Ah! The beauty of RV’ing! You get to have a different view outside your bedroom window every day (if you like). Wake up to the sounds of mountain streams or crashing waves, birdsong or trees swaying in the wind. Discover wildlife, explore nature, or simply sit in the sunshine. And if it’s raining? You sit under your awning. And when it’s too cold? You go inside. And the best part of it all? You get to sleep in a comfortable bed at night. YOUR bed!

An RV can take you all across the country, without you ever having to leave the comfort of home behind. Traveling in an RV – whether it’s just for the weekend or for months on end – allows you to get just the right amount of adventure that you crave. What could be better?

You can make sure that the bliss continues –even if things don’t go according to plan. Be prepared for any situation and get an excellent RV insurance policy. Knowing that you are covered no matter what happens can give you the peace of mind that you need to fully enjoy your travels. After all, your RV isn’t just a vehicle, it is your home on wheels!

Here are some things to consider as your look into a new RV insurance policy.
•   Can my RV be covered under my Auto Insurance policy?
•   What does an RV insurance policy cover?
•   Does my RV insurance cover me outside the US?
•   What if I use my RV for several consecutive months at a time?
•   What if my RV is my primary residence?

•   My friends and I bought an RV together. Can we get an RV insurance plan that covers all of us?

Can my RV be covered under my Auto Insurance policy?

After years of working and saving, you have finally fulfilled a life-long dream and purchased a new RV. Now that you have it, you want to make sure that you have the best protection available for your new investment.

You have a couple of options. You can add your new RV to your auto policy with a special endorsement, or you can purchase a stand-alone RV insurance policy.

We recommend that you purchase the stand alone policy because it provides much broader coverage, ensuring that you are covered no matter what situation you come across in your travels. Not only does it usually have better coverage, it can often be the cheaper option.

The biggest advantage to having an RV insurance policy is that you can get “replacement coverage” while your auto policy will only provide “actual cash value” if you ever need to replace the RV or just parts. By getting “replacement coverage,” you can avoid going upside-down on you payments if you are in an accident and the RV is a total loss. You can also get better Roadside Assistance, Personal Property and Vacation Liability with an RV insurance policy than you would if you’re just go through your regular auto policy.

You also have the great advantage of the “disappearing deductible.” This means that for every year that you drive your RV without a claim or accident, your deductible will drop 25%! That means that if you go 4 years without and accident or claim, then your deductible will disappear.

What does an RV insurance policy cover?

An RV insurance policy covers for many of the same areas as a regular auto policy, just adapted for a larger size (and usually higher cost). These coverages include:

•   Bodily Injury / Property Damage Liability: This coverage pays for any damages or injuries that you cause to another party
•   Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist: Pays for your losses if the person who hit you does not have insurance or the financial resources to compensate you for the damage
•   Medical Payments: This coverage may be used to pay for your necessary medical expenses in case of an accident regardless of who is at fault. You can select the amount of coverage that you like.

•   Comprehensive / Collision Coverage: Pays if your RV is stolen or damaged in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

In addition to these, with an RV policy you will have these added coverages that are designed specifically for your larger vehicle:

•   Roadside Assistance: If your RV breaks down and needs to be towed, it can trigger major efforts and huge expenses. After all, an RV is not a car. It likely requires a semi-truck to be towed, which can cost you a pretty penny (often several hundred, if not a thousand, dollars). Your RV policy is made to cover bigger expenses for Roadside Assistance and towing.

•   Emergency Expense: This coverage is automatically included with Comprehensive / Collision coverage and kicks in to cover the cost if a fire department needs to be called to save your RV.

Does my RV insurance cover me outside the US?

One of the great things about owning an RV is that you can travel anywhere you want. You can drive from Canada all the way down into Mexico! And, for the most part, you will be covered with your RV insurance policy, no matter where you go. You policy will be effective in the United States, its territories, and Canada.

If you decide to drive into Mexico, you will need to purchase an additional Mexican Liability policy from a licensed Mexican insurance provider. Your Comprehensive/Collision coverage in your RV insurance policy will cover for any physical damage that occurs to your vehicle while in Mexico, provided that you have a Mexican Liability policy in place. Simply give us a call and we will set you up with all you need to travel wherever you want.

What if I use my RV for several consecutive months at a time?

If you love your RV so much that you spend a significant amount of your time driving out on the open road, there are a couple of things you might want to consider:

•   Vacation Liability: Imagine your RV is parked at the campground, where you peacefully stoke your fire while your wife reads a book, when you hear a scream, a thunk, and a rumble. And it sounds like it’s way too near!

You drop your stick and hustle over to your RV, when you see the little girl, screaming in pain, blood running from a wound in her head, and a little bent pink bicycle a few feet over. Evidently, the little girl came down the hill too fast, wasn’t able to stop, and ran straight into your RV.

The good news is: The situation looks much worse than it is, and the little one got away with just a broken arm and a few bruises. No concussion.

The not-so-good news is: Since she ran into your RV, you are liable. That’s what Vacation Liability is for. It can protect you if you are held liable for bodily injury or physical damage to another person. Coverage limits are available from $10,000 to $500,000.

•   Contents Coverage: Contents coverage protects your personal property that you take with you on your RV trip (all your luggage, sports gear, camera, electronics, jewelry, or other items that are not part of the basic installed equipment of your RV.) If you have homeowner’s insurance, your homeowner’s policy will extend to cover your personal belongings, but after 30 days this coverage drops to $10,000. If you plan on taking high-value items that exceed this limit, consider Contents Coverage for your RV. (Keep in mind that your TV, stove, and other built-ins are actually not part of your ‘personal property’ but are considered built-ins and are covered under your RV insurance)

What if my RV is my primary residence?

If you are prepared to jump into a more nomadic lifestyle with the freedom to wander wherever the wind carries you, we can help you with insurance that caters to your unique needs.

If you use your RV as your primary residence, a Full Timer’s Package will provide you with the coverage you need: This package offers protection for your RV that’s similar to a homeowner’s policy, while accommodating the ‘moving’ lifestyle.

It includes Liability coverage, Personal property coverage and Medical Payments coverage, and even Loss Assessment coverage (applicable while you rent a location in a community) and Storage Shed Contents coverage (to cover the items you left stored while you traveled).

My friends and I bought an RV together. Can we get an RV insurance plan that covers all of us?

We know that an RV can be a large investment. So why should only the wealthy enjoy the benefits and freedom that come with owning an RV? Several of our clients have opted to purchase an RV as a group and would like to share the cost of insuring it as well.

If this is situation that you find appealing, give us a call and we will work it all out for you. We have RV insurance programs that specialize in protection plans for a number of co-owners.