Having lived my life by coastal towns in the east of England, I have fond memories of days at the beach and holidays by the sea. Occasionally we were treated to a holiday in a static caravan to avoid being swept into the North Sea by the inevitable summer storms that frequent this green and pleasant land of ours. In all honesty, my memories of summers past seem to have a lot more sun in them than the ones of late have had. I vividly recall spending a number of consecutive summers on a campsite in Cornwall and not once did we get rained out of our tent.

I have attempted camping with my own children this summer, and the one before and the one before that even. Each time, we have lasted, on average, four days before rain stopped play as it were. Each time we were in a tent, and each time the water came and joined us in our sleeping bags. There was one particular time, back in a familiar Cornish bay that whilst packing away a sodden tent I looked longingly at a static caravan; through the window the warm glow of amber lit the faces of a family happily playing cards, oblivious to the torrent of rain outside causing the evacuation of the camping site.

The probably got their full two weeks in that beautiful bay, and with all the comforts of home. I used to think that donning the rucksack and kipping under canvas was an adventure. I now understand that after sleepless nights, there isn't much joy to be had on a family day out in an unfamiliar picturesque town. Sleep deprivation detracts somewhat from enjoying ones golden time off away from the office. Having a comfortable bed, a kitchen out of the wind with running water and yet still feeling like you are experiencing the coastal wilderness is a sensible and happy compromise as far as I am concerned.

Static caravans are not just holiday homes though, and it is estimated that there are thousands of people living in static caravans in the UK at any one time. Having one of these caravans as a home doesn't mean that everyday life is a holiday; there are essential financial matters that need to be addressed and these are no different from living in a home made of bricks and mortar. In fact, some of these matters may be more complicated than you can imagine; take insurance for example.

Although not particular to the UK (yet some may say), the effect of global warming on the weather systems has in turn had a detrimental affect on people living in trailer parks in the US. We are all familiar with the images on national TV of swathes of caravans pounded to destruction and the sad tales of those that have lost their home. Many of them had failed to fully insure their static homes, and they have become homeless due to the forces of nature.

Residents in the UK should take heed and ensure that they purchase adequate caravan insurance. They do say that an Englishman's home is his castle, and having a coastal residence either requires fortress walls or a way of protecting ones property financially. Apologies for the forthcoming cliche's, but I conclude that life can be a holiday, but the cloud will only have a silver lining if you cross the caravan insurers palm with silver!