Fulltiming insurance costs

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Mick & Pat

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Feb 14, 2006
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Back in UK with RV
We appear to be dead in the water with this topic so may i ask the first I hope of many questions?

Would a full timer in the US or Canada pay more, about the same or less than someone with identical rig and details?  If there is a difference can you say why?

Thanks Mick

Tom, In the UK forum I have mention to the members that before asking any questions they visit the excellent library and the full timing section so not duplicating questions  :)
Edit: Added link to prior topic.
 
I'll let the fulltimers give a more comprehensive reply, but we might want to clarify that there are 3 (or maybe more) categories of insurance for RVers:

  • Insurance for the RV. Most insurance companies assume an RV is being used for up to 6 months a year, and fulltimers have reported paying a higher premium.
  • Liability insurance. Most folks with a stick (or brick & mortar) house carry this coverage as part of their homeowners insurance. Fulltimers have reported buying separate liability insurance.
  • Medical insurance. It has been reported that Canadians have different rules/requirements. See here for an example.
Using the Search button in the toolbar above will find a number of prior discussions on the subject of "fulltiming insurance"; Also try "fulltimers insurance".

What are the equivalent coverages in the UK?
 
So back to the insurance question: what kind of insurance does the UK broker offer in the "fulltimer" package? Presumably something above and beyond whatever motor vehicle insurance may be mandatory in the UK?  A motorhome owner would want to have fire, theft and comprehensive insurance on the coach and its contents and I'm under the impression that is commonly available in the UK. Is there some limitation in the usual policy that makes it inadequate for fulltime RVers?

An issue in the US that may apply to the UK as well is the mobility of the 'house". Insurance rates are typically based on where the vehicle is driven, which the insurer traditionally based on the location of the owners home. For a fulltimer, the question of a "home base' can get sticky. If the coach spends 6 months a year in Spain, what rate do they charge?


Tom mentioned the anti-gypsy bias - I'll bet that has a lot to do with fulltiming issues in the UK.
 
Gary, The existence of full timing in the UK is a nightmare, persons are even to frightened to ask in case their details are placed on the insurance companies data base that being a know full timer would then prevent them from ever obtaining insurance..........if that makes sense?

Please visit the UK forum http://www.motorhome365.com/  where you can read in miuets what it would take me hours to type on here, then you may see what the UK problem is. :)

Mick 
 
Guy's may I try and resurrect this thread if possible by asking a simple question?

Okay two American couples, identical age, location BOTH own lets say an identical A class RV.

Now the only difference is that one couple live full time in their RV and the other couple use their RV every weekend and when ever they can get away.

Both insure with the same company, now does the full timing couple pay more that the other couple?

Can we come up with a simple answer to this question without involving medical, home owner,liability  insurance ?

Mick
 
I am also interested in the answer to this question. My motor home insurance is up for renewal this month and I am shopping like I always do. One of the questions that I am asked is if I spend more than 30 days in my RV. Since I am currently working, the answer is no. In a short while, the answer will be yes. Can I expect higher premiums or are they only interested for statistical reasons?
 
A simple answer, yes, the full timers will pay more.  They will have additional coverages and higher use, so higher cost.
 
How simple is that, and from someone who should know  ;D
 
Ned,

Now that Mick has received his 'simple' answer, could you elaborate on what additional coverages you carry as a fulltimer vs when you were a homeowner? I'm thinking that we could come up with an article for the forum library. I'll also look at some of the prior discussions. TIA.
 
Tom said:
Ned,

Now that Mick has received his 'simple' answer, could you elaborate on what additional coverages you carry as a fulltimer vs when you were a homeowner? I'm thinking that we could come up with an article for the forum library. I'll also look at some of the prior discussions. TIA.

Tom:

Progressive's Full Timing Package provides personal liability that a homeowner usually has as part of their coverage on their home and additional personal contents coverage for items stored outside the RV.

That in addition to the exposure of living in the RV full time.
 
Since we haven't been homeowners for over 14 years, others may have to fill in some details.  But a homeowners insurance policy will include some coverages that extend to an RV, like liability umbrellas, that a full timer has to add to their insurance.  Also, an RV used only for vacations will have a number of days use restriction in it, which is cheaper than full time use, due to the reduced exposure to claims.

On the other hand, a full timer has more flexibility in choosing a garaging address and domicile state so has more control over the insurance costs than the fixed base homeowner.  Insurance is all about probability of loss.  The lower the chance of a claim, the lower the premium.  A full timer just has more exposure to RV related losses than the part time RVer.  That, along with the additional needed coverage, mostly liability, that otherwise are extended from the homeowner's insurance, all increase the premium cost.  But the full timer without the house doesn't have to pay for homeowner's insurance, so the overall insurance costs may be about the same, or even less for the full timer.

