Nigel, Del, Sam and Gavin.

Lifesure are back at the country’s biggest Motorhome and Caravan Show being held this week at Birmingham’s NEC.

Already three lucky people have won a years free caravan insurance by visiting our stand and filling out a very quick form!

Tuesday; Mr Roberts from Clwyd won a years cover for his Abbey Vouge 04 worth £122.

Wednesday; Mrs Neal from Gloucestershire won a years free cover for her Elddis Avante 07 worth £134

Thursday; Mr Holmes from Berkshire won a years free cover for his Eriba worth £225.

If you’re visiting over the weekend and you fill in a form, you’ll have the opportunity to be another lucky winner!

Click on the video below to have a preview of some of the exhibitors at the show.

If you would rather have a television in your motorhome, Lifesure offers outstanding cover for property with our competitive motorhome insurance policy.

On the eve of his holiday, Ian Lindsay aged 74 of Locharbriggs, did not expect to be the victim of an arson attack. Police believe that there can be no other explanation for the cause of the blaze that consumed not only his motorhome, but his Mercedes and garage as well on Friday the 12th of August.

“I tried hosing it myself but the smoke was so thick that I couldn’t handle it.”
The Fire Brigade turned up shortly after Ian was awakened by the blaze at 2:30 am. Worried about the possibility of an explosion from the gas canisters within the flaming garage, they had no choice but to evacuate his neighbours.

“I’m sure this was started deliberately as the fire brigade said there were no electrical faults in the motorhome …the annoying thing is that we had put a lot of stuff in the motorhome last night as we were supposed to be going up to Kilmarnock for a holiday.”
One person has been questioned in relation to the blaze, however no charges were made and the police are continuing to investigate.

A spokesman for the police said: “A joint police and Fire and Rescue Service investigation has been carried out into the cause of the fire … as a result the police are now treating the fire as suspicious and investigations into the matter are continuing.”

Should your motorhome or campervan be the target of arson or vandalism, you will be thankful that you invested in motorhome insurance, so when your campervan insurance is due for renewal use our online quote engine to quickly retrieve a highly competitive quote, or phone our specialist Motorhome and Campervan staff to discuss your requirements on 01480 402470.

When it comes to insuring your caravan, motorhome, campervan and contents, Lifesure offer exceptional caravan insurance cover and motorhome insurance cover at highly competitive rates. Telephone us or use our on-line form to get a quick quote.

Paula and Geoffrey Day had purchased the £13,000 caravan, with the vast majority of their life’s savings, in order to take their two young grandchildren on holiday only to discover that the protection of their secluded back garden was not enough to prevent the possibility of theft.

Since 2008, insurance companies have noted a slight dip in caravan theft due to an increase in safety precautions such as wheel clamps and a hitchlocks, however some insurance companies such as Cover4Caravans have had to pay out over £70,000 worth of claims payments; statistics have also shown that people’s homes are no longer the safest place to store caravans, with the vast majority of thefts taking place at the home address. A specialist storage unit is a far safer option these days and could be worth the extra money in the long term benefit of its protection.

The Day’s believed that their isolated back garden, overlooking a large field and protected by a formidable wood pile would be safe from prying eyes and hands. Not so. With no insurance they are looking at losing all of their precious savings, unless somebody can help in their search for their caravan. Mrs Day said: “It must have been well planned and they must have been in our garden before. Our garden is not private any more and that feels horrible.”

The two grandchildren will have to wait a little longer for their first summer holiday away, as the police attempt to recover the stolen vehicle and bring some relief to the family with no caravan, savings or insurance to cover the loss.

To protect your caravan investment and your pocket from any unforeseen circumstances check out our highly competitive caravan insurance policy and see if your eligible for a 40% discount!

As a result the organisation has announced details of a new Motorhome and Caravan Show, which will take place between October 25 and 30, 2011 at ExCel, London.

Such events attract thousands of caravan and motorhome enthusiasts as well as manufacturers and companies offering services such as motorhome insurance and caravan insurance.

In fact a number of major industry manufacturers have joined forces in support of the new Motorhome and Caravan Show by financially underwriting NCC Events Ltd.

These manufacturers include Bailey, Coachman, Elddis, Lunar, Swift and Trigano whilst the Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club are showing their support with unprecedented marketing initiatives for the show.

John Lally, Director General of the NCC said the new show will be run by the industry, for the good of the industry.

Exhibitors will also benefit from greatly reduced rates and there will be significantly lower show ticket prices for the consumer, he explained.

Meanwhile Nick Lomas, Director General of the Caravan Club said it was wonderful to see the industry running its own show and the club is look forward to working pro-actively with the manufacturers for the benefit of its members.

Buying a second hand caravan could be the answer to your needs.  Of course, you will not find off-the-production-line caravans, but you might be surprised with how close you can get.  Best of all, the price tag of pre-owned caravans can be a fraction of what you would have to pay for a new model.  You may even be able to find some caravans for around £500.

Whenever you buy a second-hand product, there are always obvious concerns to be dealt with.  Issues such as security, honesty and value all come into play in a manner which would not be evident if you bought from a showroom.  However, this needn’t be a deterrent from buying pre-owned caravans.  In fact, if you follow some simple rules and advice, you could find yourself benefiting from a fantastic deal.

