Flood Damage

OWNERS SHOULD BRACE THEMSELVES

Posted on February 12, 2025

Owners encouraged to take suitable steps to protect their investments...

Following a record number of storms during the last 12 months, static caravan and holiday lodge owners should prepare for an increased risk of storm damage, according to Compass, a specialist provider of caravan and leisure insurance. Strong winds, falling debris and flooding can cause severe structural damage, leaving owners facing costly repairs or replacements.

Recent weather events, such as Storm Ashley and Storm Bert, underscore the importance of taking preventative measures and securing comprehensive insurance coverage, particularly in coastal and rural areas popular with caravan owners.

Kevin Minnear, Head of Underwriting at Compass, said: “Static caravans are vulnerable to extreme weather, due to their fixed nature and exposed locations. We’ve already seen significant amounts of storm damage in 2024, with insurance claims currently exceeding £430,000. *Now that we are entering storm season, caravan owners should take appropriate preventative measures.”

The UK weather is hard to predict and, with flood and storm damage accounting for around 62% of all the claims Compass has received this year**, the company is keen to stress the importance of preparing for all eventualities. To prepare for the unpredictable UK weather, Compass is encouraging static caravan owners to review their insurance policies.

In addition, the company recommends taking steps such as securing the exterior and reinforcing anchoring systems to keep caravans firmly in place during high winds. Loose items, such as garden furniture or decorations, should be removed to prevent them from becoming projectiles in stormy conditions.

Roofs, windows, sidings and seals should be checked for vulnerabilities, with barriers also fitted in areas prone to flooding. Minnear continued: “Unlike bricks and mortar holiday homes, static caravans are particularly susceptible to damage from storms, so being suitably prepared can make all the difference.

As a result, caravan owners should make sure they have adequate insurance in place, as this can significantly reduce stress and financial burden. On top of offering vital protection against storm damage, other benefits can include emergency assistance for repairs, as well as support for alternative accommodation during repair periods.

Minnear continued: “Time is critical when dealing with storm damage. Fortunately, our policies are designed to provide swift support, helping our customers get back to enjoying their static caravans again as soon as possible.”

Compass Insurance
0344 274 0276
www.compass.co.uk

*Data collected from Compass static caravan/park home claims in the past 12 months

** Figure calculated from Compass static caravan/park home claims from 1 January 2024 to 22 November 2024

On top of offering vital protection against storm damage, other benefits can include emergency assistance for repairs.

BRACE FOR INCREASED STORM DAMAGE

Posted on October 26, 2023

BRACE FOR INCREASED STORM DAMAGE

CLAIMS FOR STORM damage is increasing due to climate change impacts on UK weather.

Static caravan and lodge owners should prepare for the likelihood of increased storm damage due to climate change, according to Compass, a specialist provider of caravan and leisure insurance.

The company saw a 16% increase in total claims caused by storm damage between 2021 and 2022. The insurer is warning owners to ensure their caravan is storm-ready and also to check they have comprehensive insurance.

During 2022, 32% of Compass’ static caravan claims were due to storm damage. In one such instance, an entire static caravan was destroyed during a storm, resulting in a £148,590 claim.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Due to the effects of climate change, claims for storm and flood damage have the potential to increase in the coming years, making it even more important that static caravan owners purchase insurance to protect their home-away-from-home as extreme weather events become more frequent.

According to the Met Office 2, July 2023 was one of the wettest on record, with many parks across the country also being impacted by unseasonably windy weather, with gusts of up to 55mph recorded in Devon, Gwynedd, and Northumberland.

Analysis of claims data highlights how unpredictable UK weather can be. As a result of Storms Dudley, Eunice, and Franklin 3, February 2022 saw a significant increase in the number of claims for storm damage, up more than 2,000% on the previous year.

BEYOND REPAIR
In the UK, it is not a legal requirement to insure a static caravan. However, it is a condition of many caravan parks that caravan owners have adequate insurance to cover damage to their property when it is on-site. This insurance will also ensure a safe and efficient removal of the unit, should it be destroyed beyond repair.

Even if not completely destroyed, storm and flood damage can make a static caravan completely uninhabitable. “Unlike bricks and mortar holiday homes, static caravans are particularly susceptible to damage from storms or floods,” points out Karen Stacey, Managing Director of Compass.

“Unpredictable weather events, especially flash floods caused by heavy rain on parched ground during the summer, can cause a significant amount of damage to static caravans. “We know caravan parks do everything they can to protect the units on their site all year round but freak storms and the damage they cause are somewhat out of their control.

“Caravan owners should make sure that they have adequate insurance for their unit and take the time to do regular maintenance to ensure any damage is kept to a minimum.” For more information on specialist caravan and leisure insurance, visit compass.co.uk

Death By Drowning For Stricken Parks

Posted on March 8, 2016

Death By Drowning For Stricken Parks

caravanflood

Flood waters caused damage to parks in the North.

Severe storms battered the UK at the end of last year, causing devastating floods and damage to a number of holiday parks in the North of the country.

In light of the recent floods, Britain’s Secretary of State for tourism has been told that Northern England’s visitor industry could suffer ‘death by drowning’ if more attention isn’t paid to maintaining the region’s waterways.

The warning was delivered by chairman of the BH&HPA Henry Wild at a major London tourism conference. Mr Wild said that the aftermath of December’s deluges had shown the potentially devastating impact that flooding could have on the tourism industry, particulary in Cumbria and Lancashire. He said there needed to be a body appointed with clearly defined responsibilities for ensuring that waterways were capable of removing surface water from the land.

“It appears that many holidaymakers have been heeding the message that Cumbria is determined to be back on its feet by spring with repairs made to much of our damaged infrastructure,” he said.

“We now need a clear road map which identifies the agency and the resources available to it for tackling the problem of an ever-rising water table.”

Deeside Holiday Park in Aberdeenshire was totally submerged when the nearby River Dee burst its banks due to heavy rain gales were swept in by Storm Frank. Residents, guests and staff were evacuated on December 30 at 2pm and by 3.30pm the entire site was underwater. Flood water surged through the park once more on January 3, causing further destruction.

“The park has been completely devastated,” explains Sarah Wood MacGregor of Wood Leisure, owners of Deeside Park.

“The reception is the only building left standing as it is on higher ground but everything else, including all the lodges, holiday homes and caravans have been demolished.

“We had some flood defences in place, but as a fairly low risk area no one could have predicted the sheer volume and power of the water that hit the park. We are just counting our lucky stars that no-one was injured.”

A major clean-up operation is underway at Deeside as water levels began to subside. Wood Leisure hopes that the park will be up and running again in time for the summer season.

Sarah adds: “We are remaining optimistic, but we have a long road ahead. We will be investing in new flood defences and hope to have some parts of the park open in the spring.”

A recent report by specialist insurance broker Towergate revealed that over the past five years, more than a third of small businesses have experienced property damage from bad weather. Yet three in five aren’t insured against flooding, high winds, thunder and lightning, snow, ice or hail – risking footing the bill for £74,000 worth of property damage on average.

Commenting on the findings, Drew Wotherspoon from Towergate, said: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of the UK economy, but too many firms are not protecting themselves against the erratic nature of British weather, leaving themselves open to footing the bill for substantial damages and losing out on business earnings.

“It’s vital that small business owners take heed of weather warnings and take precautionary measures to allow them to weather the storm and get back to business as quickly as possible.”