RV Insurance 101 – Personal Property & Contents

Homeowner Coverage may not Protect Belongings in an RV

Apr 1, 2009 Thomas Alan Gray

Home insurance may protect RV contents only while the owner is living in the unit. For protection on the road, or in the event of a collision, RV insurance is advised.

Is RV contents coverage worthwhile? Yes, it is.

The value of the contents of an RV is apt to surprise the average owner. Add it up: clothing, dishes, bedding, camping supplies, games, DVDs & CDs, electronics, personal supplies, cosmetics, medications, tools.... In the event of a total loss, the amount can be staggering.

Home Insurance Coverage May not be Enough

A home insurance policy will cover the contents of the RV to a certain extent. However, owners who count on the coverage provided by residential insurance often receive an unpleasant shock when making a claim (insult added to the injury of a collision or other disaster).

There may be limitations to the coverage of property away from the the home. How many owners read that multi-page policy carefully to see exactly what's in it?

Residence Restriction - Watch for a clause such as "Personal property normally kept at any other location you own, rent or occupy is not insured except while you are temporarily living there."
Time Restriction - Even if the coverage is there, it may be time limited. "Personal property stored elsewhere is insured for 60 days… After that, coverage will cease."
Excluded items - RV accessories are not covered by homeowner coverage (items such as TV antennas and satellite dishes may even be excluded for the home)
Excluded Perils - "Specified perils means...Loss or damage cause by collision, upset, overturn...but does not include loss or damage to property in a vacation or home trailer which you own."

The protection provided by home insurance is clearly limited. The answer is specialized RV insurance, which will cover the contents wherever the rig is, whether parked or stored or on the road.

Personal Contents Coverage for RV Owners

There are two common approaches to RV contents coverage.

Replacement cost up to a percentage of RV unit value - the contents of the unit are covered up to a maximum amount expressed in terms of the value of the unit (But is that the replacement cost of the unit, or the depreciated value? If the latter, the amount paid for a contents claim could be very low)
Replacement cost to a specified dollar amount – a less expensive route, with the premium being set by the maximum coverage selected.

Of course, whichever way the maximum is calculated, there will be a deductible amount that the owner must pay; the insurance will cover anything over that.

Coverage for RV Accessories, Add-ons, and Appliances

Some RV policies may also include coverage for RV accessories and add-ons such as

Antennas
Awnings
Satellite dishes
Add-a-room attachments
Dining shelters
Outdoor living room furniture

Sometimes special riders are attached to cover such things as

Tapes, compact discs, DVDs, magnetic media, and other media in the RV unit
Extended warranty on RV appliances – extends the manufacturer's warranty for attached appliances

Such additional coverage may be included or may incur an additional small premium.

Specialized RV Insurance is Best Bet

Homeowner insurance packages may provide some coverage for the contents of an RV but only under certain conditions. For the most complete protection, specialized RV insurance or camper insurance is the best bet.

This article is intended for information only. The reader is urged to contact a qualified insurance broker or agent with experience in RV insurance.

For more information about RV insurance, check Loss or Damage and Liability Coverage

The copyright of the article RV Insurance 101 – Personal Property & Contents in RV Recreation is owned by Thomas Alan Gray. Permission to republish RV Insurance 101 – Personal Property & Contents in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

RV Insurance Covers Camping Equipment