Insurance, explained
RV rental insurance — without the sales pitch.
Insurance is the single most-misunderstood line on every RV rental checkout. This page decodes it without selling anything. PickRV is not an insurer and does not sell or offer coverage — it provides no baseline coverage. Renters arrange their own coverage; the host carries their own commercial RV policy as a condition of listing. Your own personal auto policy may or may not extend — most exclude motorhomes, rigs over 30 ft, and any commercial use. The sections below walk through the host's commercial coverage, how to arrange your own coverage, the per-state liability floor every US state requires, how deductibles work, and how to read your own auto policy before the trip.
PickRV is not an insurer. PickRV does not sell or offer insurance coverage — renters arrange their own coverage, and hosts may carry their own commercial policy. Per-state minimums below cite each state's Department of Insurance.
What's included by default?
Host's commercial RV insurance
Every PickRV host is required to attest to maintaining a valid commercial RV insurance policy as a condition of listing. The host's policy and limits are the controlling document for any claim involving the vehicle itself.
Standard state minimum auto liability
The host's policy is required to meet at least the state minimums for auto liability in the state where the rig is registered. State minimums vary widely (see the table below).
Permission to drive (state-licensed adults only)
The renter on the booking is the named driver. Adding a secondary driver requires explicit listing approval before keys are handed over. Unauthorized drivers void all coverage.
What does RV rental coverage typically cover?
RV rental coverage typically bundles some combination of the following. PickRV does not sell or offer coverage and does not publish a rate card — renters arrange their own coverage with a licensed insurer.
Higher liability stack
Liability limits well above the state minimum are worth arranging in states with low floors (FL 10/20/10, NH no compulsory liability). PickRV does not sell this — a licensed insurer you choose quotes the ceiling.
Collision / comprehensive on the rig itself
Covers damage to the rented RV (collision with another vehicle, theft, vandalism, weather). The host's commercial policy typically already covers this, but your own renter-side coverage can lower YOUR out-of-pocket if the host's policy assigns liability to the renter. PickRV does not sell coverage — you would arrange it with a licensed insurer.
Lower deductible
The deductible on a host's commercial policy is often $1,500-$2,500. Your own coverage may reduce what you personally owe on a claim; confirm the terms with your insurer. PickRV does not sell a deductible buy-down.
Roadside assistance
Roadside assistance covers towing, jump-starts, flat-tire help, and fuel delivery for the rig. Independent roadside / RV memberships are available separately from third-party providers; PickRV does not sell a roadside product.
Per-state minimum auto liability (BI/BI/PD)
Standard state-DOI format: bodily-injury per person / bodily-injury per accident / property damage per accident. All numbers in $1,000s. These are FLOORS — most hosts and carriers carry higher. Linked column points to each state's Department of Insurance.
| State | BI per/acc ($K) | PD ($K) | DOI source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 25/50 | 25 | aldoi.gov |
| Alaska | 50/100 | 25 | commerce.alaska.gov/web/ins |
| Arizona | 25/50 | 15 | difi.az.gov |
| Arkansas | 25/50 | 25 | insurance.arkansas.gov |
| California | 30/60 | 15 | insurance.ca.govRaised from 15/30/5 effective Jan 2025. |
| Colorado | 25/50 | 15 | doi.colorado.gov |
| Connecticut | 25/50 | 25 | portal.ct.gov/cid |
| Delaware | 25/50 | 10 | insurance.delaware.gov |
| Florida | 10/20 | 10 | myfloridacfo.comPIP no-fault state — separate $10K PIP required. |
| Georgia | 25/50 | 25 | oci.georgia.gov |
