Typical RV Insurance

An RV, or recreational vehicle, is a vehicle and a dwelling. It has weight and sleeping capacity, often contains food preparation and lavatory facilities, and combines transportation and temporary living quarters for travel, recreation and camping. Obtaining and maintaining RV insurance is the equivalent of taking along emergency gear and spare parts in the RV. The RV owner hopes he never needs these but is prepared in case he does.

1. Typical RV

   • trailers, and toy hauler trailers that include a built-in garage for bringing along ATVs or sports vehicles. Truck campers, since they generally detach, are usually considered a subcategory of towables.

     Typical Vehicle Insurance

     RVs usually fall within two categories. Motor homes are self-propelled, meaning motorized. Class A motor homes are usually the largest. A class A is usually similar in design to a bus. A class C motor home typically has a cab over design on a truck chassis. A class B motor home is commonly smaller than a class A or class C and is most similar to a camper van. The other category of RV is the towable type. This type includes travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, folding or expandable Typically, vehicle insurance including RV insurance has certain features. First, it costs money, known as a "premium." It also includes a deductible amount, the dollar amount the insured person is required to pay before the insurer pays for each covered loss up to the limits of the policy.

   • As with any vehicle, collision insurance covers loss to the insured person's own vehicle caused by a collision with another vehicle, hazard or object. Comprehensive coverage provides coverage for damage to the vehicle caused by an event other than an overturn or a collision. Covered perils can include falling objects, fire, vandalism and theft. Liability provides coverage if the RV owner is found to be at fault for a covered incident.

   Towable Insurance

   • A towable RV is commonly added to the tow vehicle policy. Since the owner is likely to be paying for a truck policy that can include liability, collision and comprehensive, an addendum for the trailer covers the same perils. This is usually an economical approach to insuring a towable RV. It is important to note that when the RV is added to the auto policy, it is likely to have matching liability limits for both vehicles. In some instances, these limits may not be adequate for large RVs, so owners need to assess costs versus risks.

   Motor Home Insurance

   • A motor home, because it is motorized, must be insured against liability as any individual vehicle would be. Some states require higher limits of coverage based on the gross vehicle weight of the motor home.

   Unique RV Coverages

   • If a guest visits an RV site and is bitten by the RV owner's dog, an auto policy is not likely to cover the prospective liability. In this instance, the RV becomes more like a home than a vehicle and should be insured accordingly. Similarly, personal property contained in an RV can be more like that of a home than a vehicle. RV owners can purchase personal effects coverage. Another RV specific insurance is a type that provides towing for the large vehicle and may also provide trip interruption insurance to cover the expense of motel lodging and meals if the RV is temporarily out of use because of a covered incident.