Finding the Best RV Insurance for Full-Timers

Congratulations. You’ve made the life-changing decision to become a full-timer. Maybe you and your travel companion are snowbirds, staying one step ahead of winter’s first frost while you chase the sun and heat across the country. Or it could be that you’ve already found that one perfect spot on the globe and you intend to move in and never leave. 

Whatever your dreams and however you plan to use your vehicle, you’ve decided to adopt full-time living in the RV of your dreams. You’ve got lots of adventures ahead of you. But do you have a quality motorhome insurance policy that will keep you feeling financially secure in your new home? 

That’s an incredibly important decision. After all, your RV could cost about as much as your last residence — maybe more. And you could be temporarily homeless if something should happen to your vehicle, especially if you don’t have the money to quickly replace your home on wheels. 

That’s why we’ve put together this post to tell you why Washington RV adventurers like you need to carefully consider your motorhome insurance decision, what to look for when shopping for coverage, and where to go for additional help. 

Let’s start with the basics. 

What Does RV Insurance Cover? 

It covers your home and your primary transportation in a single policy. It’s as simple as that. 

Consider this: Even if you aren’t a big fan of insurance, you likely have purchased coverage for at least two items in your life — home insurance and car insurance. Why homes and cars? They are the two most expensive investments most people make and you might be up a creek if you lost either one of them. 

If your car is damaged and you can’t afford the repair bills, you could be without transportation to get to and from work, run errands, and take care of the kids. Or, even worse, your home burns down and you’re left homeless. That’s why you have insurance for both of those treasured possessions of yours. 

Now consider how your RV is about to become both your primary residence and the priciest mode of transportation you’ve likely ever owned. As you explore RV insurance for full-timers, you need coverage that protects your finances when you’re on the road, docked at a favorite RV community, or even when your RV is in storage or being repaired. 

A good RV insurance policy will offer protection against virtually all of the bad things that can happen to vehicles and homes. Like your auto insurance, your RV coverage will insure you against damages due to roadside accidents, weather events, and theft or vandalism while your vehicle is parked. 

And, like your homeowners insurance, your RV policy will offer financial settlements for kitchen or electrical fires, cataclysmic weather events, burglaries, and the many other sources of unexpected and wallet-busting damage that could victimize your new home. 

What Should I Be Looking for When Shopping for the Best RV Insurance for Full-Timers? 

Make sure your policy reflects the kind of life you intend to live with your RV. That starts with having a serious conversation with your traveling partner if you have one. Make sure you share the same dreams and expectations. 

Will you be on the road, exploring North America, and only docking for the night? Or do you plan on settling in an RV park somewhere and staying there for months or even years? Maybe you intend to split the difference, travel hundreds or even thousands of miles at a time, and stay for extended periods at preferred communities you find along the way. 

Once you’ve agreed on how your full-time RV experience will play out, you can seriously discuss it with an independent RV insurance agent. Here are some topics you should be sure to bring up when discussing a dependable policy. 

Emergency Roadside Assistance 

It costs about three times more to tow a full-size RV than a sedan. That’s probably no surprise. And just like any vehicle you’ve had in the past, accidents and mechanical failures happen that can leave you stranded at the side of the road with a dead battery, flat tire, or unresponsive engine. Inevitably, it’s after midnight, perhaps on the weekend, or even during a national holiday when your vehicle dies. Where do you go for help? 

If your RV insurance policy includes emergency roadside assistance benefits, just pick up your phone and dial a dispatcher who’ll answer your call 24/7 — weekends and holidays included. 

An emergency roadside assistance technician will show up ready and willing to charge a dead battery, pour a few gallons of gas into a thirsty tank, change a flat, or tow you to the nearest garage — whatever service you need to get your RV back on the road. 

This is a vital benefit for full-timers like you, who may be unfamiliar with the area and clueless as to whom to call or where to go for immediate help. Let your roadside assistance dispatcher take care of everything. 

Storage Coverage 

You might not be planning to dock your rolling home in long-term storage, but plans can change. If you do decide to settle in a particular location for a while, you might find a long-term storage facility for your RV. 

In that regard, you’re trusting a business you might have little familiarity with to lovingly care for a vehicle that costs maybe thousands of dollars more than your last home. What if something happens? 

A good RV insurance policy will cover your RV against theft, vandalism, water or wind damage, and other events even when it’s in storage. 

Liability insurance 

You should definitely have collision and comprehensive coverage. These benefits protect your RV from just about anything that might befall it. 

But what if you’re the party at fault, and others are suing you? That’s not such an unrealistic scenario. After all, you’re at the wheel of a lumbering thirty-foot-long, 10,000-pound beast that doesn’t respond like your 4-door sedan. What if you clip another automobile or hit a pedestrian with your rolling thunder? 

Liability coverage helps protect your finances if you’re sued for the operation of your RV. You can use it to hire lawyers and pay the hefty associated legal bills and lawsuit settlements. 

Replacement Coverage for Stolen Belongings 

Sure, your recreational vehicle is worth thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. If it’s stolen, damaged, or destroyed, you would expect a significant settlement check from your insurer. That’s a given. 

What if there is little or no damage to the vehicle itself but it’s looted? Once again, your RV isn’t only expensive transportation. Like all of the homes you’ve lived in before transitioning to your new lifestyle, your motorhome is your dwelling. That means it might hold cash, jewelry, art, TVs, and other valuable or sentimental possessions just like you had in other homes. 

Your home on wheels might also contain a wealth of electronics, especially if your plans include working remotely. 

That’s why you need to be sure that your RV insurance policy will cover property theft. Don’t assume that it will. Have an in-depth conversation with a motorhome insurance agent and ask every question that needs to be asked. 

More About That Independent Motorhome Insurance Agent 

Your insurance agent should have answers to questions you haven’t even thought about yet. That’s why you need to chat before you take on North America full-time from your home far away from home. 

If you’ve already bought coverage, make sure you understand your policy and feel confident that your finances are protected. Call your agent if you have any outstanding concerns. 

If you haven’t yet bought coverage, get in touch with an independent motorhome insurance agent. The reason it’s so important to do business with independent agents is that they don’t represent only the offerings of a single insurer. 

Instead, independent agents contractually represent multiple insurers. That means they can go shopping on your behalf for the best insurance product on the market at the best rates. 

You might have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the RV that will be both your residence and your primary mode of transportation. That makes it in your best interest to invest a few dollars more in RV insurance you can trust to safeguard that significant investment. 

Call Us for Affordable RV Insurance Before You Hit the Road 

Not everyone has the spirit to take on the road full-time, but you do. As a result, you have countless adventures awaiting. 

To make sure those adventures don’t end in financial loss, reach out to us before you start. At Vern Fonk Insurance, our experienced independent motorhome insurance agents have helped safeguard the home-on-wheels investments of many customers. 

Simply call us at (800) 455-8276 to talk with an independent insurance agent or to get a quick quote online. You can also find a Washington office and agent near you for a face-to-face chat before your journey of a lifetime begins.