Factors that Influence the Cost of RV Insurance?
There are many factors that influence the cost of RV insurance for your travel trailer and these include:
Type of Coverage
Full coverage is always more expensive than partial coverage because it protects your vehicle from all damages mentioned in the insurance policy. However, if you already have insurance for the car that will tow your travel trailer, then it’s not necessary for you to have liability coverage in the RV insurance since it’s already covered.
Always consider the assets that need coverage before insuring your vehicle because you might end up paying for coverage you don’t need. However, you must get comprehensive coverage to protect your travel trailer and yourself against:
- Injury claims from visitors
- Storm damage
- Vandalism
- Theft
Other common types of RV insurance that you may need include:
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Liability/ Full-timer coverage/campsite liability coverage
- Personal effects replacement insurance
- Roadside assistance
RV class and size
Class C RVs where travel trailers fall are less expensive to insure than Class A campers because they’re towables. A well-kept towable RV that is cheaper to repair or replace in case of any damages to it since it doesn’t have an engine and is smaller than camper trucks and motorhomes.
Moreover, its lacking an engine means that you can’t drive it and this reduces the risk of it being in an accident.
Age and condition
Although usually, it’s new fifth wheels that can attract higher premiums because they don’t have any operational issues, even older ones that are in good condition can.
But if you have been keeping your used travel trailer in great condition then there is no reason why an insurer will not give you a lower rate on your insurance because they know that you’re less likely to file a claim because of a damaged RV.
Aside from that, it’s advisable to skip out on total loss replacement coverage if you own an old RV that’s in good condition as you are better off buying a new one in the event of it getting damaged. You will not get a high deductible for it.
Usage
The more often you travel in your RV the more expensive your insurance policy will be. This is because the vehicle is more at risk of getting into a collision or getting vandalized on the road than when it’s parked in your driveway.
Besides that, the fact that you will have to get more coverage to protect your vehicle will also increase your insurance cost. So if you drive the vehicle a few times a year, your insurance cost will be lower.
Location
If you stay in an area with a high standard of living especially in cities, then your insurance policy will be more expensive than that of people living in small towns.
Also, hilly or mountainous areas as well as places that are prone to calamities or have severe weather tend to have high auto insurance costs. This is because there is a high chance of you making a claim in the near future.
Claims history
Insurance providers consider how many times you made claims in the past as they quote a price for your auto insurance. It’s always a strike against you if you have ever made a single claim because these companies believe that you’re more likely to make another sooner or later.
This can therefore cause them to offer you a high premium insurance policy because you are a high-risk client.
Driving record
An insurer will look at your record to see if you have been involved in any car accidents and how often. Having many collisions/problems in your history shows that you are not a careful driver and will most likely get into another accident in the future and make a claim.
The RV insurance representative will therefore give you a higher premium because they know they will have to cover repair or damage expenses for your car and the people involved sometime soon.
Driving experience
A travel trailer owner who has been driving RVs for a long period of time will attract a cheaper insurance quote because the insurer believes they will be less likely to get into an accident.
RVs are harder vehicles to drive than normal cars so it’s hard to trust a new RV driver not to get into an accident in the first few years of driving it.
Number of drivers
If you plan on adding more drivers to your RV policy, then your premium will increase because you will be raising the risk that the insurance provider will take on.
Different people can have dissimilar driving records and experiences, and all of those can factor into the price the company offers you for RV coverage.
Deductible
A higher deductible where you have to pay more than the insurance company for repairs and replacement of your camper can reduce the burden of risk on the insurer.
This in turn ensures that you get a lower cost for coverage because you will be taking on a higher burden if any problem happens to your RV.
Insurance company you choose
Insurance rates differ from company to company. So you need to look for a provider that offers a lower premium with a smaller deductible until you find them and sign a policy with them.
Do your due diligence and only buy a policy from a reputable insurance company to avoid issues of the insurer refusing to pay for damages yet you paid for that kind of protection.
Travel destinations
Traveling to far places can put you at a higher risk of getting into an accident with your travel trailer because you will be on the road for a longer time.
The vehicle insurance company will therefore factor this into the cost and give you a more expensive quote to cover that risk.
