Why Rooftop Tent Insurance Differs from Roof Box Coverage
Significantly Higher Equipment Value
- Tentbox Classic: £1,695 replacement value
- iKamper Skycamp 2.0: £2,800-£3,500
- Autohome Maggiolina: £2,200-£3,000
- James Baroud Space: £2,500-£3,200
- Compared to roof boxes: £300-800 typical value
Unique Insurance Considerations
- Occupied structure: People sleeping inside creates liability concerns
- Weather damage: Canvas tearing, zipper failures, water damage
- Structural failure: Tent collapse while occupied (rare but serious)
- Fire risk: Cooking equipment near canvas material
- Third-party damage: Tent blowing open and hitting other vehicles/property
Notifying Your Car Insurance Company
Legal Notification Requirements
Just like with roof box insurance notification, rooftop tents must be declared to your insurer:
- Modification status: Rooftop tents are vehicle modifications under UK insurance law
- Permanent vs temporary: Even rental tents require notification
- Weight declaration: Must declare total weight (50-80kg)
- Value declaration: Insurer needs to know equipment value
- Usage type: Specify if for personal recreation, overlanding, or commercial use
Information Your Insurer Needs
- Brand and model: “Tentbox Cargo 2.0” or “iKamper Skycamp Mini”
- Type: Hard shell, soft shell, or hybrid design
- Weight: Empty weight (typically 50-80kg)
- Value: Purchase price or replacement cost
- Mounting system: How it attaches to your vehicle
- Frequency of use: Year-round or seasonal
- Rental status: Owned or rented (if renting, from which company)
Expected Premium Impact
- Typical increase: £30-£100 annually (higher than roof boxes due to value)
- Vehicle-dependent: 4x4s and SUVs often lower increase
- Usage frequency: Seasonal use may incur lower premiums
- Specialist insurers: Camping/overlanding insurers may offer better rates
- No increase insurers: Some adventure vehicle specialists include RTTs as standard
Covering the Rooftop Tent Equipment
Comprehensive Car Insurance
- What’s typically covered: Theft, vandalism, accident damage to tent structure
- Policy limits: Check maximum accessory limit (often £500-1,000 standard)
- Excess applies: Usually £250-500 excess for any claim
- Mounted requirement: Some policies only cover when tent is mounted on vehicle
- Unattended theft: May be excluded if tent left on parked vehicle overnight
Specialist Rooftop Tent Insurance
Several UK insurers offer dedicated coverage for high-value rooftop tents (see our complete guide to rooftop tents for choosing the right model):
- Outdoor Equipment Insurance: Covers Tentbox, iKamper and other premium brands up to £5,000
- Camping & Caravanning Club Insurance: Members get rooftop tent coverage
- Laka Insurance: Outdoor adventure equipment specialist
- Protect Your Bubble: Short-term and annual rooftop tent policies
- Cost: £80-£200 annually for £2,000-£3,000 tent coverage
Home Contents Insurance Extensions
- Away from home cover: May extend to rooftop tent if specified
- Single item limits: Often £1,500-£2,000 maximum per item
- Specify on policy: Must list rooftop tent as high-value item
- Proof required: Keep purchase receipt and photos
- Not always suitable: May not cover in-use damage, only theft/fire
Liability When Using Rooftop Tents
Liability While Tent Is Occupied
- Structural failure: If tent collapses and injures occupants
- Vehicle damage: Tent mounting system failing and damaging vehicle roof
- Third-party property: Tent blowing open in wind hitting adjacent vehicles
- Campsite damage: Tent causing damage to campsite facilities
- Personal injury: Someone falling from ladder or tent platform
Public Liability Insurance
- Usually included: Most car insurance includes third-party liability
- Camping-specific: Consider Camping & Caravanning Club membership (includes £2m liability)
- Wild camping: Personal liability insurance recommended for off-site camping
- Commercial use: Requires separate commercial insurance if renting out your vehicle+tent
Insurance for Rental Rooftop Tents
What Rental Companies Provide
- Equipment insurance: Rental company insures the Tentbox/iKamper they own
- Your responsibility: You’re liable for damage/theft during rental period
- Damage excess: Typically £500-£1,000 excess for rental tent damage
- Theft excess: Often £1,000-£2,000 if tent is stolen while in your care
- Contents not covered: Your belongings inside tent are your responsibility
Rental Insurance Options
- Damage waiver: £10-£25/day to reduce excess to £0-£250
- Your car insurance: Check if comprehensive policy covers rental equipment
- Credit card protection: Some premium cards cover rental equipment excess
- Specialist rental insurance: Companies like Insurance4CarHire cover rooftop tent rentals
What to Check When Renting
- Notify your car insurer: Even rental tents must be declared
- Understand excess: Know what you’ll pay if tent is damaged/stolen
- Inspect thoroughly: Document existing damage with photos before leaving
- Check weight compliance: Ensure your vehicle can legally carry the tent (view our roof box vehicle damage prevention guide as it’s still relevant)
- Review insurance options: Decide if damage waiver is worth the cost
Ready to try before you buy? Browse our Tentbox and premium rooftop tent rentals with flexible insurance options included. Or compare renting vs buying to see which option suits you best.
