Yup, it really matters which RV Insurance company you choose!
or…
Is it really possible to fall in love with your rv insurance company?!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhhqRH6SlQQ[/youtube]
Well, at least I have developed a healthy respect for them! Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Alan Sills, I am a full time RV’er and have been since December 2011. At the age of 53, I was a bit young to “hit the road” full time, but I run my business from the keyboard of my laptop, so, thanks to reliable Internet access – available virtually everywhere, I am able to support my traveling lifestyle from wherever I happen to find myself!
AND… I want you to know, I have had my rv insurance with ExplorerRV since nearly the beginning. As it turned out… that was a DARN good decision – read on…
Always one to be a comparison shopper, I shopped several RV insurance companies before choosing Explorer RV. My primary motivation for choosing Explorer RV? Let’s be honest… it was the price! And yes, Explorer RV is quite competitive.
It was more than that though – from the get-go, Explorer RV clearly demonstrated that they knew their business – isn’t THAT refreshing?!
Conveniently, they were licensed in the state in which I was establishing a residence (South Dakota) and they recommended the right options for both my new truck (2011 Ford F-250) and my “5er” (2011 Crossroads Seville). Incidentally, if you are a full timer, or are thinking of becoming a full timer, there are companies that cater to travelers – they act as a mail drop, help you with registering your vehicles and much more. The one I selected is Americas Mailbox, they are reliable, professional and consistent. They helped me with registering my vehicles and even with paying sales tax on them (as I purchased in Florida, but paid tax in So. Dakota). If you opt to enroll with them, please do tell them “Alan Sills, Box #3847” referred you; hey it gets me a dinner certificate or something!
Ok, back to my RV Insurance story… Knowing I was going to travel full-time, it was important to me to have enough coverage, and as my first year on the road has demonstrated, those choices early on were very important when “incidents” occurred during the course of my travels.
My first few months on the road were uneventful (from an insurance perspective), despite my initial fears over driving a much larger vehicle than I was used to and pulling a 38 foot behemoth behind me! I was diligent about doing research about my prospective route before traveling it to insure there were no unforeseen obstacles (low bridges, excessively winding roads, etc.) I do have one story about my encounter with a low bridge – and angels – but lets save that for another article!
So, here goes… It was a beautiful morning near Moab, Utah when I let my guard down – just a little, and it cost me. Just outside of town, I entered a “BLM” (Bureau of Land Management) Campground. The campground, and access road were clearly not designed for a rig my size, and in trying to navigate through, I ran over some large rocks – large enough to cutup the underside of my trailer. I knew I had done some damage, but had no idea until…
When I got back to Moab, I inspected my rig, but I still had no idea the extent of the damage. I knew I had to engage the insurance company, find a place to stay for the night, and collect my thoughts. I stopped in a small town about 60 miles South of Moab, spoke to a mechanic who looked and saw one of the tanks was damaged, but again, he (and I) had no idea of what I had really done.
In a local cafe (with wifi!) my first call was to Explorer RV claims, and this is when my choice to use Explorer RV really began to pay off. My claims agent explained that it was MY choice as to where to bring the RV for repairs, AND that if a hotel stay was needed, I was COVERED for up to a dollar figure that would (if necessary) allow me to spend the better part of a month in a hotel while my RV was being repaired.
To get a free quote from RV Explorer, click HERE or just call them (1-888-774-6778 – and please do mention “referred by sills” when you request your quote.)
My next call was to the RV manufacturer. After sharing where I was (just a bit south of the middle of nowhere!), and I told them the general direction where I was headed, they recommended a repair center in Albuquerque, NM. Just a “short” 350 mile drive from where I was! Since my RV was drive-able, I decided to make the trip to Albuquerque over the next few days – and I found myself hoping I would not end up saying “gee, I shoulda made that left turn (in Albuquerque)” – sorry, I had to.
Rocky Mountain RV was to be my repair center and Explorer RV arranged for an adjuster to see my rig, I then awaited the news – over $15,000. in damages (after the insurance company negotiated their rate) and an estimated week in a hotel once parts arrived. In the interim, the repair center recommended a local RV park to stay at – Hidden Valley in Tierjas, NM. My claims agent then worked with the service center to arrive at an agreed upon figure and then mailed me the check that I would later present to Rocky Mountain RV upon completion.
As I’m sure is often the case, repairs took longer than expected, and the service manager had no issues clearing it with Explorer RV that I could extend my stay at the Best Western in Old Town where I chose to locate for the days I would be “on vacation”.
All that occurred in May and early June, then only a few weeks later, in mid-July, I had a blowout under one of my slideouts on the 5er. By now, I was on a first name basis with my rv insurance claims agent! This repair was handled just as smoothly as the first incident. I chose the repair center, McClains RV in Denton, Tx. – another honest and superior and highly recommended RV repair center, ExplorerRV handled negotiations with their service writer, arrived at a figure, and the process towards completing repairs was begun (again).
Are you an “RV’er”…thinking of getting an RV? Have you joined RV Across America (on google+)? Click HERE to join now (free).
Since then, things have quieted down a bit! No claims in the past few months. I’m set for the winter in Steamboat Springs, Colorado (hey, I’m a skier!) And…I can report this – I received an offer from Explorer RV of renewal for another year, and despite two claims totaling nearly $19,000., my total insurance (for the two vehicles) went up only $150. Now do you see why I titled this article about RV Insurance as I did?
Alan Sills
http://alansills.com
561 676 1205
To get a free quote from Explorer RV, click HERE or just call them (1-888-774-6778 – and please do mention ” referred by sills” to get your quote.)
Full disclosure: I do receive a $10 referral fee for sending you to RV Explorer – BUT – I would NOT send you to them unless I 100% believed in the value they bring to the table – period.