I suggest you trawl through some of our past threads, or using the search function type in the key words from your post. There will be literally hundreds of posts covering those questions
To answer some of your specifics: Insurance: bloody good idea
Who with? Well I am with comforts, some are with safeguard, others are with caravan club .... there are a lot of good specialist insurers out there who know what they are insuring. Also there are a lot who will not insure: Aviva for one.
Duvet or sleeping bags is purely personal choice. How many are there of you? Will you be sleeping upstairs or downstairs? Personally, me on my own, I prefer a duvet and mostly sleep downstairs. Sleeping upstairs, in a sleeping bag, would drive me nuts. I have "quick escape" at the forefront of my mind always.
Drive-away awnings are useful if you are not like me: I tend to be very itinerant, rarely stop in any one place for more than a couple of days, and setting up, taking down and finding space on board for it is just not suited to my lifestyle.
Lowering suspension, I would also why? Some would find it travels better but there seems to be a range of experiences relative to variant of Cali. I have a 204 4 Motion and find it handles quite well enough with all the weight in it and I would most definitely not want to trundle over an unmade road with it any lower. Again, knowing variant of vehicle and intended lifestyle would be helpful for others to know when offering advice.
Seat covers? Well if you are going to have muddy, wet dogs leaping all over I would say essential. I have two dogs, often muddy, I do not have covers as I am often away from home on my own and as I don't have my furniture covered when at home I can't see why I would want to in my Cali, but then that's me. When my dogs do come with me I have a non-slip waterproof throw to go over the back seats.
Detailing is something some like. No point me having it, Alfie spends most of his time getting filthy and I would feel myself getting precious if I worried about the shiny polished look.
Anyway, loads to agree on and disagree, but welcome, join in and .... lets have some pics when ready
