Caravan insurance in France: touring, storage and the 750 kg rule

Caravans occupy a blind spot of French motor insurance: they have no engine, yet they live on the road — or on a campsite pitch for years. The rules that apply depend on one number: the caravan’s gross laden weight (PTAC on French papers). Get that distinction right and everything else follows.

The 750 kg rule: when your car policy is enough

While being towed, a caravan of 750 kg gross weight or less is generally covered by the towing car’s third-party liability automatically — most French car policies extend liability to light trailers, but the clause varies, so check yours and declare the caravan if the contract asks for it. Above 750 kg, the caravan must carry its own registration (carte grise) and its own number plate, and it must be declared to your insurer or insured under a dedicated policy. Either way, one thing never changes: the car’s liability only pays for damage the caravan causes to others. Damage to the caravan itself — a jack-knife on the motorway, hail through the roof, theft from a pitch — is only covered by a dedicated caravan policy.

What a dedicated caravan policy adds

A proper policy stacks four blocks on top of liability. Damage cover for the shell, including while manoeuvring by hand — a classic and surprisingly expensive claim. Contents cover with its own ceiling and burglary conditions (forced entry, sometimes an approved hitch lock or wheel clamp). Storm and natural events — the single most important line for a caravan, which is light, tall and often parked in the open; France’s regulated natural-disaster regime (catastrophes naturelles) applies here as it does to homes. And theft of the caravan itself, usually conditional on an approved hitch lock. Budget roughly €10–35 per month depending on value and use — modest next to the premiums covered in our motorhome guide, the campervan guide and on the motorhome hub.

Static caravans: a different risk altogether

A caravan that stays on a campsite pitch year-round is no longer a road risk: it is a small dwelling exposed to storm, theft and neighbour liability. Insurers price it accordingly — some under caravan policies with a « résidence » clause, others under products close to the mobile-home cover described on our French mobil-home page. Tell the insurer the caravan is static: premiums are often lower than touring cover, but an undeclared permanent pitch is exactly the kind of inaccuracy that shrinks a storm claim. Campsites also routinely require proof of liability insurance at check-in — the attestation is standard French practice, as for home insurance.

Bringing a foreign caravan to France

For holidays, your home-country policy travels with you: EU (and UK) car policies include EU-wide third-party liability, and UK caravan policies generally extend to continental trips — check the number of days covered abroad and whether contents and storm cover apply outside the UK, not just liability. If you become a French resident, the caravan follows the same logic as a car: French registration (for caravans over 750 kg) and a French policy. Our guide to foreign-registered vehicles in France details the residency mechanics.

Frequently asked questions

Does my caravan need its own insurance in France?

Over 750 kg gross weight: yes in practice — own registration, own plate, and a declaration to your insurer or a dedicated policy. At or under 750 kg: the towing car’s liability usually extends to it, but damage to the caravan itself and its contents is never covered without a dedicated policy.

Is my caravan covered on a campsite over winter?

Only if the policy says so: touring policies vary on out-of-season storage, and storm damage on an exposed pitch is the most frequent winter claim. Declare where the caravan actually winters — a locked storage yard, your driveway or a coastal pitch are three different prices, and the honest declaration is what makes the claim payable.

Can I insure a caravan in France as a non-resident?

Generally yes: French insurers underwrite the address where the caravan is kept — a French address for the risk — rather than your nationality or tax residency. Second-home owners commonly insure a caravan kept at their French property or on a permanent pitch; expect questions about storage and usage, and compare among insurers used to non-resident owners.

More expat guides: Young driver car insurance in France: the novice surcharge explained · Furnished rental insurance in France: tenant and landlord sides · Campervan insurance in France: the foreigner’s guide to vans and conversions · Boat insurance in France: the expat owner’s guide · all guides.