Simple Guide to Caravan Covers

Here at Coast Insurance we care about caravans and their owners. Find out more about our competitive caravan insurance here. What better way to protect your caravan through the winter months than with a good quality caravan cover.

At this time of year Caravan Covers are popular but there are a lot of questions to be answered about the best ones to use. Some would say they are not a good idea at all. This stems from the experience of some caravanners who have been unlucky enough to purchase a sub standard caravan cover. The main point of a caravan cover is to protect your caravan from the elements. But at the same time the cover must be breathable otherwise it can cause condensation which can in turn damage the caravan!

Tailored Designed Caravan Cover

Try and find a tailor made caravan cover to fit your caravan.  Every make, model and year of caravan is different! There are companies that will make a bespoke cover for your particular caravan. All covers fit perfectly to the caravan ensuring there is no excess material to flap around.

Materials for the best Caravan Cover

Why settle for just waterproof or just breathability when you can have both? They must be made from a fully breathable 3 ply material which will not cause problems with condensation. The way the 3 layers are overlapped means the cover is as waterproof as you can get whilst still being breathable. The material they are made from must be durable and – very importantly – UV stable. Covers which are not UV stable will deteriorate much more quickly. Remember, some covers on the market are water resistant this is NOT waterproof, you will get what you pay for.

Try and pick a cover that has a soft non-scratch backing that will not scratch your caravan! Pay attention to the seams too they should be soft as this will scratch your caravan. Make sure you clean the caravan first so nothing is trapped between the cover and your vehicle and your caravan will be in pristine condition when you come to uncover it!

Door Access in your Caravan Cover

Because it is important to be able to access your caravan when in storage, some tailor made caravan covers come with a door access as standard. With an easy to use industrial Velcro strip and a strap, you can go in and out of your caravan as often as you like!

Locker Box & Battery Box Access

The inconvenience of needing something from the locker box when fully covered is addressed as some covers come with easy assess to locker boxes.

Most new caravans are now fitted with a solar panel. If you need your battery to be trickle charged during storage, you could choose a cover that has a perspex window to the roof of the cover. This should only be used if you require your battery to be topped up.

So, how do you measure your caravan for a cover?

Easy! Run a tape measure along the length of the caravan from the back of the van to the front of the locker box (ie NOT including the A frame). You need to note this measurement in feet and inches. If you are right on the border of two sizes choose the bigger size. Too tight a fit will reduce breathability and the straps will allow you tighten the cover for a good fit.