Coverage for Weather and Environmental Damage
Typically Covered
- Storm damage: Tent blown open/damaged in high winds (if properly secured)
- Hail damage: Damage to hard shell or canvas from hail
- Tree fall: Damage from falling branches (comprehensive policies)
- Flood damage: Water damage if vehicle was parked in flood-prone area
Commonly Excluded
- Wear and tear: UV degradation, canvas aging, zipper wear
- Mold/mildew: Damage from improper storage or packing away wet
- Condensation damage: Water damage from normal condensation
- Improper use: Damage from leaving tent open unattended
- Negligence: Not securing tent properly in known high winds
Theft Prevention and Insurance Requirements
Insurer Security Requirements
Similar to roof box security measures, insurers expect:
- Locking mechanisms: All Tentbox, iKamper models come with integrated locks
- Additional locks: Insurers may require supplementary padlocks for high-value tents (£2,500+)
- Visible parking: Overnight parking in secure/visible locations
- GPS tracking: Some insurers offer discounts for GPS tracker installation
- Removal when possible: Taking tent off vehicle for extended non-use periods
Rooftop Tent Theft in UK
- Less common than roof boxes: Harder to steal due to weight and mounting system
- High-value targets: Premium brands like iKamper Skycamp particularly targeted
- Risk locations: Motorway services, festival car parks, beach parking overnight
- Recovery rate: Under 10% of stolen rooftop tents recovered
- Average loss: £2,000-£3,500 tent plus £500-£1,000 contents
Making Insurance Claims
Theft Claims Process
- Report to police immediately: Call 101, obtain crime reference number
- Contact insurer within 24 hours
- Provide documentation: Purchase receipt, photos, serial number (Tentbox models have chassis numbers)
- Proof of security: Photos of locks, mounting system
- Location details: Where vehicle was parked, security measures in place
- Rental company notification: If rental tent, contact company immediately
Damage Claims Process
- Document damage: Photos from multiple angles
- Don’t dismantle: Leave tent intact until insurer inspects
- Get repair quotes: Official Tentbox/iKamper service centers preferred
- Manufacturer assessment: Some brands offer damage assessment services
- Keep all receipts: For any emergency repairs or temporary accommodation
What to Expect from Claims
- New for old: Comprehensive policies usually replace with new equivalent model
- Depreciation: Some policies apply age-based depreciation
- Brand substitution: Insurer may offer equivalent alternative if exact model unavailable
- Repair vs replace: Minor damage usually repaired; major damage = total loss replacement
- Excess deduction: Your policy excess deducted from settlement
Commercial and Business Use Insurance
If You Rent Out Your Rooftop Tent
- Commercial insurance required: Personal policies don’t cover commercial rental
- Public liability essential: Minimum £2-5 million coverage recommended
- Equipment insurance: Cover for damage caused by renters
- Platform insurance: If using platforms like Outdoorsy, check their coverage
- Specialist brokers: Contact adventure tourism insurance specialists
Brand-Specific Insurance Considerations
Tentbox Models
- Tentbox Cargo 2.0: £1,695 value – most standard policies adequate
- Tentbox Classic: £1,895 – specify as high-value accessory
- Factory warranty: 2-year manufacturer warranty separate from insurance
- Repair network: UK-based repairs simplify claims process
iKamper Premium Tents
- Skycamp 2.0: £3,500 value – requires specialist coverage or high policy limits
- Import status: Replacement may take weeks – ensure policy covers hire vehicle during claim
- Manufacturer support: iKamper UK provides damage assessments for insurance
Autohome Italian Tents
- Premium construction: £2,200-£3,000 models require high-value coverage
- Import replacement: Factor in replacement time from Italy
- Specialist repairers: Limited UK repair options – may need specialist approval
Overseas Travel and European Coverage
Taking Rooftop Tent to Europe
- Green Card: Ensure your car insurance covers rooftop tent abroad
- Equipment coverage: Check if tent covered in all countries you’ll visit
- Repatriation: Does policy cover bringing damaged tent back to UK?
- Travel insurance: May cover tent contents but not tent structure
- Breakdown cover: AA/RAC may not recover vehicles with rooftop tents (check weight limits)
UK Specialist Insurers for Rooftop Tents
Recommended Insurance Providers
- Adrian Flux: Adventure vehicle specialists, cover Tentbox and all major brands
- Comfort Insurance: Overland and expedition vehicle specialists
- A-Plan Insurance: Modified vehicle experts, understand rooftop tent needs
- NFU Mutual: Rural insurer, good for 4×4 and camping enthusiasts
- Camping & Caravanning Club: Member insurance includes rooftop tent coverage
Questions to Ask Insurers
- What’s the maximum accessory value covered?
- Is my Tentbox/iKamper covered when mounted and when stored?
- What excess applies to rooftop tent claims?
- Are contents inside tent covered?
- Does coverage extend to Europe?
- What security measures do you require?
- Is there new-for-old replacement or depreciation?
- What’s the premium increase for adding a rooftop tent?
Conclusion and Action Steps
Protecting your Tentbox, iKamper, or Autohome investment requires proper insurance coverage:
- Always notify your car insurer before fitting any rooftop tent
- Check policy limits – standard accessory limits often too low for premium tents
- Consider specialist insurance for tents valued over £2,000
- Understand rental excess if hiring before purchasing
- Implement security measures required by your policy
- Document everything – photos, receipts, serial numbers
- Review annually as tent value depreciates and needs change
New to rooftop tent camping? Rent a Tentbox or premium rooftop tent to experience the adventure before committing to purchase. Check out our complete rooftop tent rental guide for everything you need to know. All our rentals include comprehensive insurance options.
For more essential rooftop tent owner information, see our guides on weight limits and vehicle compatibility, winter camping weather protection, and preventing vehicle damage and security best practices.