Insurance Companies & Overweight Caravans

What Every Caravan Owner Needs to Know

Most caravan owners worry about breaking something if they’re overweight.Far fewer realise they could also be risking their insurance cover.

Across Australia, insurers are increasingly scrutinising caravan weights after accidents — and many claims are reduced or declined because a rig was found to be over legal limits.

Here’s what you need to know, in plain English.

 

 

Can Insurance Be Voided If Your Caravan Is Overweight?

Short answer: Yes — it can be.

Most Australian caravan insurance policies require your caravan and tow vehicle to be:

• Roadworthy

• Legal

• Used within manufacturer design limits

If your caravan is overweight at the time of an incident, insurers may argue:

• The rig was unsafe or un-roadworthy

• You breached a policy condition

• The excess weight contributed to the loss

The result can be:

• ❌ A declined claim

• Personal liability for repairs, property damage, or injuries

• Costs running into tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars

After serious incidents, insurers often reconstruct weights by assessing:

• Water tanks

• Accessories

• Modifications

• Payload and storage contents

 

 

Why Insurers Care So Much About Weight

This isn’t just fine print — it’s about risk.

Overweight caravans are statistically more likely to:

• Sway or jack-knife

• Roll over

• Suffer braking failures

• Break axles, springs, or chassis components

From an insurer’s perspective:

• An overloaded rig is not road legal

• That risk was never underwritten

• The claim exposure is significantly higher

That’s why weight compliance is treated seriously during claim assessments.

 

 

The Overweight Problem Is Widespread

Industry data consistently shows:

• 60–80% of caravans exceed at least one legal limit

• Many are overweight without the owner realising

• Axle overloads are especially common

As a result:

• Police now conduct mobile weighing blitzes

• Penalties range from hundreds to thousands of dollars

• Caravans can be grounded roadside until weight is reduced

This level of non-compliance has also placed pressure on insurers to tighten claim assessments.

 

 

How Legal Compliance Affects Insurance

Insurance policies aren’t criminal law — but the legal backdrop matters.

If police or transport authorities declare your caravan:

• Overweight

• Un-roadworthy

Insurers may rely on that finding to:

• Deny a claim

• Reduce a payout

• Shift liability back to the owner

• Decline to reinsure your caravan

Even if the accident wasn’t your fault.

 

 

Common PDS Clauses Insurers Rely On

Most caravan insurance Product Disclosure Statements include clauses covering:

 

“Unsafe or Unroadworthy Conditions”

This commonly includes exceeding:

• ATM

• GVM

• GCM

• Axle limits

• Towball limits

 

“Exceeding Load or Design Limits”

Some policies explicitly exclude cover if:

• The caravan or tow vehicle is carrying more than it is designed or legally permitted to carry

 

“Your Responsibilities”

Policyholders are typically required to:

• Ensure legal compliance

• Maintain roadworthy condition

• Declare weight-affecting modifications

Breaching these responsibilities can void cover.

 

 

How Weight Is Used in Real Claims

 

Rollover or Jack-knife

• Caravan later found over ATM

• Insurer links weight to instability

  ❌ Claim declined

Rear-End Collision (Not Your Fault)

• Third party pays their damage

• Your insurer assesses your compliance

  ❌ Your own claim may still be declined

Axle, Suspension or Chassis Failure

• Damage consistent with overload fatigue

  ❌ Declined as wear, tear or incorrect loading

Fire, Theft or Hail Damage

• Outcome depends on policy wording

• Some insurers still require legal compliance at all times

  Claim outcome varies

Serious Injury or Fatality

• Forensic weighing ordered

• Engineering assessments involved

  ❌ Claims frequently declined

  Personal liability risk is highest

 

 

How Insurers Decide: The 3-Question Test

Most insurers ask:

1. Was the caravan within legal and design limits?

2. Did loading affect safety or structural integrity?

3. Did the breach exist at the time of the loss?

If the answer is “yes” to the last two — the claim is at risk.

Intent or negligence does not need to be proven.

 

 

How Caravan Owners Protect Their Insurance

Successful claims almost always involve:

✔ A professional vehicle & caravan weight report

✔ Proof of compliance with ATM, axles and tow vehicle limits

✔ Declared modifications

✔ Documented load configuration

This is exactly why mobile weighing services like Clear Weight exist.

 

 

Why a Clear Weight Report Matters

A Clear Weight assessment:

• Measures real-world weights, not estimates

• Identifies axle, ball and combination issues

• Documents compliance at a point in time

• Provides evidence insurers actually look for

It’s not just about avoiding fines — it’s about protecting:

• Your safety

• Your investment

• Your insurance cover

 

 

Final Thoughts

Being overweight doesn’t just affect handling — it can quietly undermine your insurance.

Many owners only find out after an accident, when it’s too late to fix.

Getting your rig professionally weighed before travelling is one of the simplest, smartest protections you can put in place.

Clear Weight helps you know — not guess — where you stand.