How to get temporary motorhome insurance
Temporary motorhome insurance is short-term cover for a motorhome you own or borrow. Policies can provide cover for theft, damage, contents and roadside assistance
Key takeaways
Temporary cover can be cost-effective for people who use their motorhomes infrequently or borrow one from a friend or family - instead of paying for annual motorhome cover, you can buy cover per day
While offering flexibility, temporary motorhome insurance can be more expensive per day than annual policies and may offer less comprehensive cover
If you own a motorhome and park it on a public road, you will need annual cover. If you park on private land, you should still consider an annual policy as this will cover you if your motorhome is stolen
What is temporary motorhome insurance?
Temporary motorhome insurance works in a similar way to temporary car insurance.
Temporary motorhome insurance is a short-term policy designed specifically for motorhomes. It provides cover for a limited time, ranging from one day to several months.
It can be a flexible alternative to annual policies, allowing owners to pay only for the cover they need at the time.
If you rent a motorhome from a rental company, it will usually arrange the insurance for you. But, if you are borrowing a motorhome from a family member or a friend, you’ll need to arrange insurance yourself.
Who should consider this insurance?
It’s a legal requirement to have motorhome insurance if you drive your motorhome on public roads.
Temporary motorhome insurance can be useful for:
People borrowing a motorhome from friends or family
Motorhome owners who use their vehicle infrequently
If you only drive your motorhome for short periods and buy temporary motorhome cover, you’ll need to register your motorhome as off the road (SORN) for the rest of the year via the Government website. SORN means you won’t be able to drive or park your vehicle on public roads.
Cover and benefits
As with car insurance, cover levels for temporary motorhome insurance can be:
Third party
This is the minimum level of cover you need to legally drive on UK roads. It only covers damage done to other drivers and vehicles
Third party, fire and theft (TPFT)
This includes third party cover and also cover if your motorhome is damaged by fire or stolen
Comprehensive
This includes TPFT cover and also covers both your motorhome and injuries to you and your passengers if you are at fault in an accident.
Additional add-ons can include:
Breakdown cover
Keys cover
Courtesy car cover
Read more about breakdown cover for caravans and trailers.
Do I need it?
Deciding whether you need temporary motorhome insurance depends on your circumstances. Here are situations where this insurance might be useful:
Short-term motorhome users
You can buy cover for short trips if you borrow a motorhome from friends or family and are not covered by their insurance
Motorhome owners
If your motorhome is SORN and kept on private land most of the year, temporary cover can be used for any trips you take.
Renting a motorhome
Insurance will usually be included as part of the rental or offered at an extra cost.
What does it cover?
Temporary motorhome policies typically include:
Damage protection
This insurance protects your motorhome from damage due to collisions and natural disasters like storms or floods
Theft and vandalism
It provides cover against illegal taking or intentional damage to your motorhome
Contents and equipment
Cover for personal belongings and equipment inside the motorhome.
Some policies also include cover for:
Audio equipment
Windscreens
Travel in Europe
What are the advantages of temporary motorhome insurance?
Temporary motorhome insurance offers flexible cover for short-term use. Motorhome owners can insure their vehicle only for the period they need it rather than paying for an annual policy.
This type of cover is usually sold to people borrowing a friend or family’s motorhome for a specific trip.
What are the disadvantages of temporary motorhome insurance?
Temporary motorhome insurance is often more expensive per day than annual policies. You might also find the cover limits of temporary insurance may not be as comprehensive as those in long-term policies.
Motorhome owners will need to consider insuring their motorhome all-year round in case it is stolen, vandalised or catches fire in between trips.
It is a legal requirement to have insurance if your motorhome is parked or driven on public roads. If you don’t intend to drive your motorhome for a period of time you can register it as off the road (SORN) – but you’ll need to park the vehicle on private land. You don’t need insurance if your vehicle is SORN but this means you won’t have any cover if it’s stolen, damaged or destroyed.
