
Buying an RV is a great idea, provided you know how to choose the right RV insurance plan. This Buzzle article highlights the affordable and comprehensive coverage plans that make sense for your ever-changing needs.
Did You Know?
Many RV insurance policies do not cover RV accessories like your awnings or TV antenna. Hence, get a separate coverage for them.
An RV or recreational vehicle that is equipped with a living space and amenities is quite popular among people who prefer the comfort while traveling long distances for vacationing or camping. It includes a bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping space. Whether your RV is financed or rented, it is important that you get the right insurance in order to acquire protection against any kind of losses.
Just as you select an auto insurance coverage, you need to consider certain factors before choosing the right RV insurance plan. Take into account the following:
- The type of RV you drive
- How and when you would be using it
- Your financial status
Once this is done, you need to choose the right coverage. Here are the coverage plans that can protect your RV investment as well as you and your family in case of stealing, accident, equipment failure, other damages, and more.
›› Ask for Discounts
If you use your RV seasonally, then avoid ending up paying more insurance for the time when you aren’t using it. Research and find an insurance policy that will offer you an off-season discount. This means, you will pay less for the seasons when you will not be using your RV. Most leading automobile insurance companies offer this discount, so do not forget to ask for the same.
›› Go for Increased Deductibles
Automobile deductible is the amount that you are willing to pay upfront in case of a car damage or injury compensation. The insurance company will then pay the remaining costs. There is a direct correlation between insurance cost and deductible. The higher the deductible, lower will be your insurance cost or premiums, and vice versa. However, you should opt for increased deductibles if you can easily afford to pay for the same. This is because your insurance company will not pay anything until you manage to shell out the deductibles first.
Choosing the Right Coverage
›› Personal Effects Coverage
With this plan, you automatically get covered for the contents in your RV such as electronic equipment, clothing, sports equipment, appliances, etc.
›› Storage Insurance
Most people use their RVs when they are traveling or going for a vacation. Hence, for the rest of the year, one cannot just park the RV outside and expose it to harsh winter conditions or rains. It will damage your RV, and the insurance company will not settle the claim. You will have to ensure that you store the RV in a proper storage facility when you are not using it. What you can also do is suspend the coverage during the time you won’t be using your RV. Even after suspending, you’ll still be protected from any kind of damage to your RV.
›› Traveling Insurance
So you want to take your RV across the border to Mexico. Your RV may be well-covered in the US, but are you sure you have international coverage for your RV? Inquire with your insurance provider before you embark on a trip. Many insurance companies do not cover the RV in a foreign country, and if an accident takes place, you may not be compensated. You may have to take additional policies for the same. Hence, when traveling abroad, ensure that you have the necessary international coverage.
›› Driver-wise Coverage
At times, it is your father who takes the RV out or sometimes it’s either you or your brother-in-law. This means that the RV is driven by a number of drivers. Hence, getting an insurance that covers only a single person won’t help. You will have to find a policy that has the provision of covering multiple drivers of the RV.
›› Sufficient Liability Coverage
RVs are not just prone to automobile accidents, many of them also suffer extensive damage because of fuel or propane leakage. If your RV is parked near other people’s vehicles, there is an inherent risk of the damage getting extended to them. Hence, you must go for an insurance policy that will cover all these losses caused by your RV.
›› Full-timer Coverage
If you are treating your RV as your primary residence, then probably you will have to go in for a full-timer insurance. In case of an accident, it will pay for the medical expenses, personal liability, undertaking loss assessment, loss of contents stored in the shed, etc., much like the homeowner’s insurance.
›› Optional Full Replacement Cost Coverage
Suppose your RV gets stolen―and you cannot recover it―or suffers severe damage, it can be replaced provided it falls in the first five model years. According to this insurance plan, you are entitled to receive an almost identical substitute of your new car. On the other hand, you will recover your full purchase price without depreciation after the first five model years, with which you can buy a new RV.