How to Insure Your #VanLife
The #VanLife movement is moving full speed ahead. More and more Texans are embracing minimalism and taking their lives on the road. Whether you’re a DIYer building your camper from scratch or a retiree trading your 9-to-5 job for a luxury RV, you’ll want to protect your new, nomadic lifestyle.
AJ Hall, a Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in Brownwood, has written more policies for RVs and trailers in the past year than in his entire career. This is his advice on camper van insurance for everyone thinking about jumping on the “van wagon.”
Modify With Caution
To some, making modifications to the van, camper, or trailer is half the fun. But before you draw up plans for new plumbing or electrical rewiring, consider Hall’s advice. “Either get certified to do that kind of maintenance yourself or get a professional to do it,” he says. “We need to see proof that all modifications were done by a certified professional.” A policyholder who converts a minibus into a camper, for instance, won’t qualify for camper van insurance unless the work was done by a certified contractor. Hard work can go to waste if modifications aren’t strategically planned.
Get a Custom Policy
Texas law requires you to have liability coverage for your vehicle, but don’t stop there! If your camper or RV is part vehicle, part home, the best policy for you is a part-vehicle, part-homeowners policy. Collision and comprehensive insurance cover damage to your vehicle in case of an accident, fire, or natural disaster. Add property protection to cover the valuables you take onboard, which could be damaged or stolen.
Sound complicated? Don’t worry. Your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent can make you a policy from scratch to suit your vehicle and lifestyle.
Insure Any Towed Vehicles
There’s a learning curve to towing your vehicle behind an RV. Make sure your car is covered in case of accidents. “Your RV policy doesn’t cover a car towed behind an RV,” Hall says, “Make sure your vehicle policy is up to date before you tow it — that’s the policy that will cover damage to that vehicle.”
Map Your Route
One of the best parts of a mobile lifestyle is the ability to get up and go at a moment’s notice. Your policy will cover you as you travel around the United States and Canada. However, like most insurance companies, Texas Farm Bureau Insurance policies extend only 25 miles into Mexico. “I tell my policyholders to go with 20, just in case,” Hall says.
Call your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent today to get the green light on your coverage before taking your new RV or camper for its maiden voyage. Happy travels!
Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation. © 2021 Texas Farm Bureau Insurance
