Recreational vehicles, also known as RVs, come in all shapes and sizes. Motorhomes. Fifth wheels. Popup campers. Travel trailers. RV insurance may or may not be required depending on what type of RV you own however, expect to find an insurer for full comprehensive coverage if your RV is going through financing.
The main difference in coverage requirements is simple: if you tow it, insurance is probably optional, and if it’s self-contained (meaning you can get it from point A to point B without the help of another vehicle), you probably will be required to purchase insurance coverage. Put another way, any vehicle you drive on the road is required to be insured, and that includes motorhomes. You will be required to have minimum liability for your state in order to legally drive on the road. More coverage is available and optional unless required by a lender.
RV insurance can also be easily expanded to include: personal attachments coverage (such a satellite dishes and awnings), medical payment coverage in case you, your passengers, or others are involved in an accident no matter who is at fault, and even pet injury coverage.
Mr. Winter. Pet injury coverage is an option to add to your insurance plan for those who travel with their little ones.
Full-Time RV Living and Insurance Considerations
RV parks and resorts can have their own insurance coverage requirements by RV owners who will have extended (seasonal) or annual stays. The amount varies park by park however, it is a good idea to talk with a park manager/owner about what the minimum is prior to booking to figure in the amount into your premium and overall expenses.
Some may consider the minimums extreme but when potential damage occurs to land, other RV’s, and people in case of a major fire, the minimum coverage does have a rhyme and reason. The park itself carries liability insurance but if it was your rig that started the fire and resulting damage, you will be personally liable. If the amount of coverage is insufficient, a potential lawsuit from the park or other RV owners could break your bank account.
Like homeowner’s insurance, having enough coverage for your home-on-wheels as a full-timer doesn’t just cover the RV itself. It covers your personal property as well such as laptops, TVs, appliances, etc. – even dishes - with optional coverage for 100% complete replacement in case of a catastrophic event or storm. Be sure to ask when obtaining a quote: “Does the insurance offer full replacement value or fair market value?” And “Does the insurance offer living expenses while accident repairs are being done or while obtaining and equipping a new full-time RV if it’s totaled?”
Almost any insurance company will cover an RV for weekend/vacation recreational use. Disclosing full-time RV owner status, however, limits the possibilities of insurance coverage, but it’s necessary to reveal that information to get adequate reimbursement if there is a catastrophic accident. Three options that are very popular are: National General (through Good Sam), Progressive, and Blue Sky.
Sorting Through the Maze of RV Insurance Carriers
While this article cannot address every type of RV, their main uses, and personal factors, there is a list of the Top Ten RV insurance carriers for 2018 here. ‘Rates’ may/may not play such a determining factor when choosing a carrier as much as the included coverage that may be an additional cost ordinarily offered by another company. In addition, full-time RV living has requirements that can be determined by where you will reside most of the year.
For example:
National General offers:
Blue Sky offers:
Progressive offers:
Allstate’s Esurance places a higher emphasis on “full-timing” by comparison to others according to the Top Ten list. While GEICO offers RV insurance coverage and deals if your car is also insured by them, full-timers are referred to Foremost RV Insurance through them as another department. State Farm Insurance also refers full-time RVers to Foremost.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as Told by Fellow RVers
The very best way to determine if an RV insurance provider is right for you is through chatting with seasoned full-timers in your neck of the woods. This is often the most accurate measurement, especially when it comes to the handling of claims. If you belong to RV groups online or offline, ask. For example, The RV Bunch is a tool you may have not been utilizing and it’s as easy as signing on Facebook. Some of the answers you get from fellow RVers can be surprising. Even if a rate seems fantastic, the company may not be that great when it comes to replacing an awning or making the owner jump through several hoops in order to process the claim in the first place.
As with buying home or car insurance, how claims are handled shouldn’t be something you find out in the middle of a crisis. On par with customer service experiences in general, your motor home or home-away-from-home needs enough coverage and trust in the insurer to have you sleeping well at night.