Using an RV as a Permanent Residence Requires Special Insurance
Bob and Sue looked forward to retiring for years. When the time came, they sold their home and moved into their beautiful RV, then traveled and rented camp spaces by the month. Everything was fine till one pleasant day a guest slipped inside their RV at a campsite and was badly hurt. Their RV insurance didn’t cover the guest’s medical bills.
Then their RV was broken into, valuables stolen, and their RV insurance didn’t cover that loss either. After getting over that shock, the storage unit they had rented to store heirloom furniture and other belongings was also broken into. That loss, too, was not covered under their RV policy. Finally, when trying to relax at a campsite from all that stress, their dog, Spots, bit a neighboring camper. Their RV insurance didn’t cover the medical bills, so a lawsuit against Bob and Sue soon developed. The legal expense of the lawsuit was not covered under their RV insurance either. What was going on?
OK, four big losses in a row would be unusual. But this fictional story illustrates that many full-time RV’ers are not properly insured. Most RV insurance policies assume that you also own a home and have homeowner’s insurance. All the losses we just described, property losses, medical bills and personal liability claims, would have been covered under Bob and Sues previous homeowner’s policy. But they had cancelled that policy when they sold their home, and therefore lost valuable insurance coverage. Even worse, their long-time insurance agent did not specialize in RV insurance, so he didn’t warn Bob and Sue of the danger they faced.
If you live in your RV 50% of the time, you’re considered a full-time resident. Since your RV is considered to be your residence, most RV policies (only intended for occasional, vacation use) omit some valuable coverages. That’s why you need a full-time RV policy. Make sense? Look at these points:
Liability. Not from driving, but from use as a residence. It’s different. Slips and falls inside your RV are not considered traffic accidents. Likewise, vehicle insurance does not cover dog bites, or other types of legal problems arising from owning a residence.
Personal Property. Do you carry everything you own in an RV? Chances are the RV policy has very small limits on contents coverage. It was expecting you to use your RV on vacations, not to carry all your worldly goods. You most likely need higher limits of coverage. Think jewelry, electronics, firearms, computers and more. If it cost a lot of money, it needs proper full-time insurance.
Replacement Coverage. Find out in advance what you’d receive from your insurer in case of a total loss. Not just for the RV, but all for the extra contents you carry in it. You do have an itemized list, don’t you, with pictures of your possessions? If not, start one soon.
Towing. It’s expensive for a big rig. Consider getting extra coverage.
Not all insurance brokers understand full-time RV insurance. Not all RV insurance companies sell full-time coverage.
So be sure and contact RVInsurances.com and ask to speak with Marty regarding fulltime coverage options. Don’t put it off. We’ll advise you on the ins and outs, and shop for coverage that makes sense, at the best, most affordable prices available. Remember, if you don’t own a home, other than your RV, you need full-time RV insurance.
Toll Free: 1-844-727-7207
Email: marty@rvinsurances.com