How to Find and Choose Great Camper Van Insurance
Having a camper van is great. It’s so easy to take off any time you feel like it. Just pack the van and you’re off. They aren’t big and bulky like most RVs so using them as a daily vehicle makes sense as well. Many times when we go to buy a vehicle we don’t take into consideration the extra costs of owning that vehicle. One of those costs that vary widely and can make a real difference in what you can afford is insurance. Choosing camper van insurance is different than choosing any old car insurance. Not all companies will insure camper vans and other RVs. And RV insurance tends to be more expensive than car insurance; however the good news is that with a camper van you can sometimes get away with regular car insurance so it will be much more economical.
Since an RV is a car and a home put into one, the insurance needs to reflect that. If you own your camper van outright you may be able to get away with just a car policy, but it will only cover your personal effects at a minimum. The difference between a car policy and a motorhome insurance policy coverage on personal effects is essential. A car policy covers the vehicle body etc in case of accident, but it covers only a minimum amount of personal belongings. If you are at fault in the accident, most insurance plans will not cover any amount in personal belongings. If someone else faults you, their property damage portion of their policy will cover your personal effects that are damaged in the crash. Another difference of car and rv insurance is that there are typically length and weight limits on car insurance. Most campervans will fit within car insurance limits though.
Another thing to note is that car insurance will not cover any awnings or generators. It will not cover any gas explosions, and may have limits on foreign travel, which means you have limitations on how long and/or far you can travel out of the country. Also, camper van insurance and other rv insurance policies have extensions of coverage that will include other valuables such as TVs and satellite systems and solar energy systems.
Good campervan insurance will cover you in the following areas:
• Total loss replacement
• 24/7 roadside assistance
• Accessories coverage
• Emergency expenses
• High liability limits
• Full-timer coverage
• Fire, flood, theft
• Collision coverage
• Low branch collision
Total loss replacement will ensure that you are totally taken care of if your camper van is totaled. Many insurance companies will only give you replacement based on the value your rv was before it was wrecked. However total loss replacement works so that you will get a brand new replacement rv rather than only being able to buy a used rv.
24/7 Roadside assistance is a specialty service that most rv insurance companies provide as an extra service so if that’s not automatically included in the policy you’re looking into (or included for a very small fee) it may be good to look at other policies.
Accessories coverage is essential for rv insurance. Campervans and rv have several accessories that regular car insurance doesn’t offer. This will cover awnings, satellite systems, air conditioning units, etc. Coverage for these things is important because they are expensive to fix or replace, and not all insurance plans cover them.
Emergency expenses can be covered in some campervan insurance policies. When you lose your rv in an accident you lose more than just your vehicle, you lose the place you’re staying as well. So emergency expenses in a camper van insurance policy will cover hotel expenses as well as a rental vehicle while your rv is getting fixed.
High liability limits are important because again you have a car and home in one so your risk is greater in an rv than in a car.
Full-timer coverage is obviously only important if you plan to live in your camper van full time. The coverage for full-timers is more comprehensive. Most auto insurance companies don’t offer these plans, so it is usually best to search specialty motorhome and rv insurance companies.
Fire, flood, theft and other natural disasters can be covered with the proper camper van insurance. They should be covered at full replacement value so you don’t have to come up w/ the difference should something happen to your motorhome.
Collision coverage is pretty much the same as any car policy. Your coverage depends on what your plan is. Low branch collision is important because it covers damage to the camper and its accessories.
These are most of the things that you should look for in a good camper van policy, however there are some other things to look into like vacation liability insurance, rv stray animal damage, and vandalism damage. Taking a good look at each part of any policy, see what parts fit your RVing style and go get ‘em!