| Hawaii | 20/40 | 10 | cca.hawaii.gov/ins |
| Idaho | 25/50 | 15 | doi.idaho.gov |
| Illinois | 25/50 | 20 | idoi.illinois.gov |
| Indiana | 25/50 | 25 | in.gov/idoi |
| Iowa | 20/40 | 15 | iid.iowa.gov |
| Kansas | 25/50 | 25 | insurance.kansas.gov |
| Kentucky | 25/50 | 25 | insurance.ky.gov |
| Louisiana | 15/30 | 25 | ldi.la.gov |
| Maine | 50/100 | 25 | maine.gov/pfr/insurance |
| Maryland | 30/60 | 15 | insurance.maryland.gov |
| Massachusetts | 20/40 | 5 | mass.gov/doi |
| Michigan | 50/100 | 10 | michigan.gov/difsNo-fault state — PIP required. |
| Minnesota | 30/60 | 10 | mn.gov/commerce |
| Mississippi | 25/50 | 25 | mid.ms.gov |
| Missouri | 25/50 | 25 | insurance.mo.gov |
| Montana | 25/50 | 20 | csimt.gov |
| Nebraska | 25/50 | 25 | doi.nebraska.gov |
| Nevada | 25/50 | 20 | doi.nv.gov |
| New Hampshire | n/a | n/a | nh.gov/insuranceNo compulsory auto liability — proof of financial responsibility on request only. |
| New Jersey | 25/50 | 25 | nj.gov/dobi |
| New Mexico | 25/50 | 10 | osi.state.nm.us |
| New York | 25/50 | 10 | dfs.ny.gov |
| North Carolina | 30/60 | 25 | ncdoi.gov |
| North Dakota | 25/50 | 25 | insurance.nd.gov |
| Ohio | 25/50 | 25 | insurance.ohio.gov |
| Oklahoma | 25/50 | 25 | oid.ok.gov |
| Oregon | 25/50 | 20 | dfr.oregon.gov |
| Pennsylvania | 15/30 | 5 | insurance.pa.gov |
| Rhode Island | 25/50 | 25 | dbr.ri.gov/insurance |
| South Carolina | 25/50 | 25 | doi.sc.gov |
| South Dakota | 25/50 | 25 | dlr.sd.gov/insurance |
| Tennessee | 25/50 | 25 | tn.gov/commerce/insurance |
| Texas | 30/60 | 25 | tdi.texas.gov |
| Utah | 25/65 | 15 | insurance.utah.gov |
| Vermont | 25/50 | 10 | dfr.vermont.gov |
| Virginia | 30/60 | 20 | scc.virginia.gov/pages/bureau-of-insurance |
| Washington | 25/50 | 10 | insurance.wa.gov |
| West Virginia | 25/50 | 25 | wvinsurance.gov |
| Wisconsin | 25/50 | 10 | oci.wi.gov |
| Wyoming | 25/50 | 20 | doi.wyo.gov |
How does the deductible work?
The deductible is the dollar amount the renter (or the host's policy, depending on the claim) pays out-of-pocket before insurance pays the rest. On commercial RV policies, deductibles typically range $1,000-$2,500 per claim — confirm the exact number with the host BEFORE pickup.
Two practical rules: (1) If the host's policy carries the claim, the host's deductible applies — but the host may pass that deductible to the renter under the rental agreement. Read §damages in your booking contract. (2) If you carry your own coverage, it may reduce what you personally owe — confirm the terms with your insurer. PickRV does not sell coverage or a deductible buy-down.
Pre-trip photos cut deductible disputes 80%. Photograph every panel, every wheel-well, every glass surface, and the dashboard odometer before driving off. Send them to the host in the in-app messaging thread — that creates a timestamped record.
What if I have my own auto policy?
Personal auto policies almost universally EXCLUDE: motorhomes (Class A/B/C), trucks over 1-ton GVW, rigs over 30 ft, any commercial use, and any rental period over 30 days. Most also exclude travel-trailer towing unless an endorsement was added.
Three documents to pull from your insurer BEFORE the trip: (1) the Declarations page (your effective limits + endorsements). (2) the policy form (search for 'permissible uses' and 'rented vehicle' sections). (3) any endorsement schedules.
Call your insurer with this exact ask: 'I am renting a [Class A motorhome / 5th wheel / camper van] for [N] days through a peer-to-peer marketplace. Does my liability extend? Does my collision extend? Is there a TPP rental-coverage endorsement available?' Get the answer in writing (email confirmation is enough).
Homeowners and renters policies often cover personal effects worldwide (clothes, electronics, fishing gear) at the contents limit. High-value gear (camera kit, bikes >$2K) typically needs a separate inland-marine rider — most homeowners cap per-item watercraft / sport-gear at $1,500.
What does RV rental insurance cost?
