Carry RV insurance all year long?

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willthrill81
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Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

We have a a motorhome we purchased back in the spring, and we got an affordable policy from Foremost for it that's $81/month. While this certainly isn't onerous, I'm wondering whether it's really necessary to keep the policy in force all year long. I just winterized it today, so our camping trips are done until May of next year, and we don't have to drive it at all between now and then (I'll idle it at least monthly when I also exercise the onboard generator). If we suspended/cancelled the policy, we would save $560 over the intervening seven months. But I'm not sure if we could get this same policy at this price next year. Many years ago, I remember a financial pundit saying that it was financially worthwhile to not carry insurance on RVs during the winter. Thoughts about suspending or outright cancelling the policy and getting a new one in the spring?
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000
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by 000 »

Would your homeowner's cover external damage were that to occur while parked?
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

000 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:59 pm Would your homeowner's cover external damage were that to occur while parked?
I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't.

The motorhome is parked in our driveway, which is connected to a private alley. The only kind of damage I can see remotely happening would be due to hail, but the roof is rubber, so I'm not too concerned about that.
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ResearchMed
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by ResearchMed »

willthrill81 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:02 pm
000 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:59 pm Would your homeowner's cover external damage were that to occur while parked?
I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't.

The motorhome is parked in our driveway, which is connected to a private alley. The only kind of damage I can see remotely happening would be due to hail, but the roof is rubber, so I'm not too concerned about that.
Can you ask your insurer if they have a storage rate, or at least a "zero miles driven" rate? Explain, and see what they can offer.

RM
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

ResearchMed wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:04 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:02 pm
000 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:59 pm Would your homeowner's cover external damage were that to occur while parked?
I'm pretty sure that it wouldn't.

The motorhome is parked in our driveway, which is connected to a private alley. The only kind of damage I can see remotely happening would be due to hail, but the roof is rubber, so I'm not too concerned about that.
Can you ask your insurer if they have a storage rate, or at least a "zero miles driven" rate? Explain, and see what they can offer.

RM
That's a good idea. Thanks!
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by mkc »

Do not give up comprehensive coverage while not using. That covers you for theft, fire, storage building collapse, etc. Especially if not stored at home.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

Campers are still a lot of fun to use when they’re winterized. We had a lot of memorable trips with bottled water on board and antifreeze to flush the toilet. I bet 1/5 of the nights we used it were while it was winterized- especially fun for skiing trips.

I say keep it insured for the first winter and see if you find an urge to hit the road for random weekends or over the holiday break.
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DoubleComma
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by DoubleComma »

Your asking the question, so I assume there is no loan against. If there is I imagine you are required to insure.

When we had an RV, stored indoors away from home, we kept insured. It wasn’t worth the hassle to me to try to save ~$70 month for the 4-5 months we didn’t use it.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by exodusNH »

willthrill81 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:55 pm We have a a motorhome we purchased back in the spring, and we got an affordable policy from Foremost for it that's $81/month. While this certainly isn't onerous, I'm wondering whether it's really necessary to keep the policy in force all year long. I just winterized it today, so our camping trips are done until May of next year, and we don't have to drive it at all between now and then (I'll idle it at least monthly when I also exercise the onboard generator). If we suspended/cancelled the policy, we would save $560 over the intervening seven months. But I'm not sure if we could get this same policy at this price next year. Many years ago, I remember a financial pundit saying that it was financially worthwhile to not carry insurance on RVs during the winter. Thoughts about suspending or outright cancelling the policy and getting a new one in the spring?
Vandalism? Theft? Arson? A tree falls on it? In NH, generally, once a tree crosses the property line, it's your tree, not the neighbor's.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

exodusNH wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:13 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:55 pm We have a a motorhome we purchased back in the spring, and we got an affordable policy from Foremost for it that's $81/month. While this certainly isn't onerous, I'm wondering whether it's really necessary to keep the policy in force all year long. I just winterized it today, so our camping trips are done until May of next year, and we don't have to drive it at all between now and then (I'll idle it at least monthly when I also exercise the onboard generator). If we suspended/cancelled the policy, we would save $560 over the intervening seven months. But I'm not sure if we could get this same policy at this price next year. Many years ago, I remember a financial pundit saying that it was financially worthwhile to not carry insurance on RVs during the winter. Thoughts about suspending or outright cancelling the policy and getting a new one in the spring?
Vandalism? Theft? Arson? A tree falls on it? In NH, generally, once a tree crosses the property line, it's your tree, not the neighbor's.
The first three are obviously possible, but the risk is remote. There are no trees remotely near it capable of damaging it.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

DoubleComma wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:09 pm Your asking the question, so I assume there is no loan against.
Correct.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

Wanderingwheelz wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:44 pm Campers are still a lot of fun to use when they’re winterized. We had a lot of memorable trips with bottled water on board and antifreeze to flush the toilet. I bet 1/5 of the nights we used it were while it was winterized- especially fun for skiing trips.

