It probably won’t be the first thing you think about when you’re looking to purchase an RV, but sooner rather than later, you’ll need to decide how you’re going to insure your motorhome, van camper or pull-behind trailer or pop-up camper. Getting the best RV insurance for your needs and budget can be a little tricky.
There are a lot of things to consider when making that decision, with coverage options that include everything from full replacement of your RV to coverage for pet injuries. There are also a number of things that can affect your premium, from how often you use your RV to your driving record.
As a guide to get you thinking about your own RV coverage needs, we have developed a list of the five best RV insurance companies of 2023. Read on for more information about our selected best RV insurance companies, and for more guidance on choosing the best RV insurance for your situation.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall:
Roamly RV Insurance
Best Budget:
National General
Best Specialized Coverage:
Progressive
Best Overall
Roamly RV Insurance
Roamly is an insurance company offering tailored RV insurance plans, revolutionizing coverage for the mobile lifestyle. As an RV-specific insurer, Roamly has a deep understanding of RV owners’ unique needs and offers plans that can be customized for different types of RVs and usage patterns.
They provide comprehensive protection against various risks including road accidents, natural disasters, and personal liability. With their excellent customer service, signing up for RV insurance with Roamly ensures peace of mind for your adventures on the road.
Why Roamly is our top pick:
Roamly allows you to rent out your RV, where other carriers only allow rentals on more expensive commercial policies. Even better, as a Roamly policyholder, renting out your RV on Outdoorsy can save you up to 10% on your premiums.
They also insure professional builds and DIY builds (conditions apply). That’s right! Roamly will cover your campervan as an RV (where traditional companies may make you insure them as a traditional auto or on a commercial policy that is more expensive).
Pros
- RV-Specific Coverage: Roamly specializes in RV insurance, ensuring you get the coverage that fits your specific needs.
- Customizable Plans: They provide the ability to tailor your insurance plan to your RV type and usage.
- Excellent Customer Service: Their customer service team is praised for its responsiveness and knowledge.
Cons
- Limited Physical Presence: As a primarily online company, face-to-face service options might be limited.
- Not the Cheapest: While providing extensive coverage, Roamly might not be the most affordable option in the market.
- Newer Company: Being relatively new in the insurance industry, they have less of a proven track record compared to some longer-established companies.
Runner Up
Nationwide
Nationwide offers a wide range of coverages for all types of RVs, from massive motorhomes to van-style campers to pull-behind travel trailers and pop-up campers.
But that’s not the only reason Nationwide made the top of our list of the five best RV insurance companies of 2023. The company offers standard property damage, bodily injury and collision coverage, but you can also get insurance for your RV against theft, vandalism and natural disasters.
Also, Nationwide offers a number of discounts that you may not find at many other insurers. You can see your premium drop if you’ve taken an approved RV driving course, or are a member of an RV club or other organization like a collegiate alumni association or a professional association.
Pros
- Multi-policy discounts available
- Premium reductions for safe driving
- Review process to ensure customers are getting all applicable discounts
Cons
- Doesn’t offer coverage for RV-related pet injuries
Best Budget
National General
If you’re looking for a way to save on both RV insurance and insurance for other vehicles you own, be sure to check out National General, one of the best RV insurance companies, before you buy any policy. Bundling your RV and regular vehicle insurance can save you up to 20% on total premiums through National General.
Also, bundled coverage means that if your car and tow-behind RV are damaged in the same incident, you’ll pay only a single deductible.
And bundling is just one reason why National General makes our list of the best RV insurance companies for 2023. Among the other reasons it made our list is that National General allows its policyholders to save money by suspending their RV coverage during the months they’re not using it.
Pros
- Discounts for safe and low-mileage drivers
- A+ rating with Better Business Bureau
- Customers report fast and friendly service
Cons
- Web page needs updating
Best Specialized Coverage
Progressive
The fact that it offers optional coverage for your RV’s roof, an uncommon option for RV policies, is just one example of the specialized insurance coverages offered by Progressive that placed it on our list of the five best RV insurance companies for 2023.
But that’s not the only reason Progressive made our list of best RV insurance companies. In addition to the optional roof coverage, Progressive gives its customers a full range of other optional coverages, so that you can readily customize your RV policy to your specific coverage and budgetary needs.
Among the optional coverages available from Progressive are emergency expense coverage for costs of food and lodging if your RV breaks down on the road, coverage for animal and insect damage to your RV while it is in use, and medical expense coverage for pets if they’re injured in a covered incident.
And finally, Progressive offers online quotes for many RVs, unlike other insurers that require getting quotes with a phone call, yet another reason it made our list of the best RV insurance companies.
Pros
- Extensive list of discounts
- Accident forgiveness provisions from inception of policy
- Pet injury coverage
Cons
- Core policy doesn’t include personal injury protection
Best Customer Assistance
Good Sam Insurance Agency
The Good Sam Insurance Agency offers RV insurance through four companies — National General, Progressive, Safeco and Foremost — that are among the leading companies in providing the best RV insurance to RV owners.
What that means is that talking with Good Sam is like talking with four separate RV insurers. That convenience is a big part of the reasons why Good Sam earns our recommendation as one of the five best RV insurance companies for 2023.
Pros
- Total loss replacement within first five model years
- Policy bundling can save money
- Can suspend coverage when RV not in use
Cons
- Claims payment may be slow
Best Personal Service
State Farm Insurance
If you’re in an accident, or have another unfortunate incident involving your RV, having State Farm Insurance will be a plus if you like to have a personal touch when dealing with misfortune in your life.
No matter where you may find yourself during your travels, State Farm’s vast network of local offices will mean that an agent likely will be close by, no matter where you are when an incident arises with your RV. And that ability to provide a personal touch is why State Farm Insurance makes our 2023 list of the five best RV insurance companies.
