The first step to finding affordable insurance for a recreational vehicle is to consider what types of coverage you might need. Remember, an RV is not a car, and any expenses that you’ll encounter due to an accident, theft, or other incident will probably be far greater than with another type of vehicle. It’s advisable to get extra coverage add-ons like emergency roadside assistance (which will cost more than it would on a standard car insurance quote, as the cost of towing and repair for an RV is often five times what it would be for a car). You may need extra liability coverage, such as vacation liability coverage, which handles any injuries that occur in the area immediately around your parked RV.

Talk to other RV owners and your insurance agent, and find the right coverage levels for your vehicle. Cut any extraneous coverage to lower your costs, and ask your insurance agent for suggestions of actions that you could take to make your RV safer. The safer an RV is, the lower the cost of insurance for the vehicle. This includes the driving record of the RV’s owner, so if you’re buying the RV with a spouse, the person with the best driving record should apply for coverage. Some insurance providers will offer discounts to drivers that take special training courses that teach the fundamentals of RV ownership.

Once you know what types of coverage to look for, gather insurance quotes for your recreational vehicle. Make sure that each quote lists the exact same amount of coverage, and narrow down your search to the insurance providers with the lowest rates. Contact these companies, and be ready for some old fashioned haggling. Insurance providers will often fight for your business, especially if you drive an RV. This is because RV insurance policies are so expensive–you’ll usually be able to talk an agent down significantly with a little work. If you’ve got a good driving record, use it as leverage. Be persistent, and you’ll have a great chance of getting a low insurance quote for your recreational vehicle.

Types of insurance: Remember, your car insurance policy will not typically cover your recreational vehicle, so you need to obtain separate coverage. Some of the types of coverage you may want to get are: collision (this will cover damage to your vehicle caused by impacts from other recreational vehicles, rocks, and other objects); comprehensive (this will cover your costs if the vehicle is stolen or damaged by fire); bodily injury (if you cause an accident, this type of coverage will cover the other person’s medical expenses); uninsured motorist (this is a very important type to have since many ATV riders are uninsured or underinsured).

Discounts: Like when you’re shopping for online auto insurance, there are ways to get discounts on the premiums you will have to pay to insure your recreational vehicle. You can often get a cut on rates if you’re a member of certain riding associations. If you have numerous recreational vehicles you need to insure, you may get a discount. Finally, taking some safety courses can help you get cheap online insurance quotes, lower your premiums, and keep you safer while you’re exploring the forests and riding trails.