RECREATIONAL VEHICLE INSURANCE · CAMPERS, ATVS AND MOTORCYCLES
Campers, ATVs and motorcycles, on the road and off it.
Three different machines, three different policies, and a lot of assumptions about what the truck policy or the homeowners policy already covers. Mostly it does not. Written from South Hill for Virginia and North Carolina.
THE FIRST THING TO KNOW
The truck policy covers the trailer's liability. Not the trailer.
When a travel trailer is hooked to your pickup, the pickup's liability coverage usually extends to it. Damage to the trailer itself, what is inside it, and anything that happens once it is unhooked at the campsite do not come along. A motorhome is a vehicle in its own right and needs its own policy from the start.
ATVs and side by sides are the same story from the other direction. A homeowners policy may cover one on your own land and stops at the property line. The trail, the neighbor's field and the road to the boat ramp are all off the policy unless the machine has its own.
WHAT WE WRITE
Four kinds of machine, each on the right policy.
Campers and travel trailers
Bumper pull, fifth wheel, pop up, truck camper. Physical damage, contents, and liability at the campsite when it is unhooked.
Motorhomes
Class A, B and C. Written like a vehicle and a home at once, with options for full time living and for the awning, the slide-outs and the stuff inside.
ATVs and side by sides
Four wheelers and UTVs on the farm, on the trail and on the way between. Liability, physical damage and the passenger.
Motorcycles
Cruisers, touring bikes, dirt bikes and scooters. Liability, collision, comprehensive and the gear you are wearing.
Golf carts are their own question. On the lake roads and in some neighborhoods they have become street vehicles, and a cart that leaves the yard needs to be insured like one.
WHAT TO ASK FOR
Six options that separate a good policy from a cheap one.
Total loss replacement
On a newer camper or motorhome, replaces it with a new one rather than paying a depreciated value. Usually available for the first few model years.
Agreed value
On a motorcycle or an older unit, an agreed figure written on the policy so there is no argument after a total loss.
Contents and gear
What is in the camper, and on a motorcycle, the helmet, jacket and boots. Both are limited or excluded unless asked for.
Campsite liability
Once the trailer is unhooked, the truck's liability goes with the truck. Vacation liability covers the campsite, the awning and the guest who trips over the water hose.
Roadside and towing
A tow for a motorhome or a fifth wheel is not a car tow. Coverage written for the size of the rig.
Storage and lay-up
A camper or a bike that sits from November to March can carry a reduced premium for the months it is parked, and stays covered against fire, theft and the tree that falls on the shed.
WHO WE WRITE IT FOR
Who we write it for
● Travel trailers at the Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston campgrounds
● Fifth wheels and motorhomes that go south for the winter
● Seasonal campers that stay on a site all year
● Side by sides and four wheelers on farm and hunting land
● Dirt bikes and trail riders
● Cruisers, touring bikes and the weekend rider
● Golf carts that have started leaving the yard
The camper on a seasonal site
A trailer that stays on a campground site all year is closer to a small cabin than a vehicle. The campground contract usually requires proof of liability, the unit needs coverage for wind and falling limbs, and the deck and shed built next to it need to be on the policy too. Bring us the contract.
THE STATE LINE
On the road in each state
Virginia
Every person operating or riding a motorcycle must wear a helmet and some form of eye protection. Motorcycles carry the same minimum liability limits as cars: $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage.
North Carolina
Motorcycle and moped riders and passengers must wear a helmet that meets the federal standard, secured with the strap, on any highway or public vehicular area. Minimum liability limits are $50,000, $100,000 and $50,000.
ATV registration, age and helmet rules differ by state and by whether the land is public. Confirm with the Virginia DMV, Virginia DWR or the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission before the season.
QUESTIONS WE GET
Before you call
Is my camper covered by my truck policy?
For liability while it is hooked up, usually. For damage to the camper, the things inside it, or anything at the campsite once it is unhooked, no. Those need a policy on the camper.
Is my four wheeler covered on my own land?
Possibly, under the homeowners policy, and only on your land. Cross the property line, ride a trail or put it on a trailer and it is not. A policy on the machine follows it everywhere.
What happens in the winter?
Most of these policies can carry a lay-up period with a reduced premium for the months the unit is parked. It stays covered for fire, theft and weather; you just agree not to run it.
What about a golf cart?
In the yard, the homeowners policy may cover it. On the road, in a neighborhood or down to the boat ramp, it needs its own liability, and in some cases it has to be registered as a low speed vehicle. Ask before the first trip.
Can I add a camper or a bike through the form?
Call the office. Adding a unit is a change in coverage, and coverage is not bound through the form or by email until somebody here has confirmed it.
Changing your coverage
For adding or deleting coverage, please call the office during business hours. Coverage is not bound through sending a request by email or using the contact form without explicit confirmation from an authorized agent or carrier.