In short, I guess there really is no simple answer :)  Each case will be different.

I believe all the above is true, but I'm sure if I have any of it wrong, we'll hear about it :)  I'm not an insurance expert by any means but have been on both sides of this issue.
 
My company (National Interstate) offers both "fulltime' and "recreational" RV coverage and I have used both. They declare that any use over 150 nights/year is full time, so if we will be on the road more than 150 nights, I activate the fulltime option. The cost difference was about $60 the last time I did this, which was 2008.  No additional coverages are involved in this - it merely adjusts the premium for the greater on-the-road time.

If you have no other home insurance, you may want to add some additional personal liability coverage, e.g. a liability umbrella policy. Homeowner or renter policies usually have this as part of the package, but automotive insurance does not and provides liability only if should you be at fault in a vehicle accident.  Costs will vary according to what coverage you choose and the amount.
 
[quote author=Ned]In short, I guess there really is no simple answer (http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/Smileys/default/smiley.gif)  Each case will be different.[/quote]

Aye, I tried to say that in an earlier message, but I came across as the watchmaker replying to someone who asked the time  :(

FWIW although we carried 300,000/300,000 on our vehicles and small boats, our insurance company asked us to increase those to 500,000/500,000 when we took out an umbrella policy. The big boat already had higher coverages and has coverage for stuff not normally covered on a vehicle.

Some of this stuff may not translate for folks from overseas, especially the UK with their social medicine system and (relative) lack of litigation. We haven't lived there for over 30 years, and so I'm out of touch with the current needs and coverages there; That's why I asked in my earlier message what the current UK equivalents are.

I'm always wary of providing a 'simple' answer to anyone from overseas when it comes to insurance; We got a big education when we moved from the UK to California  :eek:
 
Unfortunately, things are never "exactly the same" for two people, so the best simple answer is "it depends" :)  An article comparing homeowner plus RV insurance coverages (not costs) to full timer coverages would be useful.  I think there's enough information in this topic to at least cover the basics.  And, as you point out, it may not apply at all to foreigners when they visit here.
 
[quote author=Ned]... it may not apply at all to foreigners when they visit here.[/quote]

Aye, but my bigger concern is that some of it does apply (when they visit the US) and they may not realize it. Someone coming from a country with social medicine and little or no personal litigation may not understand the need for medical coverage on their RV or car, or personal liability coverage.
 
I didn't mean to imply that there are no insurance concerns for visiting foreigners, just that those concerns may be quite different from a US resident.  And those concerns will probably vary by country as well.  That would be a subject for a different article.
 
Understood Ned.

That would be a subject for a different article.

Aye, probably two articles, although I was initially thinking of visitors to the USA.
 
Gary RV Roamer said:
My company (National Interstate) offers both "fulltime' and "recreational" RV coverage and I have used both. They declare that any use over 150 nights/year is full time, so if we will be on the road more than 150 nights, I activate the fulltime option. The cost difference was about $60 the last time I did this, which was 2008.  No additional coverages are involved in this - it merely adjusts the premium for the greater on-the-road time.

Gary, you not only answered my initial 'simple' question but also the next one which was by what amount does it differ  :), but not to let you guys off to lightly does the 150 days mean consecutive or 150 days intermittent in one year?

Mick
 
Ned said:
Since we haven't been homeowners for over 14 years, others may have to fill in some details. But a homeowners insurance policy will include some coverages that extend to an RV, like liability umbrellas, that a full timer has to add to their insurance. Also, an RV used only for vacations will have a number of days use restriction in it, which is cheaper than full time use, due to the reduced exposure to claims.

On the other hand, a full timer has more flexibility in choosing a garaging address and domicile state so has more control over the insurance costs than the fixed base homeowner.  Insurance is all about probability of loss.  The lower the chance of a claim, the lower the premium.  A full timer just has more exposure to RV related losses than the part time RVer.  That, along with the additional needed coverage, mostly liability, that otherwise are extended from the homeowner's insurance, all increase the premium cost.  But the full timer without the house doesn't have to pay for homeowner's insurance, so the overall insurance costs may be about the same, or even less for the full timer.

In short, I guess there really is no simple answer :)  Each case will be different.

I believe all the above is true, but I'm sure if I have any of it wrong, we'll hear about it :)  I'm not an insurance expert by any means but have been on both sides of this issue.

I am in the UK and there is nothing in my home insurance that would relate to my RV.


Alan
 
Alan, see the subsequent messages in this topic where we discuss what does and does not apply to visitors.  My reply was specifically to (Michael) mrschwarz, who, I believe, is a US resident.
 
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