Insuring your trip

• Booked the perfect RV sites for your trip? Check!
• Stocked your RV kitchen with the basics to cover you the first few days? Check!
• Packed the kids’ pool noodles? Check!
• Checked your insurance?

When you have many details to attend to before heading out on that epic RV trip, it’s easy to miss checking you have the right insurance in place. However, taking these extra steps beforehand could make a difference in how you’ll describe your vacation when you return!

Your personal and family circumstances will determine the types of insurance coverage you’ll require to ensure your RV trip is as worry-free as possible. As the saying goes, there are no guarantees in life, but the right types of insurance coverage will certainly make a difference in one’s quality of life.

Auto and RV Insurance

If you’re a resident of Ontario (and most other provinces), it’s mandatory for you to have insurance on motorized vehicles. However, having the minimum amount of insurance required by law may not meet your needs. In 2016, Ontario reduced the statutory limits of levels of coverage and in 2024 will again be making changes, this time to allow you to opt out of direct compensation property damage (DCPD) coverage, also known as no-fault insurance. Checking with an insurance agent is a good first step to ensure you have the levels of coverage on your auto and RV best suited for you and your family’s needs.

Insuring your Trailer: No one size fits all

Just like there are differences between types of RVs (Class A, B, C vs travel trailer, fifth wheel, truck camper, and tent trailer), there are also differences in types of coverage for each. Again, checking with an insurance agent is your best option to protect you in case of accidental damage on your trip.

Roadside assistance

Although it’s something we don’t want to have happen on our trip, breakdowns do occur – tires blow, hoses disintegrate, and brake fluids leak. Having emergency roadside assistance coverage can make the difference between recounting the story “Remember the adventure last year when we broke down on the highway after the Explorer RV Club rally, we were towed to Granby, and spent two unplanned and unexpectedly enjoyable days there waiting for the RV to be repaired?” compared to “If we had emergency roadside assistance coverage when our hydraulic belt shredded all over the highway in the pouring rain, it would have made things so much easier for us”. Many organizations offer emergency roadside assistance coverage, typically towing services for your motorhome, fifth wheel, or trailer to the nearest repair facility and services for fixing flat tires, boosting dead batteries, unlocking your vehicle, and emergency winching. Again, check your needs carefully, as some services may cover automobiles only and not RVs.

Health Insurance

Canadian residents have the privilege of access to basic levels of health care. What – and how much – is covered, however varies from province to province. Medical expenses incurred out of province may not be covered by your provincial medical plan and these expenses could be financially overwhelming. Although we often think about purchasing extended health care coverage when we travel out of the country, it’s important for us to understand what the risks are if we experience a medical emergency while travelling in another province in Canada. Doing your homework on the types of coverage available is important, especially if you or your family members have any pre-existing medical conditions or over age 65. Many Explorer RV Club members have benefited from tapping into coverage provided by Tu Go. And remember, the premiums you pay for supplementary out-of-province health coverage may be eligible for reporting as a medical expense on your tax return.

Pet Insurance

Are you travelling with a pet? If so, you may want to check out different types of coverage for medical emergencies for your furry family member, too.

When researching the best types of insurance to make your RV trip one of delightful memories, check out the travel insurance benefits you receive as a member of the Explorer RV Club:

• Up to 10% off your RV insurance premium with Orbit Insurance Group
• A group rate when purchasing the best Emergency Roadside Service program in the marketplace for your RV and other household vehicles.

And remember to post your pictures of your trip on the Explorer RV Club’s Facebook page!