Recreational vehicles (RVs) are a terrific way to travel the country and enjoy a family vacation. More than 10 million Americans own an RV and more than 1 million use them as a primary residence. They’re perfect for occasional road trips or for those who want the flexibility of a fully nomadic lifestyle.
However, buying an RV is a big investment, and you’ll likely want insurance to protect your asset. (You might need it if your state requires it.) RVs can cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars and are at risk from weather, accidents on the road, vandalism, and other types of damage. RV insurance can cover all of the above and more.
This guide covers some of the best RV insurance options on the market, so you can get the coverage you need.
Onthispage:
- LendEDU’s 4 Best RV insurance companies
- How much does RV insurance cost?
- What does RV insurance cover?
- Frequently asked questions about RV insurance
4 Best RV insurance companies
Many variables go into being a good RV insurer. Consumers want quality support, policies they can customize, and competitive monthly premiums.
Many companies offer RV insurance coverage, including major insurers and niche companies that focus solely on RVs. We looked at a number of the options above to help you find the best RV insurers. Here are the four best.
- Best for customized coverage: Roamly
- Best for coverage: Good Sam
- Best for customer care: National General
- Best for discounts and forgiveness: Progressive
Roamly: Best for customized coverage
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- Support from licensed agents to find personalized coverage
- Receive an online quote in just 60 seconds
- Maintain coverage even if you rent out your RV
Roamly covers all RVs, including DIY and uplifted Class Bs and camper vans. It highlights its ability to offer meaningful savings opportunities compared to traditional RV insurance companies (up to 35%, according to its website).
Some unique features of Roamly include its ability to offer policyholders coverage even if they rent out their RV and an option to find a policy through other carriers if they decide Roamly isn’t the best fit.
Standard coverages
- Collision and comprehensive
- Liability coverage
- Medical payments
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist
- Roadside assistance
Premium coverages
- Vacation liability
- Personal effects protection
Discounts
- Military discount
- If you rent your RV through Outdoorsy
- If you’re a homeowner
- If you’ve had continuous RV or auto insurance for the past 6 months
- If you can start your Roamly policy within the next 7 days
Good Sam: Best for coverage
- Full replacement coverage? Yes
- Personal belongings coverage: Up to $3,000
- Storage discount: Reduce premium by 53%
Good Sam Insurance Agency offers a wide variety of auto insurance products. One of those products is RV insurance. With RV insurance from Good Sam, customers have access to a number of standard coverages, as well as unique premium protections.
Coverage is available for Class A motorhomes, Class B motorhomes, Class C motorhomes, Airstreams, fifth-wheel trailers, truck campers, travel trailers, and more.
Standard coverages
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist protection
- Personal liability
- Property damage liability
- Bodily injury liability
- Personal injury protection
Premium coverages
- Optional full replacement cost
- Full-timers
- Emergency expense
- Personal effects
Discounts
In addition to customizable coverage, Good Sam offers a variety of discounts to help you lower the overall cost of your policy. Some of these discounts include:
- Multi-vehicle discount: Up to 20% for combining RV and auto into one policy.
- Paid-in-full discount: Reduce your premium when you purchase your annual coverage with one payment.
- Multi-policy discount: Up to 10% when you insure your home or condo with Good Sam.
- Storage discount: Suspend certain coverages when you aren’t using your RV. You can save an average of 53% off your premium.
>>Read more: Is RV insurance required in my state?
National General: Best for customer care
- Full replacement coverage? Yes
- Personal belongings coverage: Up to $3,000
- Multi-vehicle discount: Up to 20%
National General offers auto, home, and health insurance. One of its auto insurance products is its RV insurance. The company offers a variety of coverages that go beyond the basics. However, where National General really stands out is through its support for its customers.
You can receive a quote, and if you’re not ready to finalize your application, you can come back at a later date and retrieve your saved quote.
Coverage is available for Class A motorhomes, Class B motorhomes, Class C motorhomes, Airstreams, travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, and others.
Coverage options
- Specialized equipment
- Full replacement cost
- Mechanical breakdown
- Permanent attachment
- Full-timers
- Emergency peace of mind
How National General takes care of its customers
National General takes care of its customers like no other. Here are a few of the reasons why.
- Search assistance: National General will connect you with a research expert who will help you locate a new RV after a total loss.
