RV insurance for the road and the campsite.
Coverage for motorhomes you drive and trailers you tow, for the things you carry inside, and for people who live in their RV year-round.
Quick answer RV insurance covers motorhomes you drive and trailers you tow, the things you carry inside, and, for people who live in their RV year-round, personal property and liability while parked.
- A motorhome is insured like a vehicle, with liability for accidents you cause plus collision and comprehensive for damage to the coach, including fire, flood and theft.
- A truck's auto policy may pay for an accident you cause while towing, but damage to a travel trailer itself usually needs its own RV policy or endorsement.
- Full-timer RV coverage adds personal property and liability that applies when you're not driving, for example if someone is hurt inside your RV.
- A homeowners policy may pay something for belongings kept in an RV, but that coverage is very limited.
- Renting out an RV changes how it is used, so the RV policy has to be written for that use.
By Sam Alishahi · CA Insurance License #4348151 · Reviewed November 2026 · How this page is researched
Driven or towed changes the policy
A motorhome is driven, so it's insured like a vehicle, with liability for accidents you cause plus collision and comprehensive for damage to the coach itself, including fire, flood and theft. A travel trailer or fifth wheel is towed: your truck's auto policy may pay for an accident you cause while towing, but damage to the trailer itself usually needs its own RV policy or endorsement.
What's inside is the next gap. A homeowners policy may pay something for belongings kept in an RV, but that coverage is very limited. And if the RV is your home, a full-timer policy adds personal property and liability that applies while you're parked, the way a homeowners policy would.
- Class AThe largest motorhomes, built with the comforts of home and no separate tow vehicle needed.
- Class BCamper vans, compact enough to drive like a regular van or SUV.
- Class CBuilt on a van frame, recognizable by the sleeping area over the cab.
- TowablesTravel trailers, fifth wheels with a raised front section towed by a pickup, and truck campers.
What underwriters will ask
Having these ready means I can go to market on the first call. The quote form asks for the same things, and anything you don’t know yet can wait.
- The RV: type, year, make, model, length and VIN.
- Value: purchase price and any upgrades like solar or slide-outs.
- Use: weekends, long trips or full-time living.
- Storage: at home, a storage lot or an RV park.
- Drivers: who drives a motorhome or tows the trailer.
- Current coverage: the policies on the RV and tow vehicle now.
Who can legally drive or tow it in California
Underwriters ask who will drive or tow, and in California that includes which license class each driver holds. Vehicle Code 12804.9 and the DMV's license page set the lines for personal RV use where the towing isn't for compensation:
- Motorhome 40 feet or shorter: a regular Class C covers a house car of 40 feet in length or less (12804.9(b)(3)(C)).
- Motorhome over 40 feet: the statute puts a house car over 40 feet, excluding safety devices and safety bumpers, in Class B (12804.9(b)(2)(F)). The DMV lists housecars over 40 feet but not over 45 feet under its noncommercial Class B, with endorsement.
- Trailer coach or fifth wheel not over 10,000 lbs. GVWR: a Class C works if the tow vehicle is a two-axle vehicle weighing 4,000 lbs. or more unladen (12804.9(b)(3)(F)(i)).
- Fifth wheel over 10,000 but not over 15,000 lbs. GVWR: a Class C with an endorsement, added after passing the DMV's specialized written exam on the code and other safe-towing rules for recreational vehicles (12804.9(b)(3)(F)(ii)-(iii)).
- Trailer coach over 10,000 lbs. GVWR, or travel trailer or fifth wheel over 15,000 lbs. GVWR: the DMV places these under its noncommercial Class A.
Two road rules also apply. Vehicle Code 22406 sets 55 mph as the top speed for a passenger vehicle or bus pulling another vehicle, and for any truck pulling another vehicle. Vehicle Code 21712 bars driving a vehicle that is towing a trailer coach or camp trailer with a passenger inside. The exception is a trailer coach towed with a fifth-wheel device that has safety glazing in its windows and doors, an audible or visual signaling device the passenger can use to get the driver's attention, and at least one unobstructed exit that opens from inside and outside.
Check the GVWR sticker on the trailer and the length on the motorhome title before you list drivers with me. A spouse or grown child who drives needs the right class too. License classes vary by state, so check your home state's DMV. The truck side of a towing setup is on my auto insurance page.
