Global Courant
Every year more and more people take our motorhomes out of storage and hit the road. One of the most important and overlooked aspects of travel preparation is insurance. Motorhome insurance is more complicated than simple car insurance. Too many people think they can just add their recreational vehicle to their auto insurance policy.
Adding a motorhome to your regular car policy will not give you the full protection that specialized motorhome insurance can offer. After all, there are many differences between a motorhome and a car. Your motorhome is a house on wheels; it contains much more personal property and represents a significantly larger investment than your car. It also has a kitchen, a bathroom, heating and cooling systems and an electrical panel, in other words, it is more like a house than a car.
Many RVs cost as much as a luxury home and present other unique insurance policy challenges; holiday/trip interruption issues, towing, breakdown, generators and appliances, awnings, retractable awnings, specialist repair requirements and liability issues.
Just think of the situations a camper faces on the road; hurricane-force winds, exposure to water equivalent to a flood, and prolonged tremors worse than most earthquakes. You drive this home on the highway at speeds of 75 mph (category 1 hurricane force) in a heavy rain storm on some of our aging highways (shock and vibration). How many of our real homes would withstand this kind of abuse?
You should also consider the specialized equipment and cost of some RV functions; awnings, generators, pull-out rooms, skylights, satellite domes, TV antennas, roof mounted air conditioners, leveling feet and stairs.
Most motorhome dealers offer specialized motorhome insurance through the dealer and there are also many companies that specialize in this type of insurance. You can take out insurance for every type and age of recreational vehicle.
One of the most common claims associated with motorhomes is body damage from gas station overhangs and canopies; RVs are generally 11′ to 13’+ high. We’re always wary of that extra width, but it’s so easy to forget our height requirements, there’s no mirror for that! Find out the overall height required for your setup and keep it prominent and convenient in the driver’s seat of your RV or tow vehicle. A related type of these claims comes from forgetting to lower the TV antenna. The antenna itself may not cost much to replace, but if it punches a hole in the roof, you have a real problem and a much more expensive repair.
Another common cause of damage to motorhomes is fire. The refrigerator, water heater, oven, stove, and generator are all sources of potential propane (or other fuel) leaks and fires. The propane installation must be regularly checked and maintained.
A third common reason for insurance claims on our motorhomes is tire damage. A blowout, a loosened tread, or even a simple flat tire will almost always cause damage to the exterior of the body, but it can also throw chunks of tire through the vehicle, causing major damage to the interior and even physical damage to the occupants. The single most important precaution you can take with a motorhome is to check your tires regularly. Keep the pressure at the recommended level for the tire spec and the weight it is carrying and watch for signs of wear. RV tires are rarely replaced due to tread wear, instead they are normally replaced due to age, dry rot, cracking and ozone or UV degradation.
Even a motorhome is susceptible to damage when it is parked. There are several potential hazards to anticipate and precautions to take during storage periods. You need to take into account the weather in your part of the country. The most obvious problem is freezing of the water supply, waste pipes and holding tanks. Not so obvious are heat or sun exposure stressing tires, propane and other fuel components. You must properly winterize or otherwise protect your plant from the elements appropriate to your area.
Another storage problem is rodent infestation. Mice, squirrels and other vermin can cause a lot of damage to the interior and mechanical parts of a motorhome. You can do a lot to protect yourself by thoroughly cleaning all food items and storage areas before putting them away. As with the weather, the precautions you need to take depend on your storage location.
It is very important to get good insurance for your RV. Talk to a qualified specialty insurance professional or a full-service RV dealer to explore your options. Look around, do some online research and you can find a company and policy that fits your needs. In our next article, we’ll discuss some of the coverages you may need.
Insurance Considerations for RV Owners
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