|
Car - Life -
Medical - Home Insurance
Articles
Insurance
Considerations for RV Owners
By: G.
Scott Lawrence
Every
year growing numbers of us pull our RV's out of storage
and hit the road. One of the most important and
frequently overlooked issues in preparing for the trip
is insurance. RV insurance is more complicated
than simple auto insurance. Too many people think
they can just add their Recreational Vehicle to their
car insurance policy.
Adding an
RV to your regular auto policy will not give you the
complete protection that a specialized RV insurance
policy can give you. After all there are many
differences between any RV and an
automobile. Your RV is a home on wheels; it
contains a great deal more personal property and
represents a significantly greater investment than your
car. Also it has a kitchen, a bathroom,
heating and cooling systems and an electric panel, in
other words it's more like a house than it is an
automobile.
Many RV's
cost as much as a luxury home and present other unique
challenges to an insurance policy; vacation/trip
interruption issues, towing, breakdown, generators and
appliances, awnings, slide-outs, specialized repair
requirements and liability issues.
Just
think of the situations an RV faces on the road;
hurricane force winds, water exposure equal to a flood
and extended vibrations worse than most
Earthquakes. You drive this home on the interstate
at speeds of 75 mph (Category 1 hurricane force) in a
heavy rain storm on some of our aging freeways (jolting
and vibrations). How many of our real houses could
stand up to this kind of abuse?
Also you
have to consider the specialized equipment and costs of
some of the RV features; awnings, generators, slide-out
rooms, skylights, satellite domes, TV antennas, roof
mounted air conditioner units, leveling legs and
steps.
Most RV
dealerships offer specialized RV insurance through the
dealership and there are many companies that specialize
in this type of insurance as well. You can get an
insurance policy for every type and age recreational
vehicle out there.
One of
the most common claims associated with RV's is body
damage from overhangs and gas station canopies; RV's are
generally 11' to 13'+ high. We are always careful
about that additional width but it's so easy to forget
our height requirements, there's no mirror for
that! Find out the overall height clearance needed
for your rig and keep it posted prominently and handy to
the drivers' seat of your RV or tow vehicle.
A related type of these claims comes from forgetting to
lower the TV antenna. The antenna itself may not
cost much to replace but if it punches a hole in the
roof you're in for a real problem and a much more
expensive repair.
Another
common cause of loss for RV's is fire. The
refrigerator, water heater, furnace, stove and generator
are all sources of potential propane (or other fuel)
leaks and fires. The propane system needs to be
checked and maintained on a regular
basis.
A third
common reason for insurance claims on our RV's is damage
from tires. A blowout, tread separation or even a
standard flat will almost always cause exterior body
damage but can also throw pieces of tire up through the
vehicle causing extensive interior damage and even
physical harm to occupants. The single most
important precaution you can take with an RV is to check
your tires regularly. Keep the pressure at the
recommend level for the tire specifications and weight
it carries and watch for signs of wear. RV tires
are seldom replaced due to tread wear instead they are
normally replaced due to age, dry rot, cracking and
ozone or UV deterioration.
An RV is
even susceptible to damage when it's stored. There
are several possible perils to anticipate and take
precautions against during storage periods. You
have to consider the weather in your area of the
country. The most obvious problem is freezing of
water supply, waste lines and holding tanks. Not
as obvious are heat or sun exposure causing stress to
tires, propane and other fuel components. You
should have your rig properly winterized or otherwise
protected from the elements appropriate to your
area.
Another
storage issue is rodent infestation. Mice,
squirrels and other pests can do a lot of damage to the
interior and mechanical components of an RV. You
can do a lot to protect yourself by thoroughly cleaning
all food items and storage areas prior to storage.
As with the weather the precautions you need to take
will vary with your storage location.
It is
very important to get good insurance coverage for your
RV. Talk to a qualified specialty insurance
professional or a full service RV dealer to explore your
options. Shop around, do some online research and
you can find a company and policy that will suit your
needs. We will cover some of the coverage's you
may need in our next article.
G. Scott
Lawrence is a 30 year licensed insurance adjuster and
partner in Storm Survivor, LLC.
We offer
web sites and products as a consumer resource for
information and news about property insurance
claims and insurance related topics. Informational
original articles, excerpts from industry publications,
links to insurance resources, consumer questions and
answers. Information on all
types of insurance. Source for the
Claims Money Kit! Insurance topics
forum.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=G._Scott_Lawrence |
