Most drivers know that they need motor vehicle insurance. State laws usually require all drivers to carry liability coverage, at minimum. Still, what type of policy you need will depend on what type of vehicle you drive. Often, this might not be your average sedan, convertible or SUV. Sometimes, you might drive an RV. Recreational vehicles are both motor vehicles and living spaces, built into one large, unique frame. Therefore, you need a unique set of insurance coverage for your needs, and here’s why.

Many people find it convenient to buy multi-car auto insurance policies. With these policies, you’ll be able to insure all the vehicles in your household under the same policy framework. You can also often make amendments to tailor coverage to each vehicle, uniquely, as well.

However, what you can’t do is insure an RV on a standard auto policy.

Standard vehicle insurance applies to the average car, truck or SUV. It does not apply to the unique factors that RV owners must consider when insuring these vehicles.

RVs usually cost more than your standard car. They also have multiple unique features (plumbing systems, sleeping areas, appliances) that a standard car simply will not contain. Furthermore, they are larger and often harder to drive than your sedan or coup. They require unique maneuverability. These characteristics overwhelmingly make RVs riskier to insure than other cars. They therefore need policies on their own, and not in tandem with other vehicles in your household.

When setting up your RV insurance, you’ll see a lot of coverage options familiar to all drivers. However, you’ll also notice certain special coverage elements that might apply uniquely to RVs:

• Liability policies will pay for damage that you cause to other parties, such as if you cause a wreck that injures them and damages their car.
• Site liability coverage pays in case, while you are parked at an RV site, you cause property damage or bodily injuries to others.
• Collision insurance pays for the damage that your vehicle sustains in a wreck.
• Comprehensive coverage insures RV damage resulting from accidents like fires, theft, weather damage or vandalism.
• Emergency expense coverage applies to costs like hotel bills in case of RV damage.
• Effects insurance pays for the damage to your personal belongings carried in the RV.

Other options, like medical payments coverage and roadside assistance supplements can also apply.

Talk to one of our agents to determine the right way to structure your RV policy independently. Self-driven and towable RVs might have different coverage needs. Each element of your coverage can contain upper limits to compensate you adequately for losses and repairs. However, portions of coverage will also contain deductibles and exclusions, that might force you to pay for certain costs out of pocket anyway.