There is no single price, and any site quoting a flat universal per-day figure before it knows your rig, your dates, and your state is guessing. Cost is driven by the rig's value, the length of the trip, the coverage limits you choose, your driving history, and the state minimums where you drive. A $40,000 campervan and a $180,000 Class A do not carry the same physical-damage cost, because the number scales with what is being protected.
Public consumer resources — the Insurance Information Institute (III), the NAIC, and each state's Department of Insurance — explain those cost drivers without quoting a marketplace rate: liability is priced off the state floor plus whatever limits you add on top; physical-damage (collision and comprehensive) scales with the rig's value; a higher deductible lowers the premium and a lower deductible raises it.
PickRV does not sell or offer insurance, so there is no PickRV rate card and no per-day premium to publish. Any coverage you arrange is priced by the licensed insurer you choose, based on your rig, dates, and driver history. Publishing an insurance rate card without producer authorization is regulated activity under state insurance codes.
Coverage for one trip (short-term)
You do not need to buy an annual RV policy for a one-week rental. Short-term, per-trip protection starts at pickup and ends at drop-off — it exists precisely for people who rent a few times a year rather than own.
Before you add anything, check whether the auto policy you already carry extends to a rented motorhome. Most personal auto policies exclude motorhomes, rigs over a length or weight threshold, and any commercial or marketplace rental — so the gap is common, not rare.
PickRV does not sell this. A licensed insurer of your choosing can issue per-trip protection for the dates of your booking — confirm the coverage start and end times match your pickup and drop-off before you drive off.
Travel trailer vs motorhome coverage
The two rig types are covered differently because they are legally different vehicles. A towable — a travel trailer or fifth wheel — has no engine and no driver's seat, so the liability while you are towing typically flows through your TOW VEHICLE's auto policy. Physical damage to the trailer itself is the piece a separate policy or waiver addresses.
A motorhome is a motor vehicle in its own right. It needs both liability (for damage you cause to others) and physical-damage coverage (for the rig itself) — the tow-vehicle shortcut does not apply, because there is no tow vehicle.
If you are renting a towable, verify that your tow vehicle's policy actually covers towing a rented trailer before pickup — many policies require an endorsement for trailers you do not own.
What supplemental liability adds
State minimum liability limits are floors, and many are historically low — Florida requires just 10/20/10, and a handful of states set even less. Those numbers were fixed decades ago and have not kept pace with medical or repair costs, so the floor rarely reflects real-world exposure in a serious accident.
Supplemental liability raises the ceiling above the state floor. It does not cover the rig itself — that is collision and comprehensive — it raises the amount available to pay for injuries and property damage you cause to others. When the state floor is low, the gap between the minimum and your actual exposure is what your personal assets would otherwise have to cover.
FAQ
Is PickRV the insurer?+
No. PickRV is a marketplace. PickRV does not sell or offer insurance and provides no baseline coverage — it does not place, underwrite, administer, or earn commission on any policy. Renters arrange their own coverage; the host carries their own commercial RV policy on the rig.
Why won't you tell me the price per day?+
Because PickRV does not sell or offer insurance, there is no PickRV rate card and no per-day premium to publish. Any coverage you arrange is priced by the licensed insurer you choose, based on your rig, dates, and driver history. Publishing an insurance rate card without producer authorization is regulated activity under state insurance codes (FL §626.901, CA Ins §1631, TX Ins §4001.051).
Does the host's policy cover ME as the renter?+
The host's policy covers the VEHICLE. It typically extends auto-liability protection to the renter while driving with permission, but the exact extension is set by the host's policy form. Read the host's policy summary the host is required to share at booking, and call the host's insurer if anything is unclear before pickup.
What if I cause an accident in another state?+
Auto liability follows the vehicle by long-standing US law — the host's policy is the first-position coverage regardless of which state you're driving in. The damages cap, however, can be the state minimum of either the registering state or the accident state, whichever is higher. See your state DOI link above for the floor.
Can I drive a PickRV-listed rig into Mexico?+
No. PickRV listings are US-only. US auto policies cannot legally place Mexico auto liability — Mexican Insurance Law (LIISF Art. 5) requires coverage from a CNSF-registered Mexican-admitted carrier. PickRV does not recommend Mexican carriers or brokers (Art. 5 prohibits non-Mexican entities from offering or referring such coverage). Consult an authorized CNSF-registered provider directly before any border crossing.