State Farm offers polices for motorhomes and camper vans as well as policies for pull-behind travel trailers and fifth wheels.
Pros
- Large number of agents
- Emergency road service available
- Coverage for theft, fire, vandalism available for time RV is in storage
Cons
- Coverage may not be as customizable as with other insurers
Best RV Insurance Companies Buyer’s Guide
The first thing to know about RV insurance is that you may not need it — in limited circumstances, that is. If your RV is towed behind a motorized vehicle, such as a camping trailer or pop-up camper, you may not be required to have it insured.
However, if you have financed your tow-behind RV rather than purchased it outright, your lender will almost certainly require that you have it insured.
Varieties of Coverage
The best RV insurance has many coverage options, from collision to bodily injury liability to protection against uninsured motorists. You may also find an RV insurance provider that offers supplemental coverages for things like full-value replacement and “vacation liability,” which covers you in case someone is injured on or in your RV while it is parked and in use.
In short, the best RV insurance companies will provide enough options so that you can tailor a policy to your specific needs. Which is one of the reasons we love Roamly – their flexible coverage will allow you to protect your RV, camper build, or even Outdoorsy rental!
Rates for RV Insurance Policies
According to a variety of sources, you can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,500 per year for an RV policy, depending on the type of RV you’re insuring and the coverages you elect to purchase. Of course, if you have a pull-behind trailer, you’ll likely have a premium on the lower end of that scale, while a motorhome, with its many motorized and other electrical parts, will cost more to insure.
But there are factors other than the size and type of your RV that will factor into what you wind up paying for coverage. As is the case with your auto insurance, your driving record will be a factor in your RV insurance premium. In addition, insurers will consider your record of driving a motorhome or other RV since they are fundamentally different from cars in calculating your premium.
Another factor affecting your premium is how frequently you use your RV. As you might expect, people who travel full-time, or even for extended periods, in their RV can expect to pay more for insurance.
Finally, in most states — California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and Utah are the exceptions — insurers can consider your credit score in calculating your RV insurance premium.
Best RV Insurance Companies FAQs
From rates, to coverage limits, to customer service, you’re certain to have lots of questions about acquiring the best RV insurance for your particular vehicle and your particular needs. Here are a few of the questions you may have during your search for the best RV insurance, along with answers to help you make a decision.
Do I really need RV insurance?
Given the limitations of homeowner’s and auto insurance policies with regard to RVs, it would be foolish not to have insurance specifically for your motorhome, van camper or travel trailer.
Having an RV-specific policy will provide you with higher liability coverage limits than relying on your auto policy, and also can offer specific coverage for collision, uninsured motorists and roadside assistance. The best RV insurance that you can afford will be a wise choice as you get set to visit the great outdoors.
Additionally, some of the best RV insurance companies provide an impressive array of optional coverages, such as coverage for pets injured in RV-related incidents. Some companies will even provide coverage while you’re using your RV in Mexico.
What are the different classes of RV, and what type of insurance does each require?
There are three classes of RV, and insurance requirements will vary from state to state, so having a knowledgeable insurer is very important as you choose coverage.
Class A motorhomes include the large motor coaches that cruise the highways, up to 75 feet in length.
Class B RVs include van-type camper designs, and also cover travel trailers pulled behind a tow vehicle.
Class C RVs are vehicles that have a cargo van chassis, with a camper portion extending over the cab. Also included in Class C are fifth-wheel campers, trailers that are towed by a hitch mounted on a tow vehicle, such as in the bed of a pickup truck.
Will an existing homeowner’s insurance or vehicle insurance policy cover an RV?
Sometimes it’s a motor vehicle, and sometimes it’s a home. There are circumstances under which your existing homeowner’s policy can cover your RV and circumstances under which your existing auto policy can provide coverage. But as a rule, your best bet is to insure your RV separately from both your home and your other vehicles, with the best RV insurance you can find..
Just so you’ll know, your RV likely will be covered for damage under your homeowner’s policy when it is parked at your home, as long as it is listed among the contents of your home. In terms of vehicle coverage, your existing auto policy may provide some bodily injury liability and property damage coverage if you’re involved in an accident, but that coverage won’t extend to damage to your RV.
Finally, as a general rule, when your RV is parked at a camping spot, it’s considered a rental home. That means it probably won’t be covered under either your existing homeowner’s insurance policy or your existing auto insurance policy.
So, given the clear and significant limitations of homeowner’s insurance and auto insurance policies with regard to RVs, it would be foolish not to have insurance specifically for your motorhome, van camper or travel trailer.
Having an RV-specific policy, particularly from one of our best RV insurance companies, will provide you with higher liability coverage limits than relying on your auto policy, and also can offer specific coverage for collision, uninsured motorists and roadside assistance.
Wrapping up the Best RV Insurance Companies
Being certain that your RV is adequately insured with the best RV insurance before you hit the road is a large part of creating the peace of mind to help you truly enjoy your time on the road and in the great outdoors.
As a final reminder, our recommendation for the best RV insurance is Roamly, based on their comprehensive array of coverage options, understanding of RV (and camper van!) owner’s needs, and discounts.
For more on getting the most out of RVing, visit the RV Camping page on our website for vacation ideas, must-have products, and RV camping tips.
- About the Author
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Jim Thompson grew up tent camping with his family, and was introduced to backpacking with the Boy Scouts. He attended a military college, where he was introduced to rappelling, an outdoor activity which he has not pursued.
Jim holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Georgia, and spent 35 years as a newspaper writer and editor before become a writer for Apple Pie Media.
Jim can be reached at jimt3rd@yahoo.com