How to Insure a Recreational Vehicle

Happy family talking while driving inside of a camp trailer.

From the Canadian Rockies to the wonderful shores of the east coast, Canada is a beautiful place worth exploring.

If you’re looking to take the plunge and explore the Canadian landscape, you may be in the process of looking for a recreational vehicle (RV) to help house your belongings. But if you’re a first-time RV owner, you may be wondering what insurance coverage options are available. Let this article be a helpful guide to explore the answer to this question.

But first, you need to know what type of RV you will be using, and how it will be used.

Moveable/Towed Trailers

A truck pulling a trailer with a beautiful sunset in the background.

These types of RVs are ones that are typically hitched to your automobile and are not self-driven. Examples of these types of RVs include travel trailers, fifth wheel trailers, teardrop trailers, pop-up trailers, toy hauler, truck camper, and hybrid trailers.

If you will be using one of these types of RVs to travel with, you have the option to get the trailer added to either your home or auto policy with Allstate. Either option comes with its own set of benefits.

When added to a home policy, there are a lot more comprehensive benefits such as all risk coverage and replacement cost which is guaranteed if bought new (the guaranteed replacement cost would be applicable if the RV is anywhere between 24 – 60 months depending on the Allstate package that is purchased).

If you choose to not add any coverage to these types of RVs, if hitched to your car, by default your auto policy will provide coverage to your trailer such as liability or accidental coverage. However, there would be no collision coverages (or damages to trailer itself) unless added to the auto policy or home policy.

Stationary Trailers

Mobile Home Community

These types of RVs may be ones that you keep on your property for a season and eventually transfer to a storage unit once you no longer need it. Should you be looking to purchase an RV that will be fixed on a piece of land and rendered immovable (i.e. the RV will not or can not be towed) off your property, such trailers can only be added to your home insurance policy.

Examples of these types of RVs include park models or destination trailers (though these are designed for occasional moves using a heavy-duty tow vehicle with a crane to do so).

Motorhomes

A motorhome driving on an open highway

As the name suggests, these types of RVs are ones that have their own driving mechanism (not towed by the car). These types of RVs include classes A, B, C motorhomes.

This type of motorhome is treated as a separate vehicle and would need its own motorhome insurance (note that this cannot be added to the property policy).

Like auto insurance, motorhome insurance provides liability coverage, accident benefits and coverage called direct compensation property damage – which covers the cost of damage to your RV and certain items within it, when you are in a collision with another motorist insured in your province and they are found liable.

There are also optional coverage selections that provide protection for specific or all perils, collision, comprehensive, and more.

However, the information portrayed in this article is for awareness only (as not everything mentioned in this article may be applicable), be sure to speak with your insurance provider to learn which type of coverage best suits your needs.

Disclaimer: This information has been provided for your convenience only and should not be construed as providing legal or insurance advice