- No charge for new parts: In a collision, National General will replace depreciated parts with new ones.
- 24-hour claims reporting: Report a claim anytime and anywhere.
- Theft reward: If your RV is stolen, the company will offer a $500 reward for information leading to the conviction of the responsible.
- Pick up and drop off: If your RV becomes damaged, National General will pick up your RV and bring you a rental car after a claim. Once repairs are completed, someone will deliver your RV back to you and return your rental car.
- Free inspection: After a claim is repaired, you’ll receive a free inspection.
- Storage savings: If you suspend your coverage while your RV is parked, you can receive considerable savings.
- A number of discounts: Customers have the opportunity to take advantage of discounts such as multi-vehicle and low mileage discounts.
Progressive: Best for discounts and forgiveness
- Full replacement coverage? Yes
- Accident coverage: Up to $500,000
- Multi-policy discount? Yes
Progressive offers RV insurance to residents of every state except for Hawaii and Washington, D.C. Progressive’s website is user-friendly. It makes it easy to understand what you are getting from your policy.
Aside from the standard coverage, several add-ons can be included in your policy for added financial protection. Make sure to check out the 10 discounts and three forgiveness opportunities offered to help you lower the cost of your policy.
Coverage is available for Class A motorhomes, Class B motorhomes, Class C motorhomes, cargo & horse trailers, conventional trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, pop-up, truck, and utility trailers.
Coverage options
- Comprehensive
- Collision
- Liability
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist
- Medical payments
Extra coverages
- Roadside assistance
- Total loss replacement
- Replacement cost/personal belongings
- Vacation liability
- Full-timer’s liability
- Loss assessment
- Emergency expense
- Pet injury
Discounts and forgiveness
- Multi-policy: Bundle RV insurance with another policy.
- Quote in advance: Get a Progressive RV insurance quote at least one day before your actual policy starts.
- Original owner: Be the original owner of your motorhome.
- Pay in full: Pay your policy upfront and in full.
- Responsible driver: Have no accidents or violations in the past three years.
- Prompt payment: Make your payment on time.
- Claim free renewal: No at-fault claims when your policy renews.
- Homeowners: Own a home, including a condo, townhouse, duplex, single- or double-wide.
- Continuous insurance: Get rewarded for the time you spent with your previous insurer.
- Paperless: Receive your documents via email.
- Small accident forgiveness: Your rate won’t increase if you have a claim of $500 or less.
- Large accident forgiveness: Once you’ve been a Progressive RV insurance customer for at least four years and accident-free for the past three years, your rate will not go up for any accident.
- Disappearing deductibles: Progressive subtracts 25% from your deductible amount for every claim-free period all the way down to $0.
How much does RV insurance cost?
People usually spend between $1,000 and $1,500 a year on their RV insurance. However, insurance rates vary according to several factors, including the value of your vehicle and where you live.
If you live in a dangerous area with extreme weather, such as hurricanes or blizzards that could damage your RV, your policy will be more expensive. People who live in mild climates and with good driving histories typically have lower insurance premiums.
Many insurers also offer discounts that can affect the cost of your policy. If you choose an insurer that offers these discounts, and you do things like install anti-theft devices or take safety courses, you can reduce the cost of coverage.
Factors that affect the cost of RV insurance
- Where you live
- Value of your RV
- Your driving record
- The type of coverage you choose
- Your deductible
- Your credit scores
- Discounts you qualify for
- How frequently you use your RV
>> Read More: Average cost of RV insurance
What does RV insurance cover?
RV insurance policies can vary, but these are the things that the typical policy covers, plus some common add-ons.
Core type of coverage
- Bodily injury –Pays for the costs incurred if you hurt someone while driving your RV.
- Property damage– Covers the cost of damages you cause while driving your RV.
- Collision– Pays for damage to your RV caused by road accidents, regardless of fault.
- Comprehensive –Pays for all non-collision damage caused to your RV.
- Uninsured motorist– Protects you from damage caused by drivers who have insufficient or no insurance to cover the damage they cause.
- Medical payments– Covers medical bills for yourself and your passengers if you get in an accident.
Optional add-ons
- Roadside assistance– Call someone to help if your RV breaks down and needs to be repaired.
- Towing and labor– Covers the cost of towing your RV to a garage and getting it fixed.
- Vacation liability –Pays for damages caused to your RV while you’re using it as a temporary home.