Storing it for the season without a lapse
Most RVs spend more time parked than moving. In California, two DMV filings decide what that means for the registration:
- Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090). The DMV says all vehicles driven or parked on a California street, road or highway must be insured. The REG 5090 tells the DMV a registered vehicle isn't being driven or parked on any California roadway and its liability coverage has been canceled. Once the DMV receives it, the registration is canceled, and the RV can't be driven or parked on California roads until the DMV receives proof of insurance. Allow 3 business days before you can remove the affidavit.
- Planned Nonoperation (PNO). PNO means the vehicle won't be driven, towed, stored or parked on public roads or highways for the entire registration year. The DMV accepts the filing up to 60 days before registration expires, or up to 90 days after with penalties. If the RV is operated or parked where it could be cited, full registration fees and penalties for that year come due. For a one-day trip to a repair shop or new storage spot, the DMV offers a Vehicle Moving Permit (REG 172).
- Both together. If you've filed a non-use affidavit for insurance purposes and keep the RV unused, the DMV says you must file PNO when the registration comes due. Vehicles with a PNO or affidavit on record aren't subject to suspension.
Parked isn't the same as safe. A coach in a storage lot or side yard can still burn, flood or get broken into. Comprehensive is the part of an RV policy designed for non-crash losses like fire, flood and theft, so the usual conversation is whether to keep it while the RV is stored, not whether to drop everything. Before you change anything, tell me where it's stored (covered, fenced, outdoors), whether a lender is listed, and the date you plan to drive again. Other states handle non-use filings differently, so check with your home state's DMV.
RV insurance, answered
Does my auto policy cover my travel trailer?
It may cover accidents you cause while you're towing, but it usually won't pay for damage to the trailer itself. That takes a separate RV policy or an endorsement.
Does a motorhome need its own insurance?
Yes. It's a vehicle you drive, so it needs liability like any vehicle; Texas, for example, requires an auto policy with liability coverage on a motorhome. Collision and comprehensive cover the coach itself.
What is full-timer coverage?
Coverage for people who live in their RV. It adds personal property and liability that applies when you're not driving, for example if someone is hurt inside your RV.
Are my belongings in the RV covered?
A homeowners policy might pay some of it, but the coverage is very limited. An RV policy can cover personal property directly, and I'll check the limit against what you carry.
Can I insure the RV if I rent it out sometimes?
Tell me before you list it. Renting it out changes how the RV is used, and the policy has to be written for that use.
What license do I need to drive a motorhome over 40 feet in California?
Vehicle Code 12804.9 puts a house car over 40 feet under Class B, while a regular Class C covers house cars 40 feet or shorter. The DMV lists housecars over 40 but not over 45 feet under its noncommercial Class B, with endorsement.
Can passengers ride in a travel trailer while it's being towed in California?
Not in a standard trailer coach or camp trailer: Vehicle Code 21712 bars driving a vehicle towing one with a passenger inside. The exception is a fifth-wheel trailer coach with safety glazing, an audible or visual signaling device the passenger can use to reach the driver, and an unobstructed exit that opens from inside and outside.
Do I have to keep insurance on an RV I'm not using in California?
The DMV says a registered vehicle must either stay insured or have an Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090) on file. Filing it cancels the registration, and the RV can't be driven or parked on California roads until the DMV receives proof of insurance.
Do you offer RV insurance outside California?
Yes. Clients across the country send the same quote form. Sam Alishahi is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, DC and places policies there directly. The shopping across carriers works the same way. Rules, minimums and markets differ by state — see insurance requirements by state.
Official sources
- Texas Department of Insurance: insurance for RVs
- Go RVing (RV Industry Association): RV types
- California DMV: Driver's Licenses (license classes, noncommercial Class A and B)
- California Vehicle Code 12804.9 (license classes)
- California Vehicle Code 22406 (55 mph limit when towing)
- California Vehicle Code 21712 (passengers in towed trailers)
- California Insurance Code 11580.24 (personal vehicle sharing)
- California DMV: Affidavit of Non-Use
- California DMV: Planned Nonoperation Filing
Tell me about the RV. I'll shop it.
The type, year, value and how often you use it are enough to start.
Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, California License #4348151. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage; coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued.
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(877) 711-4545Answered 24/7 · CA License #4348151
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