If you and your family crave independence, it's likely that you take the "self-catering" approach to annual holidays. You may well be the proud owners of a caravan, but have recently learned the hard way that the open road can be tricky to manoeuvre. If you've damaged your caravan in some way, you may be wondering just how vulnerable these vehicles are, so that you can take a little bit more care in the future. How likely is your mobile home to be damaged when in use?

Open Road Risks

Most insurance claims relate to damage to the windows of the caravan, which can range from relatively small amounts to thousands of dollars. They are certainly vulnerable to cracks and scratches caused by storms and other road debris, but can also be smashed during a careless manoeuvre.

A significant proportion of claims will relate to damaged panels on one side or the other and once again this can be caused by road debris, or by someone inadvertently backing the vehicle into an obstacle when trying to reverse into a parking bay.

Act of Nature

Of course, human error or road conditions may not always be to blame and your roof could be damaged significantly during one of the numerous and heavy summer thunderstorms that can often plague Australia. Sometimes, hailstones can be as big as golf balls and you may certainly need to make a claim for insurance repairs if you encounter one of these downpours.

Careless Preparation

You may consider yourself to be a very careful driver and prepare well before you set out on the road. Nevertheless, many people fail to secure their caravan to the towing vehicle properly and when this happens, the entire A-frame can be significantly damaged, including all the electrical connections and the jockey wheel. This can represent a significant bill just by itself.

Interior Damage

Finally, try and avoid having to make a claim for any internal damage that's almost always the result of human error. Make sure that you stow any large or heavy items before moving off, so that they do not fall over and break a tray or panel. Be careful when handling liquids or cooking utensils when inside, so that accidental spillages do not ruin an expensive carpet.

Moving Forward

Have a word with your repair shop to see what it's going to take to fix your current malady and whether you need to claim against your insurance to put matters right.