What does 25/50/10 mean on the state-minimum table?+
Three numbers in the standard state-DOI format: 25 = $25,000 bodily-injury liability per person; 50 = $50,000 bodily-injury liability per accident (multi-person cap); 10 = $10,000 property-damage liability per accident. All three are FLOORS — most renters and hosts carry higher.
How much does RV rental insurance cost?+
It depends on the rig's value, your trip dates, and the coverage you choose — and since PickRV does not sell or offer insurance, any coverage you arrange is priced by the licensed insurer you choose, not by PickRV. There is no marketplace rate card: publishing one without producer authorization would violate state insurance codes, and any site quoting you a universal per-day price before knowing your rig and dates is guessing.
Does travel trailer rental insurance work differently from motorhome coverage?+
Yes, in one key way: a towable (travel trailer, fifth wheel) has no engine and no driver's seat, so liability while towing typically flows through the TOW VEHICLE's auto policy, while physical damage to the trailer itself is what any physical-damage coverage you arrange addresses. A motorhome is a motor vehicle — it needs both liability and physical-damage coverage in its own right. PickRV does not sell coverage; verify your tow vehicle's policy covers towing a rented trailer before pickup.
Can I get short-term or temporary insurance for a single RV trip?+
Yes — a licensed insurer can issue per-trip / short-term protection that starts at pickup and ends at drop-off, so you don't need an annual RV policy for a one-week rental. PickRV does not sell this; you would arrange it directly with an insurer. If you already carry auto coverage, check whether it extends to rented motorhomes before adding anything (many policies exclude vehicles over a weight threshold or commercial rentals).
What is RV collision coverage and do I need it?+
Collision covers physical damage to the rented rig itself (impact with a vehicle or object), separate from liability, which covers damage you cause to OTHERS. Rented RVs are where personal-auto gaps show up most: many personal policies exclude motorhomes entirely or cap physical-damage coverage far below a rig's value. If your own policy doesn't extend collision to a rented motorhome, arranging your own per-trip collision coverage with a licensed insurer is how you close that gap — PickRV does not sell it, and the deductible and limits are set by the insurer you choose.
Questions about coverage
For trip-specific questions, contact support@pickrv.com. For PickRV's legal classification and limitations, read the Insurance Disclosure and Terms of Service §5.
Updated 2026-07-10. This page intentionally omits dollar premiums and carrier identities until the carrier integration is live at checkout.
Reference library
The full RV insurance reference library
88 plain-English, carrier-neutral pages — cited to NAIC, the Insurance Information Institute, state Departments of Insurance, FMCSA and USCG. Browse by tier, or open the full library.
Coverage types decoded · 20 pages+
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) Explained — Renter's Plain-English Guide
- Comprehensive Coverage — What It Covers When Collision Doesn't
- Liability Insurance Minimums by State — What the Numbers Actually Protect
- Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist Coverage — Why It Matters More Than People Think
- Medical Payments (MedPay) — How It Covers You and Your Passengers
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP) — No-Fault Medical + Wage Coverage
- Vacation Liability Coverage — When the RV Becomes Your Home
- Roadside Assistance for RV Renters — What It Covers and When to Buy
- Diminished Value — When Your Rental's Repair Doesn't Restore Its Worth
- Gap Insurance — When You Owe More Than the Vehicle Is Worth
- Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) — How It Differs From CDW and Why It Matters
- Supplemental Liability Coverage — Stacking Limits Above the Host's Policy
- Tow Insurance — Coverage for the Truck Towing Your RV
- Generator Coverage — Onboard Genset Damage and Liability
- Awning Coverage — Wind Damage and Operator Error on RV Awnings
- Contents / Personal Property Coverage — Your Stuff Inside the Rental
- Pet Liability Insurance — Dog Bites and Damage Caused by Renter's Pets
- Bodily Injury Liability — Who Gets Paid and How Much
- Property Damage Liability — Damage to Other People's Stuff in At-Fault Accidents
- Stacking vs Non-Stacking — How UM/UIM and PIP Limits Multiply (Or Don't)
Renter scenarios · 25 pages+
- First-Time Renter — The 5 Insurance Decisions That Matter
- What Insurance Does PickRV Require From Renters?
