California RV Insurance

Californians love their recreational vehicles. People in the Golden State spend more than $550 million a year on RV sales and services, which is the highest of any state in the US.

Whether you are using your RV to enjoy a leisurely drive to the East Coast or you are staying within state to relax and take in the beauty of national parks like Joshua Tree, Yosemite, and Death Valley, you can benefit from having a good RV insurance policy.

Local independent agents can help you find a competitively priced policy that meets all of your coverage needs. Find an insurance agent near you to get more information and to start comparing customized quotes from some of the best RV insurance companies in California.

What Is RV Insurance?

RV insurance is a hybrid of auto insurance and homeowners insurance. This is because recreational vehicles can be driven on the road but can also serve as a home since they typically include living quarters with a sleeping area, kitchenette, and bathroom.

Your RV insurance policy can be customized to meet your specific coverage needs so that it matches the type of recreational vehicle you own and the ways that you plan to use it.

How Much Does RV Insurance Cost in California?

In California, the average cost of an RV insurance policy is $800 a year. However, this is just an average. While a used camper van may cost less to insure, coverage for a Class A motor home can cost thousands of dollars a year.  

Costs are calculated individually based on a number of factors such as the following.

• The type of RV you are insuring (e.g., camper van, truck camper, motor home, etc.)
• Your RV's length, weight, and value
• The estimated number of miles you plan to drive your RV per year
• The amount of time you plan to spend living in the vehicle each year
• Your driving record and the driving records of anyone else in your household who may drive the RV
• The value of the personal property you may keep in your RV
• Whether you are bundling your coverage with other policies like car insurance or homeowners insurance

The only way to find out how much an RV insurance policy will cost you is to by contacting a few insurance companies and requesting customized quotes. Or, if you prefer, an independent agent can do this on your behalf.

Is RV Insurance Required in California?

If your recreational vehicle is a non-motorized towable, like a travel trailer or a fifth wheel, you are not required to cover it with an RV insurance policy. Instead, you can get coverage for it through an endorsement on the policy that covers the vehicle that is being used to tow it.

However, if your RV is a self-propelled vehicle, like a camper van or motor home, it will be held to the same coverage requirements as your car or truck.

In California, this means that your RV insurance policy must include liability coverage that meets or exceeds the state’s minimum coverage requirements.

• Bodily injury liability coverage per person: $15,000
• Bodily injury liability coverage per incident: $30,000
• Property damage liability coverage per incident: $5,000

It is important to realize that these minimum coverage amounts may not be high enough to adequately protect you while driving your RV. This is because recreational vehicles are larger and heavier than most other vehicles on the road.

If you are responsible for a collision while driving an RV, you are likely to cause a lot of property damage and potentially serious injuries to others. If the incurred costs exceed your policy’s coverage limits, you will be obligated to make up the difference out of pocket. This can get very expensive.

That is why many recreational vehicle owners in California opt to buy RV liability insurance in much higher amounts than the state requires. If you want even more liability coverage than your RV insurance policy can provide, you can supplement your policy with umbrella insurance.

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What Else Can California RV Insurance Cover?

Someone who only takes their RV out a few weeks every year will have very different coverage needs than someone who lives in their RV full time.

That is why, in addition to the liability coverage the state requires you to carry, most RV insurance companies will offer a number of coverage options that enable you to purchase a policy that matches the way you use your RV.

Examples of available coverage options include the following.

• Personal liability coverage: This is designed to cover people who live in their RVs full time. It can provide the same personal liability protection you would normally get through a home or renters insurance policy.
• Vacation liability coverage: This is designed to cover people who take their RVs on destination trips. It provides additional liability protection if you accidentally cause property damage or injuries while staying at an RV park. It is sometimes required by RV park owners.
• Contents coverage: This is good for all RV owners but is particularly valuable for people who own larger RVs like Class A motor homes. It can pay to repair or replace the property you keep in your RV if it is lost or damaged by a covered event like a fire, windstorm, or property crime.
• Collision and comprehensive coverage: These are designed to cover the cost to repair or replace your vehicle is it is lost or damaged by a covered event. Both types of coverage will likely be required by your lender if you have financed your RV and are still making payments.
  • Collision coverage: This covers loss or damage caused by collisions, regardless of fault.
  • Comprehensive coverage: This covers loss or damaged caused by non-collision hazards like floods, fires, and windstorms.
• Uninsured / underinsured motorist insurance: This can cover your property damage and medical treatments if an uninsured or underinsured driver is responsible for a collision with your RV.
• Towing and roadside assistance: Most RVs require specialized towing if they become disabled while out on the road. This insurance can cover the costs associated with service calls.

When you take the time to review all of your available coverage options and how much each one costs, you can make informed decisions about which are a good fit for you and your family.

Where Can I Find the Best RV Insurance in California?

When you are shopping for the right RV insurance policy to meet your coverage and budgetary needs, a local independent insurance agent can help. These agents work for you, not for a particular insurance company, so they can shop around to find you the best and most affordable coverage.

Discover the many benefits of having a local insurance professional on your side. Arrange an obligation-free consultation with an insurance agent near you to start comparing customized RV insurance quotes from some of the area’s most reliable insurers.