I say keep it insured for the first winter and see if you find an urge to hit the road for random weekends or over the holiday break.
We haven't really considered that, but it's not a bad idea. My DW likes to shower every night, so I'm not sure if she would go for that, but we do have a few ski resorts nearby where it would be nice to stay overnight. At least one even offers electrical hookups.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by Wanderingwheelz »

willthrill81 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:22 pm
Wanderingwheelz wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:44 pm Campers are still a lot of fun to use when they’re winterized. We had a lot of memorable trips with bottled water on board and antifreeze to flush the toilet. I bet 1/5 of the nights we used it were while it was winterized- especially fun for skiing trips.

I say keep it insured for the first winter and see if you find an urge to hit the road for random weekends or over the holiday break.
We haven't really considered that, but it's not a bad idea. My DW likes to shower every night, so I'm not sure if she would go for that, but we do have a few ski resorts nearby where it would be nice to stay overnight. At least one even offers electrical hookups.
Unless it’s truly well below freezing you don’t even need to use antifreeze to flush. Just use water from a jug, since some ice in your tank won’t damage anything where there’s room to expand. It’s your pipes where you need to be most careful.

Walmart sells the Equate body wipes where their senior care stuff is which we used a lot of in place of showers when we winter camped. They more than get the job done.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by willthrill81 »

Wanderingwheelz wrote: Fri Sep 24, 2021 11:14 am
willthrill81 wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:22 pm
Wanderingwheelz wrote: Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:44 pm Campers are still a lot of fun to use when they’re winterized. We had a lot of memorable trips with bottled water on board and antifreeze to flush the toilet. I bet 1/5 of the nights we used it were while it was winterized- especially fun for skiing trips.

I say keep it insured for the first winter and see if you find an urge to hit the road for random weekends or over the holiday break.
We haven't really considered that, but it's not a bad idea. My DW likes to shower every night, so I'm not sure if she would go for that, but we do have a few ski resorts nearby where it would be nice to stay overnight. At least one even offers electrical hookups.
Unless it’s truly well below freezing you don’t even need to use antifreeze to flush. Just use water from a jug, since some ice in your tank won’t damage anything where there’s room to expand. It’s your pipes where you need to be most careful.

Walmart sells the Equate body wipes where their senior care stuff is which we used a lot of in place of showers when we winter camped. They more than get the job done.
Cleaning oneself with wipes would be fine with me, but there's no way my DW would go for it. However, we do have holding tank heaters for the black and grey tanks, and with the new Battleborn lithium batteries I just installed (and love!), we have enough battery power to run them and the furnace overnight. Our fresh tank is inside and doesn't need to be heated as long the living space is warm. It only takes 2 gallons of RV antifreeze to winterize the unit, so the expense would be minimal to de-winterize for a trip and then re-winterize afterward. We'll see how this winter goes.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by crefwatch »

Cars hit homes all the time. Why couldn't a car hit the RV while parked? What if a homeless person breaks into the RV at 3AM? What if a crime occurs inside the RV, like arson or sexual assault? I think you are trying to put something "off the grid" when it actually is not. BTW, in my town, an RV must be parked behind the front "line" of the house, not in the main driveway in front of that line. Unregistered vehicles (I know you are keeping it registered) cannot be stored visible to the street.

I'm beginning to see why my local agency no longer provides services as an intermediary between me and the insurance company. I have to call the phone bank of the giant insurance company for anything, like a new vehicle or a change in deductible. It used to handled by my ... er ... Concierge, compensated with his insurance commissions. Could they cancel your coverage for being a high-maintenance client? It's called Firing the Customer.
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Re: Carry RV insurance all year long?

Post by Boatguy »

You’d be surprised at how much damage a family of mice, raccoons, or other vermin can do to the inside of a motorhome, travel trailer, or boat. It’s not uncommon for these vehicles/vessels to be declared total losses because all of the upholstery and electrical wiring has been shredded. This is NOT an uncommon occurrence and will be covered by your insurance in certain situation. You should probably review your policy contract to see whether or not Foremost covers such a loss.
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