You’re pulling the RV out of the driveway for the first time in months. Are you covered properly?
As you drive down the road to your first stop on the inaugural trip, you drive under an overpass that’s maybe four inches too short (or your RV is four inches too tall, as your spouse points out). You’re not sure... oh, sure... you’re sure... so you go for it.
You hear the TV antenna screech as it rips from the top of your RV.
The sound literally hurts.
You pull over, and realize the antenna is a goner. You ask yourself: “Will my insurance cover this?”
Well, will it?
Answers about coverage aren’t always easy.
To get the right answers, you need to ask the right questions. Let’s start with what type of RV you have.
There are several classifications of RV: Class B RVs are basically camper homes and will need different coverage than a Class A Recreational Vehicle, which is more like a house on wheels. A Class C is in between these. Think mini-motorhome.
So, the question is, are you towing a pop-up camper, driving a camper home, or living in a house on wheels?
Your insurance agent understands that the type of coverage must be matched to the type of RV. Another important question is, are you a full-time RV person, often called a full-timer or a part-time camper?
Another way to ask it is, do you live full time in your RV for much of the year? Or do you take an occasional long weekend to explore nearby campgrounds?
The type of RV you own, and the type of RVer you are will affect the type of coverage you need.
The R
The R in RV stands for recreational. As you travel, and stay at various campgrounds and RV parks, you face unique risks.
You have awnings, antennas, and satellite dishes to worry about. You also face increased risks of losing personal valuables like rings and laptops. These risks must be explored.
Finally, there may be unique liability exposures by living on the road. If you are living long-term on the road, even for part of the year, you need to make sure that there are not gaps between your homeowners liability and your auto liability.
Sometimes, what you don’t know can indeed hurt you.
The V
V in RV stands for vehicle, and traditional car insurance often covers a lot of RV insurance needs.
Comprehensive and Collision, of course, are covered; if you can drive it, auto insurance can cover it.
But what about full replacement value? How about pull-behind campers? What about fifth-wheels? How are they covered under auto insurance? Or are they?
These are questions unique to your RV, and areas that traditional auto insurance may need some additional help covering. These questions need to be explored with your insurance agent.
My advice
This particular article has been intentionally vague on what’s covered versus what’s not covered.
Why? Because each RV, and each over the road excursion, requires individually-crafted coverage solutions.
Don’t hit the road in your RV without first talking to your local insurance agent. As always, if you don’t have a local agent, feel free to contact me with any questions.
As you drive down the road to your first stop on the inaugural trip, you drive under an overpass that’s maybe four inches too short (or your RV is four inches too tall, as your spouse points out). You’re not sure... oh, sure... you’re sure... so you go for it.
You hear the TV antenna screech as it rips from the top of your RV.
The sound literally hurts.
You pull over, and realize the antenna is a goner. You ask yourself: “Will my insurance cover this?”
Well, will it?
Answers about coverage aren’t always easy.
To get the right answers, you need to ask the right questions. Let’s start with what type of RV you have.
There are several classifications of RV: Class B RVs are basically camper homes and will need different coverage than a Class A Recreational Vehicle, which is more like a house on wheels. A Class C is in between these. Think mini-motorhome.
So, the question is, are you towing a pop-up camper, driving a camper home, or living in a house on wheels?
Your insurance agent understands that the type of coverage must be matched to the type of RV. Another important question is, are you a full-time RV person, often called a full-timer or a part-time camper?
Another way to ask it is, do you live full time in your RV for much of the year? Or do you take an occasional long weekend to explore nearby campgrounds?
The type of RV you own, and the type of RVer you are will affect the type of coverage you need.
The R
The R in RV stands for recreational. As you travel, and stay at various campgrounds and RV parks, you face unique risks.
You have awnings, antennas, and satellite dishes to worry about. You also face increased risks of losing personal valuables like rings and laptops. These risks must be explored.
Finally, there may be unique liability exposures by living on the road. If you are living long-term on the road, even for part of the year, you need to make sure that there are not gaps between your homeowners liability and your auto liability.
Sometimes, what you don’t know can indeed hurt you.
The V
V in RV stands for vehicle, and traditional car insurance often covers a lot of RV insurance needs.
Comprehensive and Collision, of course, are covered; if you can drive it, auto insurance can cover it.
But what about full replacement value? How about pull-behind campers? What about fifth-wheels? How are they covered under auto insurance? Or are they?
These are questions unique to your RV, and areas that traditional auto insurance may need some additional help covering. These questions need to be explored with your insurance agent.
My advice
This particular article has been intentionally vague on what’s covered versus what’s not covered.
Why? Because each RV, and each over the road excursion, requires individually-crafted coverage solutions.
Don’t hit the road in your RV without first talking to your local insurance agent. As always, if you don’t have a local agent, feel free to contact me with any questions.
RSS Feed