A good RV Insurance plan goes a long way in giving you the peace of mind that allows you to truly enjoy your travels.
After all, your RV isn’t just any vehicle. It’s your home on wheels. Call WHINS Insurance Agency for a customized RV Insurance plan that provides you with the protection that your home away from home deserves.
Can my RV be covered under my Auto Insurance policy?
It is true that an RV can be added to a California auto insurance policy with a special endorsement. However, we strongly recommend a stand-alone RV insurance policy because it provides much broader coverage.
You may think that a stand-alone policy must come at a much higher price, too? But not always! In fact, in many cases, a stand-alone RV policy actually costs less than the endorsement to your auto insurance, although it provides broader coverage.
One of the biggest advantages of stand-alone RV insurance is that it offers “replacement coverage” while your auto policy will only cover your RV for “actual cash value”. That means if your RV is totaled and insured on a separate RV policy, your insurance will pay the cost to replace your RV. Your auto insurance will only pay what your RV was worth at the time of the loss. At the quick rate that all vehicles depreciate in value, that won’t be as much, especially if your RV was an older model.
Also, RV insurance provides better Roadside Assistance, Personal Property and Vacation Liability coverage that an auto policy.
Another perk of a stand-alone RV policy is the ‘disappearing deductible’. For every year that you drive your RV claims-free and accident-free, your deductible will drop 25%!
This means that after four years without a claim or an accident, you will have a zero deductible on your RV insurance.
What does a RV insurance policy cover?
A RV policy is very similar to an auto insurance policy in that it provides some of the same coverages, just adapted for the larger size (and the usually higher cost for repairs) of an RV. Here they are:
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Bodily Injury / Property Damage Liability: This coverage pays for any damages or injuries that you cause to another party
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Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist: Pays for your losses if the person who hit you does not have insurance or the financial resources to compensate you for the damage
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Medical Payments: This coverage may be used to pay for your necessary medical expenses in case of an accident regardless of who is at fault. You can select the amount of coverage that you like.
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Comprehensive / Collision Coverage: Pays if your RV is stolen or damaged in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
In addition to these, RV Insurance provides extra coverage that applies specifically to the size and exposure of an RV:
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Roadside Assistance: If your RV breaks down and needs to be towed, it can trigger major efforts and huge expenses. After all, an RV is not a car. It likely requires a semi-truck to be towed, which can cost you a pretty penny (often several hundred, if not a thousand, dollars). Your RV policy is made to cover bigger expenses for Roadside Assistance and towing.
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Emergency Expense: This coverage is automatically included with Comprehensive / Collision coverage and kicks in to cover the cost if a fire department needs to be called to save your RV.
Does my RV insurance cover me outside the US?
Your RV Insurance extends to the United States, its territories, and Canada. That means you have coverage to the full extent of your policy if you travels to these places.
If you drive to Mexico, things are a little different: Your liability coverage does not extend to Mexico.
If you plan on taking your RV to Mexico, you should purchase Mexican Liability Insurance from a licensed Mexican insurance company. ‘Mexico Physical Damage’ coverage is included with your Comprehensive / Collision coverage and covers physical damage that occurs to your RV while in Mexico, but only if you purchased Mexican Liability coverage.
What if I use my RV for several consecutive months at a time?
If you are traveling with your RV for longer periods of time, you should consider two aspects:
What if my RV is my primary residence?
If you use your RV as your primary residence, a Full Timer’s Package will provide you with the coverage you need: This package offers protection for your RV that’s similar to a homeowner’s policy, while accommodating the ‘moving’ lifestyle.
It includes Liability coverage, Personal property coverage and Medical Payments coverage, and even Loss Assessment coverage (applicable while you rent a location in a community) and Storage Shed Contents coverage (up to $5,000 for items you left stored while you traveled).
My friends and I bought an RV together. Can we get an RV insurance plan that covers all of us?
If you are thinking about purchasing an RV or Travel Trailer together with a group of friends, you are not alone. We count several RV owners among our clients who have decided to ‘team up’ to fulfill this dream for themselves while sharing the financial responsibilities.
There are RV insurance programs that specialize in protection plans for a number of co-owners. Call the experts WHINS Insurance Agency at (818) 233-0825 today and we will help you to customize a plan that works for all of you, while giving you the protection you need.