Hi, I'm Liz from Caravan Guard insurance.
When insuring your caravan, many providers, including Caravan Guard,
will ask you to fit some security items.
At Caravan Guard, we ask owners to fit a hitchlock and a wheelclamp
as a minimum level of security,
and although not compulsory, it's best that these are of a Sold Secure standard.
However, there are more items that you can fit to your tourer
to make theft or break-in even more difficult.
And it's also not unusual for caravan insurers
to ask for extra security to be fitted
if your caravan is of a high value or known to be targeted by thieves.
In this video, we look at a number of security products
which can be easily installed on to a caravan.
We also offer discounts for some of these devices.
First up, let's look at wheel locks.
Caravan Guard highly recommends the ALKO-Secure wheel lock on modern caravans,
and offers a discount for owners who fit this kind of wheel lock.
To fit one of these wheel locks you'll need an ALKO receiver on your caravan,
as the lock is inserted through the wheel and attached to the caravan chassis.
For some caravans, this may not be available,
so a good quality wheel clamp should be used instead.
If you do have an ALKO-Secure wheel lock,
a wheel clamp can also be fitted to the opposite side of your caravan,
for an extra layer of security.
Look for wheel clamps which cover some of the wheel bolts
and make wheel removal difficult.
These should be able to be fitted on alloy or steel caravan wheels.
When choosing a wheel clamp, or any caravan security lock,
look for the Sold Secure logo.
Products which meet the Sold Secure standard
have been attack tested by their technicians to assess their resilience.
Security products that are Sold Secure compliant
should withstand an attack for a minimum amount of time,
and their resilience is then graded in terms of attack resistance.
This wheelclamp, for example, has been given the Gold rating.
Fitting a hitchlock is usually a requirement of your insurance policy.
There are a number of products on the market
which lock the hitch handle to prevent it from being raised
and stop a tow-ball being inserted into the hitch head.
Again, look for a caravan hitchlock which has the Sold Secure standard,
and make sure you fit them to your caravan
whenever it's not connected to your tow car.
This is a Maypole hitchlock, and is a Sold Secure Gold standard.
When a caravan is sited or stored,
it's a good idea to lower the corner steadies and lock them in place.
There are many corner steady locks on the market
that prevent the corner steadies from being raised.
This lock from Milenco covers the corner steady bolt and clamps to the chassis.
These are used at the back of the caravan, and are very easy to install.
Caravan windows usually use plastic latches to hold the window secure,
but the design of these windows means the latches can sometimes
be manipulated from the outside.
Adding some simple covers and protectors to the window latches
reduces the possibility of unauthorised entry into the caravan.
These window locks come in different shapes and sizes
depending on the window latch style,
and can be easily installed within a few seconds.
Adding an extra lock that either covers the existing door lock, or the door frame,
will prevent the door from being opened.
Additional caravan door locks come in a variety of styles,
either with lockable handles, or with an extra cover to cover the lock.
The lockable handle design also creates an extra grab handle,
perfect for anyone who has limited mobility
or requires extra stability when entering or exiting the caravan.
For those who are storing their caravan at home,
a hitch post is a great addition to your property.
These posts are installed into the ground,
and provide a lockable post to connect the caravan hitch.
Once connected, use a hitchlock to prevent the caravan from being removed.
Finally, a good alternative if you have a narrow opening to your driveway
is a drive post that will make it difficult for thieves
to get your caravan off the drive.
Of course, there are electronic devices which can be fitted to a caravan as well,
such as an upgraded alarm with PIR tilt and motion sensors
as well as a tracking device, which can pinpoint the exact location of your caravan
should it be moved.
These items might be fitted as standard on a modern caravan.
We would recommend a professional installation
to make sure these devices do work correctly
when you need them the most.
Here are some top tips to consider
when looking for a new caravan alarm or tracking device.
Many new caravans come ready fitted with an alarm,
but these can be upgraded to incorporate extra features
such as extra sensors, and connectivity to trackers.
Alarms have a few sensors by default,
either by a tilt or a motion sensor, a passive infra-red sensor,
or physical switches on areas such as corner steadies, handbrakes, or wheels.
There are a number of caravan tracking systems on the market,
but always check which are approved by your caravan insurer.
Generally, for an insurer to recognise a device,
it will need to be professionally monitored, not self-tracked only,
and Thatcham approved.
We'd always advise caravanners to look for a proactive tracking system,
which links to a motion sensor, virtual geofence, or alarm,
so the device will inform the operating centre
if it's disturbed whilst the tracker is activated.
The alternative is a non-proactive device,
which relies upon you to notify the tracking device provider
that your caravan has been stolen, to start the tracking process.
If you keep your caravan in a secure storage site
or even at home, it cannot be watched 24 hours a day.
An early warning of unauthorised movement from a proactive device
could be the difference between a police recovery within 30 minutes
and never seeing your caravan again.
For your tracking device to be monitored by a professional operating centre,
you'll have to pay a subscription to the device provider,
and it's important to make sure you have enough charge in your leisure battery
to keep it activated whilst your caravan is not in use.
So there you go. A look at some extra security products
that you can install onto your caravan to help protect it from theft.
Don't forget to tell your caravan insurance provider
what security devices you have fitted to your caravan
when setting up or renewing your policy,
as some of these could attract a discount.
Remember to always fit your wheel lock and hitchlock
when leaving your caravan unattended.
For more caravanning hints and tips,
why not head on over to the Caravan Guard website.
If you've enjoyed this video, please like and share.
Take care, and happy caravanning.