What Is RV Liability Insurance?

Q: What is RV liability insurance?

RV liability insurance covers damages you cause to others and protects you from financial loss when an accident was your fault. Depending on where you live and what kind of RV you have, state law may or may not require you to carry a liability policy for your RV.

Q: Do I need RV liability insurance on an old RV?

Often referred to as a “ full-time RV insurance policy ” you’ll need additional coverage in addition to an RV liability policy if you live in your RV for more than six months of the year. Think of this coverage as your traditional homeowners policy. It covers medical costs associated with guests that may injure themselves in and around your RV and any damage your RV inflicts on the grounds where it’s parked.

What does RV liability insurance cover?

RV liability insurance pays for damages you cause to others and protects you against financial loss when you're at fault for an accident when driving your motorhome. In general, RV liability insurance covers two main kinds of damage: Bodily Injury and Property Damage (BI/PD).

Bodily Injury liability pays for medical expenses incurred by other drivers or pedestrians that result from an accident you cause. Property Damage liability covers damage to objects, vehicles, and other personal property — for example, if you lose control of your RV and hit a parked car or a fence.

Your policy lists the limits that define the maximum amount of damage the policy will cover. For instance, a policy that lists limits of 20/40/20 will cover up to $20,000 of Bodily Injury per person, $40,000 of total Bodily Injury per accident, and up to $20,000 of Property Damage per accident.

Do I need RV liability insurance on an old RV?

If your RV has a motor and is self-powered, most states will require you to carry liability insurance regardless of the vehicle's age. Also, many loan agreements require you to carry insurance, so if you have a loan, even for an older or secondhand RV, you'll likely need at least liability coverage, but some lenders may require additional RV insurance coverages.

RV liability insurance vs. Vacation liability RV insurance

RV liability insurance

RV liability insurance is the standard, often-required coverage that pays for damages you cause to others if you're involved in an accident while driving the motorhome.

Vacation liability RV insurance

Vacation liability RV insurance is a form of personal liability coverage that pays for damages if someone hurts themselves in or near your parked RV while you're on vacation. Unlike standard RV liability insurance, this protection is available for incidents while the vehicle is parked.

Do I need RV liability insurance if I live in my RV full-time?

Often referred to as a “full-time RV insurance policy” you’ll need additional coverage in addition to an RV liability policy if you live in your RV for more than six months of the year. Think of this coverage as your traditional homeowners policy. It covers medical costs associated with guests that may injure themselves in and around your RV and any damage your RV inflicts on the grounds where it’s parked.

Is RV liability insurance worth it?

Typically, yes. Most states require liability insurance to legally drive if you have a motorhome (Class A, Class B, or Class C). Trailer-type RVs like toy-haulers, travel trailers, or pop-ups don't require a policy because the towing vehicle's liability coverage includes trailers.

When shopping for RV insurance, start by checking the RV insurance requirements in your state to help figure out what kind and how much coverage is right for you.