Many homeowners decide to invest in a camper so that they can go on cross-country trips with their friends and families. While these trailers are a great investment, it can be hard to know whether or not an RV or camper is covered under homeowners insurance.
Most homeowners insurance policies will cover campers when they are stored or parked on your property. This coverage is usually extended to Class A, Class B, and Class C RVs. It also applied to fifth wheels and towable campers. Keep in mind you must inform your insurance company you have one and have it listed in order to be covered.
Keep reading to learn the caveats that come with insuring an RV or camper. We dive into different important coverage scenarios and alternate insurance options to help you decide the best way to stay covered.
- If an RV or camper is parked or stored on your property, homeowners insurance will cover qualified claims
- When an RV or camper is towed, your auto insurance will transfer for liability and bodily injury
- Securing a separate RV insurance policy will heighten the amount of coverage you have to ensure your RV or camper is repaired or replaced appropriately
Storing your camper trailer RV at home
When the weather gets crazy, and something detrimental happens, damaging your RV, camper, or trailer, don’t panic. If the incident is a covered peril, your camper, RV, or trailer will be covered under personal property coverage or other structures coverage, depending on how the insurance company classifies it.
The actual amount of money you receive will depend on whether you have selected a replacement cost coverage option or the actual cash value option within your insurance policy. The type of personal property coverage you keep will have a large impact on your total payout.
If you have not bought an RV, trailer, or camper yet, and are just doing research, be sure to call your home insurance agency and discuss your options. This will better prepare you to purchase additional coverage if you do not think your current plan will cover enough if a covered peril were to occur.
Belongings within the camper
Many people store items inside their campers to make it easier to hitch and go whenever they want to explore or go on a vacation or trip. If a covered peril occurs and damages your RV or camper, it is likely the items inside will be destroyed as well.
Your insurance will cover these damaged items, but the coverage will likely max out at around 10% of the overall dwelling coverage per claim. This means if you have a dwelling coverage for $500,000 and you make a claim, your payout maxes out at $50,000.
Camper stored within a garage
If your RV is stored inside a detached garage or a special carport or shed on your property, your homeowners insurance may only cover it as an “other structure.” This type of coverage is usually 10% of the total dwelling coverage of a home. That means if your total dwelling coverage is $400,000, you will get a maximum claim benefit of $40,000. This may not be enough to cover the repair or replacement of the RV and your garage.
Liability coverage when stored at home
The good news is your liability insurance for your home is also shared with your camper or RV if it is parked on your property. So, if someone is over and is hurt by the recreational vehicle (when it is parked, not towed) and it is deemed to be your fault, your policy will pay for the medical and legal bills that result from the claim.
Storing your camper away from home
Homeowners insurance is tricky when it comes to an RV or camper that is stored away from home. Some policies will cover the RV or trailer, while others will not. Typically, the facility in which the RV or camper is being stored will cover the damage through its own insurance policy. This is especially true if the damage occurs at the facility due to an issue with the facility.
Now, if there was a natural disaster that is a covered peril, and the RV or camper is damaged due to this covered peril while being stored at a facility away from home, your homeowners insurance may pick up the claim and accept it.
Remember, as soon as the RV or camper hits the road and is no longer stored, it is not covered under a homeowners insurance policy any longer.
Coverage when towing your RV
When your RV is being towed, an auto insurance policy will cover the RV camper and any property damage or bodily injury that occurs with the camper. This is because it is attached to your vehicle. Auto insurance will not cover the damage to the camper itself, only the liability if you are deemed at fault for an accident or injury.
If you want the damage to the RV to be covered, you would need to purchase a separate RV insurance policy.
Coverage when at camp
When you tow your RV or camper to a campsite and unhitch it from your vehicle, you no longer have any insurance coverage unless you invest in RV insurance. This is because insurance agencies look at an RV on a campsite as a mobile home or rental home. If a tree falls on the RV, a windstorm smashes the windows, or another disaster strikes, the only way it would be covered is through an RV insurance policy.
Driveable RVs
Drivable recreational vehicles require their own special insurance before it is driven off the lot. This type of RV is considered to be a motorized vehicle. While your homeowners insurance may still cover some portions of damage to it if it is stored on your property, your auto insurance will never transfer to the RV itself.
Purchasing RV insurance will ensure that the driveable RV is covered for damage and that proper liability and bodily injury insurance is also listed on the policy. This will protect you and the people around you should the unthinkable occur.
Insure yourself at home or on the go
An RV or camper is a cost-effective way to travel the country without breaking the bank. Many people enjoy these recreational vehicles and buy them to enjoy with their families. Whether you select a towable camper or a driveable RV, make sure to check in with your homeowners insurance. Securing the right amount of coverage is key so that your investment will last a long time.