Tips for Getting the Cheapest RV Insurance
To purchase RV insurance at a low cost you need to do the following:
Get quotes from multiple companies before signing a policy
Don’t rush to sign the policy from the first insurer you get a quote from. Instead, go ahead and carry out further research to find out what the different insurance providers charge before you decide on which one to buy coverage from.
By comparing quotes from several companies, you will be able to find a cheaper insurance policy for your travel trailer. It’s actually best to start looking at camper insurers way before you buy the motor home so that you know exactly what you will need to insure it against and which provider offers lower premiums.
Use an online quote tool to customize your quotes
In most cases when you call an RV insurance representative, they will quote for you a full coverage policy and yet you may not need all that protection. But because you are not sure whether you will need all that coverage or not, you may end up signing up for a full-time policy, which is more expensive.
But when you use an online quote tool, you can customize your recreational vehicle coverage to include only your personal preference and in turn, save money.
Sign up for a policy with a local insurance provider
Small and local companies can offer cheaper premiums on your camper insurance, unlike bigger and statewide providers. However, you need to keep in mind that they might find it hard to pay for larger repairs when you file a claim.
To find a reliable one in your area, read Google reviews and also get references from your loved ones so that you pay your premiums to a company that will financially protect you in case you run into problems with your RV or travel trailer.
Bundle up your RV insurance with other policies
Request a quote from your car insurance provider to find out how much it will cost you to add your travel trailer’s insurance coverage to that policy.
Oftentimes, doing this will force your insurer to offer you a good deal because they don’t want to lose money to another company. Moreover, the more coverage you require from a particular insurance provider, the less it will cost you as they will offer you a discount. You can even get a bigger discount if you have a safe driving certificate.
Get insurance discounts through your employer
Some companies always get discounts on car insurance for their employees. Find out from your human resource if your company can get you one so that you can reduce the RV insurance costs for your car.
Find out from your human resource if your company can get you a discount so that you can reduce the RV insurance costs for your car.
Ask for a higher deductible
When you accept a higher deductible on your RV insurance policy, it means that you will have to pay more money out of your pocket to repair your vehicle in case of an accident. Or even replace it if it’s stolen.
As this can lessen the burden of cost on the insurer, the RV or travel trailer insurance provider will offer you a cheaper RV insurance quote.
Take advantage of discounts for certain professions
Most insurers offer discounts on annual premiums to veterans, teachers, and government workers that you can use to reduce your RV insurance costs.
If you fall into any of these categories of people, you should always ask whether the insurer offers those kinds of discounts as you apply for the insurance policy. In the event that they do, you will have to provide identification to confirm that you qualify for that kind of discount.
FAQ About RV Insurance Costs
Here are a number of frequently asked questions on RV insurance costs and their answers:
1. How Much Does Travel Trailer Insurance Cost?
The average insurance cost of a travel trailer is between $800 and $3000 annually, depending on the insurance coverage you want, how often you use the camper, the age and value of the motorhome, and the state you live in as all states have different requirements.
So you need to keep all those factors in mind as you search for your vehicle insurance to get the best deal that suits your needs and budget.
2. What impacts the cost of RV insurance?
RV insurance cost just like car insurance depends on ZIP code as areas with high traffic increase your risk of getting into an accident, which in turn raises your insurance premium.
Also, places that tend to have bad weather, high theft, and vandalism rates can have high insurance costs. Likewise, the condition of the motorhome as well as its age and the coverage policy you select can all influence the cost of your RV insurance.
3. How can I get the cheapest RV insurance?
You can get the cheapest RV insurance policy by buying your coverage from reliable companies that offer affordable rates like Good Sam Insurance Agency, Progressive, and National General Insurance.
Additionally, you can decide on which coverage to include in your RV policy and leave out those that are not necessary to you to reduce your insurance cost. Collision coverage, bodily injury, vacation liability, personal belongings, and total loss replacement coverage are some of the essential types of camper insurance.
Moreover, you can get discounts from insurers when you pay in full, and pay for multiple policies like home, car, and motor home coverages in addition to having a clean driving record.
