Vacationing in an RV is great. All you need is your GPS, your party, and money for gas because there are as many stops as you want there to be. Of course, another important component to add to that list is RV insurance. The most simple way RV insurance can be summed up is a combination of both car insurance and homeowners’ insurance. It goes beyond the regular auto protections with some personal asset protection like a homeowners’ policy would. With RV insurance, you can insure any equipment you bring on your journey. This post covers what coverages make up the best RV insurance for both part-time drivers looking for a vacation or owners for whom the road is a way of life.
Basic RV Insurance
Let’s start with general protections that are associated with RV insurance before moving into the broad stuff. Since RV insurance is more or less a type of auto insurance, first must come the required general liability coverage. Nearly every state has general liability car insurance requirements in place for every driver with a registered vehicle. RVs are no exception and must adhere to the state it is registered in car insurance requirements. General liability RV insurance functions exactly as it would with a car –any damage to property or injuries to other drivers and passengers that you cause is covered. Typically, car insurance rates may be higher for RVs because they are bigger and not for the faint of heart behind the wheel. Also, like a cheap car insurance policy, comprehensive and collision coverage is also available for an RV policy. RVs are often parked for long periods of time, so you can insure them against hazards with comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage will help provide your own RV repairs in an at-fault accident. This is the most basic coverage you can get for an RV.
More Types of RV Insurance
There is little else to say about the auto coverage of RV insurance. Personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage are also available like they would be with a standard car too. These would be to insure yourself when it comes to your own injuries in an at-fault accident or if you were to get into an accident with a driver with no insurance to cover their damage. Again, RVs are big vehicles. So every protection may be in your favor. Now, let’s look at some of the more homeowners’ insurance-like coverages of RV insurance:
- Personal effects – In the context of a homeowner, your valuables kept within your home are personal effects. Since an RV is a home on wheels, some of your valuables may be brought on board for the excursion. Personal effects coverage can be applied to items brought from your home into your RV. This is the most useful insurance for people that spend several days on the road.
- Vacation liability – This is an exclusive add-on to an RV insurance policy. There are RV stops and campsites all around the country where drivers often stop by for a spell. Damage that occurs to RVs on these grounds is often neglected by a standard RV policy, so vacation liability coverage is a welcome addition to an RV policy. Vacation liability insurance also covers injuries of anyone you accidentally injure while at the site. This is the most valuable coverage you can get for your RV.
- Emergency expenses – Say that while you are on a trip, the RV breaks down. Emergency expenses RV insurance will help you get back home without it. Expenses such as hotels and additional transportation are all covered by this exclusive RV coverage. Insurance providers recognize that those who drive RVs are often several miles from home.
- Full replacement – Some insurance providers may offer full replacement coverage for an RV if the worst happens while you’re on your road trip. This one may take some digging to find if you really wish to not be on the hook if you owe someone a new RV because theirs was wrecked.
Types of RVs Covered by Insurance
The cost of RV insurance also depends on the RV class you rented or bought. When it comes to mobile homes, they can either be entirely on wheels as an oversized vehicle or a trailer that connects to your own car or another suitable vehicle. No need to worry; standard RV insurance covers everything from RVs to trailers and campers. These include teardrop, fifth-wheel, and pop-up campers as well.
Other Factors The Determine RV Insurance Cost
The other two main factors that can determine how much you pay for RV insurance are how much you intend to use it and how much coverage your state requires you to carry. Naturally, full-time RV drivers have more risk than part-time drivers because they are on the road more, so their insurance rates will be higher. But like car insurance, there is a broad selection of discounts that can be applied to RV insurance. This can include completion of an approved RV driving course, safe driving, bundled insurance, and other forms of discounts commonly seen in the auto insurance world. That’s truly the best way to think of RV insurance as extra car insurance.
