My insurance falls due next week while we are away so I thought I'd best sort it out this morning while I remember.

I've been with the same broker now since we started caravanning in 2011 (Cover4caravans) as every year their quotes have been the most competitive and when I made a claim in 2015 (settled in 2016), they could not have been more helpful.

Despite the £1,700 claim, my quote only went up £10 this year to £198 but I nevertheless ran the details through the online comparison sites where the best quote I could find of £167 would have saved me £31.

However, as I wanted to stay with my current broker anyway, I merely mentioned that I'd had this slightly better quote when I rang to renew and to my surprise after 30 seconds on hold I was offered renewal for £150, a saving of £48 and £38 less than I paid last year!

It is easy to be cynical and say that if they could reduce the premium so readily then they should have quoted that figure in the first place but as my grandma used to say, 'Never look a gift horse in the mouth' so I'm not complaining.

I'm still a bit surprised that whereas I'm now in the habit of changing car insurers, house insurers and gas & electricity suppliers on an annual basis, this will be my sixth consecutive year with the same caravan insurer.

They must be doing something right.

I've just checked my existing schedule and the only conditions are:

1. Caravan must be fitted with a hitchlock and wheel clamp at all times when detached from the vehicle
2. Caravan must be fitted with a wheel clamp when left unattended while attached to the vehicle.

The insurance statement of fact shows 'CRIS number (17 digits) VGNTRT **********' (i.e. the Hymer serial number on the plate near the door) and the special conditions are exactly as above.

As I said, they did pay out on a claim for a damaged panel last year without any problems once I'd agreed to use their nominated repairer (who did a superb job) so they must have been happy with the information .