by Holly Tribe
Last year the UK tourism industry saw an increased interest in caravanning and ‘staycations’ as more families and newcomers took to the roads for the first time. Perhaps in response to this trend, the pioneers of price comparison Confused.com have introduced a tool for checking the cost of insurance for touring and static caravans.
The new tool allows consumers to access details from a range of caravan insurance providers – and is the first site to provide a comparison facility for this purpose. The new function sits in line with their existing portfolio of products.
Big name insurers such as Caravan Insurance, Towergate Bakers, InsuremyCaravan, Premiums Online, Your Leisure, AA, Better Cover and Wynchwood Insurance are signed up to the service, but the list is not exhaustive, with big name caravan insurers Safeguard and Lifesure not yet listed.
The caravan product manager at Confused.com is John Cooper. He identified a need for the market to be opened up away from specialised insurers, and provide consumers with a wider choice. His belief is that “caravan insurance has been the domain of specialists for too long. Customers now have the solution to finding the right cover at the right price.”
As we reach the midway point of 2010 the number of newcomers to our hobby shows no sign of diminishing. Last year the Camping and Caravanning Club announced it had reached half a million members, an all-time record in its 110 year history. The caravanning industry is already worth an estimated £3 billion and its popularity is rising with holidaymakers looking for cheaper summer holiday alternatives.
Mr Cooper added: “Confused.com recognised the increase in demand for such holidays with people anxious to escape for a break but without the cash to go abroad. Adding caravan insurance to our already comprehensive suite of products enables our customers to obtain cover at cheaper prices to ease the financial pressure.”
