Top ten claims for holiday parks
Apr 22, 2013
Prevention of accidents
Preventing claims should be a high priority for holiday park owners. Through good risk management it is possible to prevent many accidents occurring, which can help to reduce insurance premiums and improve profitability. In this article we take a look at ten of the most common claims from holiday parks.
1. Caravan Steps
One of the most common claims we see is from people who have fallen off caravan steps. It’s important to ensure that steps are well secured and have a slip resistant tread.
2. Acting as a Banksman
If you assist customers with positioning their caravans then you could be held liable for damage should an accident occur. We understand that you want to help customers in any way possible but to reduce the likelihood of such claims it is important that anyone acting as a banksman has appropriate training which is fully recorded.
3. Play Areas
Most holiday parks check play areas on a regular basis but some do not make a record of these checks. To ensure that you can prove that you have taken measures to ensure the safety of play areas it is imperative that you can provide documentary evidence of inspections and maintenance. Our risk management team can help you to put a robust strategy in place for playground inspections. Contact us for further information.
4. Leaf Clearance
Leaves can prove to be troublesome, particularly during the autumn, as they can cover up potential hazards such as manhole covers. It is, therefore, important that they are regularly cleared from the main thoroughfares at parks.
5. Overhanging trees
Overhanging trees could present a hazard, particularly in bad weather, as branches can break and fall on to tents, caravans or people! To prevent such occurrences it is important that any overhanging trees are quickly identified and suitably maintained.
6. Slips/trips in showers
We often see claims resulting from customers slipping in shower areas of holiday parks, it is important that park owners clearly identify areas that may be slippery and the use of slip resistant tiling or materials can help to reduce the chance of such accidents occurring.
7. Caravan theft
Caravan theft is on the increase at present. Park owners can help to reduce this by ensuring staff are vigilant and that adequate security measures are in place on their sites. Good security will not only give your customers peace of mind but it could also reduce your caravan park business insurance premiums.
8. Hazards on sites
While park owners may know every inch of their parks customers may not. It is important, therefore, that hazards on a site are clearly marked so that customers can easily avoid them.
9. Traffic Controlling Measures
We have previously dealt with a claim where someone had tripped over a speed hump at a caravan park. The speed hump was difficult to spot as it was not signposted and was the same colour as the road surface. We would advise any park owners with speed control measures to ensure they are adequately signposted and brightly coloured.
10. Winter Opening
Opening over the winter period presents park owners with an additional number of risks to consider. In cold weather, ice is the main problem for park owners, with areas around water points particularly dangerous. It is therefore crucial that the site has a robust gritting procedure in place to ensure customers’ safety should the park decide to open in these months.
Whilst this article provides a general overview of what parks can do to reduce the likelihood of claims we would advise all park owners to seek competent advice from risk management professionals who can look at the specific issues each park faces.
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