Can You Get Contents Insurance for Your Campervan?

You’ve spent ages planning and building your van to become that van life thing you envisaged, enough kit for the YouTube empire and enough tech stuff that makes a Twitch streamer jealous. But then you realise you’re going to be parking up anywhere and everywhere including some less than salubrious spots, and you find yourself hoping your valuables don’t get nicked rather than enjoying a good night out.

That’s when the reality of campervan contents insurance hits. Your comprehensive policy sounds great until you actually need it. Take laptop theft—one of the most common van life insurance claims. Most policies will cap your payout at £400-500 per item, regardless of what you actually paid or what it costs to replace.

So your £1,200 MacBook Pro? You’ll get £400 if you’re lucky. Your £800 drone? Same story. That camera you saved months to buy? Still £400, assuming you’ve kept every receipt and it meets their age requirements.

The person on the phone will actually suggest you should be “grateful for any payout at all” when you point out that £400 doesn’t replace anything meaningful. She’ll mention that you should have “declared items separately” if you wanted proper cover—information buried deep in policy documents that most people never read.

This is the brutal reality: your kettle and camping chairs are covered, but your actual valuable gear? You’re having a laugh.

What Options Actually Exist Right Now?

1. Campervan Insurance with Contents Cover (UK-based)

Some campervan insurers (like Comfort Insurance, Caravan Guard, Shield Total Insurance, and Just Kampers – NONE of these are a recommendation btw) will include or offer additional cover for contents—but there’s a catch:

• It’s usually only if the van is UK-registered and the primary policy holder is UK-based.
• The van must be used primarily for leisure (not full-time living unless declared).
• The maximum cover ranges from £1,000 to £5,000, often with exclusions for theft unless items are locked away or hidden.
• Items like laptops or cameras might need to be separately declared or covered elsewhere.

In Just Kampers’ case they pass you off to a third party, and only if you’re also insuring the van itself with them. No standalone joy there.

2. Personal Possessions Add-On (Home Insurance)

Some UK home insurance policies let you cover items “outside the home” under a “personal possessions” add-on. Again—good in theory. But in practice:

• It’s only valid if you have a bricks-and-mortar home.
• Your camper likely doesn’t qualify as a “temporary location” if you live in it full-time.
• Insurers may wriggle out if items were left in plain view or unattended. Some policies will actually express this

Still, if your camper is just for holidays, this might actually be your best bet for gadgets and valuables.

3. Gadget Insurance

Standalone cover for tech gear is growing in popularity. Think Protect Your Bubble, CoverCloud, or Simplesurance.

• These will often cover laptops, cameras, and phones anywhere in the world.
• Monthly costs aren’t bad (roughly £5–£15 depending on the value of the gear).
• You’ll still have to jump through hoops when claiming, especially if there’s no police report or evidence of forced entry.

4. European and LHD Vans – The Tough Spot

If your van is LHD (left hand drive), EU-plated, and insured with an EU company? Now you’re into twilight territory. Most UK insurers won’t touch it unless you switch to a UK plate and address. EU insurers often won’t offer contents cover as a standalone policy—or if they do, it’s localised and requires a permanent EU address.

Some EU-based motorhome insurers may offer cover, but you’ll need fluent local lingo, local registration, and nerves of steel.

So… Is Standalone Campervan Contents Insurance Even a Thing?

Not really—not as a standalone product that covers you full-time while living in a van, especially with EU plates. Most offerings are either:

• Add-ons to existing van insurance,
• Bolted onto home cover,
• Gadget-specific,
• Or tightly restricted to leisure use.

It’s a proper pickle. Insurers haven’t caught up with the idea that “home” might have four wheels and solar panels.

How to Actually Protect Your Stuff in the Meantime

While the market catches up, here are a few practical ways to sleep easier:

• Photograph and log everything of value: Serial numbers, receipts, and photos go a long way in any claim.
• Split high-value items across cover types: Use gadget insurance for your phone, drone, or camera. Use van cover for fixed installations (like fridges or solar setups).
• Invest in proper security: Steering locks, van safes, and window covers won’t just deter theft—they might lower premiums too.
• Use dead campsites or well-lit areas: Not glamorous, but much less nickable.
• Ask insurers to put things in writing: If you’re relying on a broker’s “yeah it’ll be fine,” get it emailed or in writing. Always.
• Clarify your devices – Double check will your old iPhone or Android phone be covered, that M1 MacBook Air, is that covered.

Legal Note: Any Obligations?

If you’re running a van as your main residence—even part-time—it could affect your legal standing in the UK when it comes to vehicle classification and insurance requirements. The DVLA doesn’t currently require you to declare your van as a “residence,” but your insurer might argue otherwise if you’re living in it full-time and haven’t disclosed it.

Failing to disclose full-time use can invalidate policies. So always tell your insurer—even if it costs more—because a cheap premium that gets voided isn’t worth the risk.

Should You Rely on Van Insurance or Get Separate Gadget Cover?

If you’re just the occasional weekender with a £200 tablet and a Bluetooth speaker, your van insurer’s contents cover might be “good enough” — as long as you lock everything down and don’t mind a £400 cap on anything shiny.

But if you’re lugging around a laptop, drone, smartphone, GoPro, and half your editing rig? Then relying on your van insurance is like taping your phone to a solar panel and calling it a security system.

Standalone gadget insurance is where it’s at if your tech is the heart of your work, hobby or digital nomad setup. It’s got better limits, broader definitions, and crucially — it follows your gear, not your van. That means your phone is still covered if you leave the van for a hike, a pub stop, or a night in a tent somewhere soggy.

Bottom line? If your gadgets are worth more than your portable toilet, they probably deserve their own insurance.

Final Thoughts: The Insurance World Has Some Catching Up To Do

We’re in a grey area right now. Campervan culture has exploded, but the insurance world still wants us to pick a lane: either you’re “on holiday” or “living in a house.” If you’re doing neither, you’ll find yourself explaining (and justifying) your lifestyle every time you try to get cover.

But that doesn’t mean you should go without. With a bit of creative thinking—splitting policies, boosting security, and reading all the fine print—you can get pretty close to peace of mind. And at the end of the day, that’s worth its weight in solar panels.