there is no indication to suggest that this will change in the near future.” Before investing in arcade games and equipment, it is advisable to seek advice from a reputable dealer or manufacturer, who offers a warranty and will give you fast and efficient after-sales care and service for the entire life of the equipment.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL  “Too many park owners become totally disillusioned by a particular attraction that has failed in the past and this fazes their judgement for ever buying anything similar ever again - all because they were badly advised in the very beginning,” comments David Robinson of World of Rides. He continues: “Never buy any rides or equipment based on the lowest price, as every month we receive at least one sad story of cheap failed equipment at peak times of the season, which has resulted in lost income, and more importantly, disappointment and lost customer satisfaction.”

World of Rides is a leading UK manufacturer of battery operated land and water-based leisure rides. The company’s three biggest selling rides for 2017 so far are the fully operational Driving School Car, which has all the same controls as any normal road car, the glow in the dark Future Bike, which has under-LED lighting, and the new Baby Beetle Car for smaller children. “Our entire 12v/24v range of rides are becoming very much more popular with holiday park owners, partly due to the fact that they are nearly all able to carry either two children or a parent and child, but also because they all run without any noise, air or water pollution,” says David. “With trade prices starting at only £2,750 each, they still remain the highest earning children’s rides, due to them being fully directional and interactive with the riders.” According to David, really good rides and amusements will normally achieve full return on investment a number of times over in any one season, providing that they are operated correctly and looked after.

LIFE SPAN  “All modern EEC and UK made rides have a long life expectancy, but in order to keep guests and visitors coming back every year, and incomes retained at their maximum, the rides should ideally be run on a rolling five-year-plan, with at least one new ride attraction being added to the park every year,” says David. “After that, each ride should be subsequently downgraded or replaced after year five, depending on its continued income potential and key position in the park,” he adds. For holiday parks that choose to hire their arcade equipment, it is advisable to work with fully vetted and experienced operators who use up-to-date rides that are tested and documented using H.S.E.-ADIPS safety testing every year. It is also important to check that the operator can show documentary evidence of themselves being fully insured for Public Liability for a minimum £10,000,000, in the event of any incident.

INSURANCE MATTERS  Another key consideration is to ensure that your arcade equipment is covered by a suitable insurance policy. According to Compass Insurance, the key message when it comes to rides and machines - whether they are relatively simple coin-operated equipment or larger, more complex facilities - is to have a conversation with your insurer or broker before you go ahead and sign a hire agreement or make a purchase. “Park owners and managers should be aware that your insurer or broker may decline cover,” advises Chris Jones, Retail Underwriting Manager at Thistle Insurance Services. “An increase in premium could otherwise apply – and in the worst case scenario this could make the rides or machines commercially unviable. It’s always best to have the conversation up front.”

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Risky Business

Posted on January 26, 2016

One of the best ways to reduce the cost of your insurance is to demonstrate that your business has a responsible health and safety practice in place.

One of the best ways to reduce the cost of your insurance is to demonstrate that your business has a responsible health and safety practice in place.

Risky Business

There’s no doubt about it, insurance is complicated. The amount of jargon associated with the subject can be off-putting for many, and can make finding the right insurance product a difficult and complex process.

However, choosing the right insurance partner can be the difference between success and failure in the event of a catastrophe.
Holiday parks offer a unique blend of risk to the insurance market. By their very nature, parks are exposed to the elements, presenting an accumulation of challenges to the insurer.
According to Compass Insurance, storm damage is the highest claimed peril on holiday and caravan parks, followed by accidental damage and escape of water or burst pipes. These perils make up 50 per cent of the company’s received claim volumes. The remaining 50 per cent is made up of theft, liability, fire, impact, and subsidence claims.

“We have discovered that although the needs of individual park owners vary, there are three distinct elements of essential park insurance to consider – material damage, liability cover and financial protection,” explains Dave Sheath, managing director at Compass.
“Essential holiday park insurance should cover buildings and structures, hire fleet and sales stock, underground services, contents, loss of rent or alternative accommodation, Business Interruption, Public Liability and Employer’s Liability.”

Holiday parks offer a unique blend of risk to the insurance market. By their very nature, parks are exposed to the elements, presenting an accumulation of challenges to the insurer.

Holiday parks offer a unique blend of risk to the insurance market. By their very nature, parks are exposed to the elements, presenting an accumulation of challenges to the insurer.

In addition to ensuring the essential areas of cover are in place, careful consideration should always be given to the sums insured declared. By under estimating sums insured, to potentially save on premium costs, park businesses could be exposed to risks by being underinsured.
Appointed by The British Holiday & Home Parks Association (BH&HPA) to serve the interests of its members, Compass offers two bespoke policies; a Compass General policy and a Compass Park Owned policy. As well as providing essential cover, the bespoke policies also of a range of products that can be tailored to meet the needs of the park, including Contractors All Risks, Fidelity Guarantee and Employment Practices Liability, Environmental Liability and Cyber Liability.
“Operating in a changing environment will mean your business is faced with new and emerging risks,” says Dave. “With this in mind, you may want to consider new policies. It is worth considering all options available as the cost of extending cover or purchasing new risks may not be as expensive as you think.”

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Prize Draw Pays Off For Lucky Park Owners

Posted on December 19, 2014

Prize Draw Pays Off For Lucky Park Owners

mower

Compass account executive Paul Willcox (right) congratulates Clive and Lisa Wilson of Swallow Point Holiday Park in Somerset.

Four lucky holiday park owners have taken delivery of brand new ride-on lawnmowers, after being selected as winners of a prize draw organised by Compass Insurance.

Hundreds of park owners and operators entered the competition when they visited the Compass stand at two major caravan shows in the north and south of England last September.

The first four names pulled out of the hat have each been presented with a state-of-the-art Kubota mower. The winners were Julian Hiles from Friary Farm Caravan Park in Norfolk, Elspeth Sutton of Sandgreen Caravan Park in Dumfries, Nicky Colls of Brean Down Caravan Park in Somerset and Clive Wilson of Swallow Point Holiday Park also in Somerset.

Winner Clive Wilson commented: “We take great pride in providing an immaculate and well cared-for environment for our caravan holiday home owners, and this will help us maintain the high standards they expect. “We’re very grateful to Compass, and our new Kubota mower will prove a wonderful asset.”

Adrian Scott, managing director of Compass Insurance added: “We are delighted that these four parks have won the ride-on lawnmowers offered through the Compass Insurance prize draw.

“We wanted to offer some really great prizes – we hope that the parks get years of mowing satisfaction!”