Do I Need Insurance for an RV in Storage?

A recreational vehicle, or RV, can be a camper, a motor home, caravan or even a tour bus. The RV can be motorized or it can be a non-motorized and towed vehicle. Most RVs are used as temporary living quarters for people who are traveling or vacationing and are often too long or wide to store at home. Alternately, winter conditions can damage RVs that are parked outside. Thus, most RVs are placed into storage when they are not in use. As with any type of property, there is the question of insurance coverage; should you insure an RV that is simply sitting in storage?

An RV should be insured even if it is only being stored. The reasons for having insurance include the possibility of damage to or theft of the RV while it is in storage, damage to or theft of personal effects from the RV and possible damage that the RV itself might cause to the storage facility or other RVs (e.g., a fuel leak that results in a storage facility fire). While most storage facility owners do carry liability insurance that protects them from direct damage caused to your RV as a result of facility damage, such coverage is minimal and usually excludes personal effects and the RV interior. Most storage facility owners will even state that RV owners are responsible for insuring their own property while it is stored.

You may assume that your current homeowners or renters insurance already covers your RV. Some insurance providers do in fact cover RVs; however, the coverage may or may not extend to RVs that are in storage. Alternately, your insurance policy may cover the RV while it is in storage but change the deductible of that coverage to a very high amount.

An RV is both a mobile vehicle and a home. Therefore, while you might be able to purchase an auto/truck policy for your motorized RV, such a policy does not address the home-like features of your RV. For example, having an auto/truck policy will not help you if your RV's septic tank becomes plugged and overflows. Furthermore, a non-motorized RV cannot be insured at all under standard auto/truck insurance. To adequately insure your RV, you will need to purchase RV insurance through a company that specializes in RV coverage.

The good news about obtaining insurance on a stored RV is that the policy premium is usually only 50% of the "in use" premium. Also, all permanent features and attachments to your RV are covered under the insurance premium and typically for their full replacement cost.