Security matters – how safe is your motorhome?

So you’ve spent a small fortune buying a spanking new motorhome and can’t wait to try it out.

But before you hit the road, be sure to check that your vehicle is as secure as possible and that you have installed all the necessary bells and whistles to meet the terms and conditions of your Comfort Insurance policy.

At the top end of the market, most motorhomes will come with factory fitted immobilisers. Some dealers on high end vehicles will include a Thatcham Category 1 alarm or a tracking system as part of the package, but if these are not included, it is well worth installing them yourself.

Comfort Insurance will give a 5% discount for each of the following: Aviva-approved alarms and Aviva-approved tracking devices.

Aviva-approved Alarms we accept are:

=> Thatcham Category 1 alarm.

=> Thatcham Category 2to1 alarm upgrade.

=> Aviva-approved Trackers we accept are:

=> VTS approved S5 tracking device.

=> VTS approved S7 tracking device.

=> Thatcham approved Category 5.

=> Thatcham approved Category 6.

We are only able to accept the approved alarm and tracking systems listed above.

If your vehicle is worth more than £55,000, you must have Thatcham approved Category 1 or 2to1 alarm upgrade or a Thatcham approved Category 5/6 or VTS approved S5/S7 tracking device installed.

If your vehicle is worth more than £75,000 you must have a Thatcham approved Category 5/6 or VTS approved S5/S7 tracking device installed.

If your vehicle is worth over £100,000 must have both a Thatcham approved Category 1 or 2to1 alarm upgrade and a VTS approved S5/S7 tracking device installed.
Other security devices worth considering are an engine immobiliser, wheel clamps, a gas alarm, deadlocks, good quality locks on the habitation door and on the filler cap to discourage fuel theft.

A gas alarm is a good idea as it will alert you if you are sleeping in your vehicle and burglars spray the interior with gas in order to comatose you.
The rise in the value of precious metals has led to a surge in the theft of catalytic converters from cars, and now, motorhomes as well. The platinum contained in catalytic converters can be sold on to scrap metal dealers for good prices.

Once an unmarked converter has been removed from a vehicle, it’s quite difficult to match it to the vehicle it was stolen from, as there are no distinguishing marks.

To reduce the risk of this type of theft, always try to park your vehicle in a secure area or where it is busy and well lit.

It is possible to have your catalytic converter secured with a ’cat clamp’. You could also consider marking the metal shell of the converter with a unique mark, so if it is removed by thieves it will be easier to trace back to your vehicle

Taking these precautions does not guarantee 100% security, but anything which deters thieves or makes it harder for them to steal, or damage, your vehicle has to be a good idea.