If you’re about to begin your cross-country trek in your newly purchased RV home, there is one last item you might want to consider before commencing your journey. Is your RV insured?
Getting insurance on your RV can be confusing and overwhelming as the coverage options not only vary from company to company but also state to state. You also need to consider what insurance is best suited for you. The confusion can lie in whether to seek homeowners insurance, auto insurance, or RV insurance.
Lucky for you, many insurance companies do offer RV insurance and plenty of extra coverage options to fit your situation perfectly. Knowing how much your RV is worth, what risks you may meet on your journey, and what storage options you might want to pursue can save you the headache of having to pay out of pocket down the road.
Know your options now and keep your RV covered so you won’t have to worry if someone gets hurt or something gets stolen while on vacation. RV insurance is an important addition to your policy that will keep you at ease in the face of unseen risks during your journey.
Why do you need RV insurance
Insuring your RV is sometimes mandatory before you can begin enjoying the perks of the RV. In most states, the smallest requirement for an RV is your basic car’s liability coverage though your mortgage lender might require you to buy coverage for your RV. Your state might also require you to have some form of coverage on your RV before taking it on the road.
If your RV is a motor home, meaning it can drive without a towing truck or car, it may be required that you have RV insurance. If your RV is a rental or if you are paying off the RV mortgage, RV insurance will be mandatory as well to insure that any damages sustained will be paid back to the lender or rental company.
There are cases where RV insurance is not required by law such as when you own the RV outright, or if it’s not a driven vehicle – meaning it’s a vehicle that must be towed – then you may not be expected to buy RV insurance. This doesn’t mean it isn’t recommended! RV insurance will cover your vehicle from damages sustained both during the drive and as it functions as a home.
Some people might assume that your belongings will be covered by extension of your homeowners insurance, but with RVs this is not the case. If your belongings are stolen from your RV and you don’t have RV insurance, you will be held responsible for covering the financial costs to replace your belongings.
Purchasing RV insurance will help put you at ease in the event of damages occurring to your mobile home. Though you might not legally be required to have insurance on your RV, it’s still highly recommended.
Consider extra coverage and discounts
Along with your basic RV insurance policy comes extra coverage options that will help repair or replace a more specific item. There are plenty of different coverage options you may add on to your policy if something you weren’t expecting happens. Some of these options are:
Personal Items
If any items you have brought along on vacation with you are stolen from your RV, your insurance should cover the cost to replace. This can cover a basic range of items or you may specify which items you are bringing along.
Pet injuries
In the event your pet gets hurt or worse while on vacation in your RV, you may file a claim to your insurance to help cover the cost of medical bills. With this coverage, you are better protected financially, and your pets are less of a risk.
Vacation liability
If someone gets hurt while inside your RV or on your campground, you will be protected by your RV insurance policy.
Trip insurance
Your RV is still a vehicle that must be driven to reach your destination. By insuring your RV with trip insurance, you protect yourself if you get into a traffic collision resulting in damages or injury.
There’s a lot of options when it comes to extra coverage so it would be smart to know your own situation and prepare yourself accordingly. If you know that you’ll be bringing expensive items along with you it may be smart to purchase coverage for your personal items. If you’re bringing your pets along for the ride, then perhaps you should look into pet coverage.
Extra coverage can become expensive, especially if you know you’re going to need a lot of it. If you’re planning on getting RV insurance with a host of extra coverage, you might also want to consider searching for any possible discounts that apply to you.
Discounts
Options such as off-road premium cuts are available and accessible. For when you aren’t using your RV, there’s less risk of any damages coming to it so why continue to pay the full amount for coverage? There’re options out there that will allow you to cut your insurance in half during the RV off-season. There might also be a safe driver discount allowing you to lower your premium if you have not been in an accident in a long period.
Speak with your insurance company to find out more about extra coverage options they offer as well as any discounts you may apply for.
What is affecting your insurance rates
RV insurance costs vary state to state so it could easily be a matter of where you are purchasing this insurance from. Other factors will be taken into consideration by your insurance when determining your rates. Factors such as age, gender, driving record, credit score, model of RV, etc. all come into play when your company is pricing your insurance.
Some factors like driving record and credit score can be changed and possibly lead to a lowered premium the following year. Other’s like age and state cannot be so easily changed. Contact your insurance company to find the policy perfect for you and your RV.