Above all, when trading second hand goods – as a buyer or a seller – it is always important to maintain a level of honesty and fair play.  Whether it’s turning up on time to a viewing, offering a fair price, or being open and helpful with paperwork, staying on good terms with all parties is vital.  You will find that not only is the process itself simpler and more enjoyable, but also that any future problems will be far easier to solve.

There are all sorts of sources of information where you might find listings for caravans on sale.  Newspapers, magazines, websites or even public noticeboards could all help you find your ideal vehicle.  However, it is easy to get carried away with an apparently ideal offering and neglect to consider the details.  Whatever you see on offer, or consider buying, always make sure that you have conducted thorough research into the make and model of the caravan.  Find out what it’s value is, whether it has a history of faults and whether it has good longevity.  You will certainly be glad of these checks if you find yourself avoiding a dud offer.

As well as general checks into the deal itself, make sure to thoroughly check the vehicle on viewing.  Key considerations include checking for damp, which can be a difficult and costly problem to fix.  Doors and windows are often liable to wear and tear through use, so make sure you’ve checked that all are operational and have working locks.  Also check gas and electrics, and if you have any concerns then ask a specialist to check before you buy.

An often forgotten, but vital, step is to ask for and photocopy paperwork such as certification of inspections and the vehicle history.  Not only is this a helpful check for determining the quality of the caravan, but it can also help with sorting any future faults you might encounter.

If you do it well, buying a used caravan can be the means to securing a fantastic new vehicle for a great price.  Make sure that you follow these guidelines to keep your experience a happy one.  Once you’ve purchased your caravan, don’t forget to insure it with Caravan Insurance to keep you covered.

Caravanning is fast becoming the most popular type of family holidaying the UK.  Lots of people are trying caravans as an alternative to expensive annual holidays abroad. After the initial outlay the holiday cost is very reasonable. Plus with global warming the UK now enjoys better summers, right? If you are new to the caravan game, bear these tips in mind before you buy:

Consider what you require.  Obviously you need to match the caravan or trailer tent size or number of berths to the size of your family. An awning with internal bedrooms can increase the accommodation for older children and/or other adults.

Consider your budget: Caravans and trailer tents hold their value very well, consider buying an older one to see if you like it, then maybe upgrade later on. After deciding what you need, buy privately or from a dealer but consider the following:

1. Analyse the finish on the caravan, this can be seen on the inside of cupboards. Most manufacturers, nowadays, have switched from the weighty and short-lived chipboard to genuine timber
2. The general rule is the smaller the caravan the easier it is to tow. Bear in mind your vehicle’s towing capacity when buying a caravan
3. Check everything, from the cooker to the fridge, beds and windows,  If you don’t you’re bound to find something that bites you later on. Sniff lots, if it whiffs steer clear, there could be damp or it could be a dog or smokers. Caravan smells are hard to get rid of.
4. Check the history : Find out as much as you can about the history of the seller and reviews of old customers.

Caravan and Trailer Tent Insurance is very reasonable, you can get a quote and cover online at www.lifesure.co.uk

If you’re new to caravanning then make sure you take a test drive pulling the van before you go on your holiday.   Towing a caravan calls for a very different, more cautious approach to driving. There are some great towing courses available through the caravan clubs. I went on one myself when I bought my first caravan and it was great. I had a ‘snaking’ incident on one holiday and controlled it without a problem thanks to the course. I can also reverse onto pitches!

The best thing for me about the caravan is that you can just hitch up and go somewhere for the weekend. It doesn’t even have to be far, I use a site sometimes that is only 10 miles from my home. I would much rather have a couple of long holidays and weekends away during the year in the caravan than just one main holiday abroad.

Right now is a great time of year for the buyer, you will save money on the same caravan for sale in spring or summer.

The 684 is truly the Ultimate Travel Trailer, own one of these and you will not stop planning your next getaway whether a week break, or a grand tour of Europe.

The Volkner Mobil Bus

This is a motorhome rather than a caravan – and a really rather marvelous one at that. It’s better equipped than my flat (and probably bigger) – with it’s own fridge, freezer, dishwasher, washing machine – oh and a handy hidey hole for your car. Nice, huh?

Here’s what Top Gear presenters thought !

All images from Volkner Mobil

The 1962 Airstream Bambi

So kitsch it hurts. Words really cannot express quite how much I want one of these. I’ve never been the most savvy of purchasers, and I’m sure that there are many better ways that I could spend my hard earned, but I want to spend it on this.

Image from VintageAirstream.com

The 2009 Winnebago Tour

Live your life like a rockstar in your very own Winnebago (you’ll probably need to be a rockstar to afford one). Get your groupies round and throw some TVs out of windows, etc. Rock and roll!

Image from Roaming Times

The Classic Campervan

My parents had a lovely red camper van when I was little. It was amazing. This one’s almost as good, sadly no split screen, but it makes up for it somewhat by being pink.

Image credit Moogan

Fleetwood RV

This particular model was made for the Lost World (the sequel to Jurassic Park). Looks pretty sturdy, huh? Sadly in the end it was no match for an angry T Rex, but as they’re all extinct now you’ll probably be fine…

Image credit IMCDb

So, what did I miss out? Got your own dream caravan or motorhome if money was no object? What ever your caravanning Lifesure would like the opportunity to give you up to 40% discount on your caravan insurance needs.

Let me know in the comments…