- Replacement cost coverage and personal effects –Pays to replace the RV and anything you keep in it.
- Trailer coverage –Insures trailers and anything you keep on them while they’re attached to your RV.
>> Best RV insurance for coverage: Good Sam
Frequently asked questions about RV insurance
How do I know if I need RV insurance?
If you don’t own an RV, it’s a safe bet you don’t need RV insurance. And not every RV owner needs insurance for their vehicle. If you only use your RV for a week or two each year, you might not need special RV insurance. Instead, you might get a policy for a single trip or just use your other insurance policies.
If you use your RV more frequently, RV insurance is a good idea. If you take long road trips in your RV or spend a month in the summer living in your RV, then an RV policy would give you peace of mind. If you live in your RV full-time, then RV insurance is a must.
Can’t I just add RV coverage to my auto insurance policy?
Yes, it’s possible to add RV coverage to most car insurance policies. If you only use the vehicle for a week or two each summer, this might be the best way to keep costs low. If you use the RV more frequently, you’ll probably want to get dedicated RV insurance.
Full RV insurance tends to be more comprehensive than auto insurance and offer protections specific to RV drivers. Regular auto insurance might not cover the cost of the personal effects that you keep in your RV or other RV-related costs.
What does RV insurance not cover?
RV insurance doesn’t cover everything that happens to your recreational vehicle. Most insurers offer the option to cover things like trailers but won’t cover them by default. If you bring your pets with you, consider adding pet injury coverage, since many policies won’t include that by default.
Be sure to read the fine print of any policy you’re considering and ask your agent about add-ons that you want to include.
How much RV insurance do I need?
There isn’t a single answer to this question. How much RV insurance you need is all about the risk you’re willing to assume and how much you use your RV.
Someone with a lot of money in the bank and who only uses their RV once or twice a year probably doesn’t need to have much insurance. If you live in your RV full-time and don’t have the funds to replace it if it gets significantly damaged, consider getting full coverage.
Consider how much risk you’re willing to take and how much you’d be willing to spend to fix your RV if it gets damaged. Make sure to get enough insurance so you don’t feel worried about how you’ll handle an accident or something else that might damage your RV.
What are the different RV classes?
When it comes to insuring your RV, you need to know what class your RV is to get the right kind of insurance. There are often stipulations for each of the classes and what they include differs from one state to another. Here’s a breakdown on how the classes are defined:
- Class A:Class A motorhomes are constructed on a commercial truck chassis or a commercial bus chassis and resemble a bus from the outside. Some have slideouts that allow you to increase the space inside the motorhome. These are big and often hard to maneuver. Find the best Class A motorhome insurance with our guide.
- Class B: Class B motorhomes are built using a conventional van. To qualify as a class B motorhome, your vehicle needs to have built-ins like a sink or shower, a fridge, a stove, an AC unit, a toilet, electrical outlets, or a cooking system. Find the best Class B campervan insurance with our guide.
- Class C:Class C motorhomes are built on a truck chassis and have a cab section that is based on a van or truck. The outer structure is usually rigid and weatherproof. These motorhomes also often have slideouts.
- Other Types:In addition to those three classes of RVs, your RV could be classified as a truck camper, a pop-up camper, a travel trailer, a fifth-wheel trailer, or other less common types of RVs. It’s important to know what type of RV you have so that you can find the right kind of insurance.
For specific class insurance, check out the guides below:
- Full-time RV insurance
- Best fifth wheel insurance
- Best travel trailer insurance
How Does RV Insurance Work When Renting?
If you already havehomeowners insuranceor an auto insurance policy, then you might be partly covered if you rent an RV.
However, make sure to read your policy closely. To be safe, you might want to buy RV insurance from the business renting out the RV. The problem is that they’ll usually offer coverage at an inflated price. If you want to save a little more, you can purchase RV rental coverage online in advance.
What do I need to know if I’m living in my RV full-time?
If you’re living in your RV full-time, make sure that you have full-time RV insurance. You’ll also want to make sure that you have enough personal property coverage in case your things are stolen or damaged. That might mean itemizing your belongings and getting enough insurance to cover it all.
You might also want to think about whether you want to get emergency expenses coverage that will give you money for a hotel or food expenses, in case you can’t live in your RV for a period of time because it’s getting repaired or replaced.
Learn more in our guide to full-time RV insurance.