- Do I Need My Own Insurance to Rent an RV?
- Credit Card RV Rental Coverage — The Reality vs the Marketing
- Insurance for Boat Rentals — Liability, Hull, and the Coverage Stack
- Insurance for Off-Road Rentals — The Coverage Gap Most Renters Miss
- Insurance for Vintage RV Rentals — Agreed Value and Specialty Markets
- Renting an RV Under 25 — Insurance Challenges and Workarounds
- Foreign Visitor RV Insurance — US Trip Coverage Gaps
- Multi-Driver Insurance on Rentals — Adding Drivers Without Voiding Coverage
- Adding a Driver Mid-Trip — How to Do It Without Voiding Coverage
- Filing an Insurance Claim While Traveling — The First 24 Hours
- I Caused an Accident in a Rental — What Happens Now?
- If the Rental RV Is Stolen — Insurance, Police, and What You Owe
- Hurricane Damage to a Rental — Coverage, Evacuation, and Recovery
- Wildfire Damage to a Rental — Coverage and Evacuation Standards
- Hail Damage in a Rental — Coverage and the Texas-Colorado-Oklahoma Reality
- Mechanical Breakdown — When Insurance Pays and When It Doesn't
- Personal Items Stolen From Rental — Where the Coverage Actually Comes From
- What Insurance Doesn't Cover — The Five Most-Missed Gaps
- How to File an Insurance Claim While on the Road
- Disputing Rental Damage Charges — Your Rights and the Process
- Reading the Insurance Fine Print — The Five Sections That Matter
- When CDW Is Worth It and When It's Not — The Decision Framework
- Self-Insure vs CDW — Running the Math
Host + vendor insurance · 20 pages+
- Insurance for Hosts on PickRV — What's Required and What's Recommended
- Owner vs Host Insurance — Why the Two Are Different
- Liability Protection for Hosts — Layered Coverage Against Renter Claims
- Damage Protection for Hosts — How to Recover for Renter-Caused Loss
- Verifying Renter Insurance — What Hosts Should Check Before Handing Over Keys
- What Hosts Must Disclose — Mechanical Issues, History, and Limitations
- Filing a Damage Claim as a Host — The 24-Hour Window and the Dual-Carrier Playbook
- Multi-Listing Host Insurance — Scaling from One Rig to Many
- Pro Host Insurance Tier — Higher Coverage for Higher-Volume Hosts
- Owner-Operator Insurance — When the Host Operates the Rig Too
- Commercial Use Insurance — When Personal Coverage No Longer Applies
- Insurance When Listing Your Personal RV — The Transition Checklist
- Storage Insurance for Hosts — Coverage While the Rig Is Parked
- Transit Insurance — Coverage When Delivering an RV
- Seasonal Use Insurance — Lay-Up Endorsements, Storage Coverage, and the 30-50% Premium Reduction
- Insurance for Off-Road Hosts — Underwriting and Customer Selection
- Boat Host Insurance — Hull, Liability, and the Coast Guard Backdrop
- Vintage RV Host Insurance — Agreed Value, Mileage Limits, and Specialty Markets
- Host Insurance Cost Reality — What You'll Actually Pay
- When Host Claims Affect Personal Policies — The CLUE Database Reality
Comparison + decision · 6 pages+
- Your Own Auto Insurance vs CDW — When Each Wins
- Multi-Vehicle Bundle Discount Math — When Bundling Wins (and Doesn't)
- Specialty vs Mainline Insurance — When Each Wins for RV Owners
- Commercial vs Personal Use Insurance — The Line That Voids Coverage
- Year-Round vs Seasonal Insurance — When Lay-Up Makes Sense
- Total Loss vs Partial Loss Valuation — How Settlements Differ
Claims process · 10 pages+
- How to Document Damage at Pickup — The 15-Minute Checklist Built on NHTSA + FMCSR + RVDA Patterns
- Time-Stamped Photos — Why Camera Metadata Is the Strongest Evidence You Will Ever Carry
- Witness Statements + Police Reports — Building the Claim Foundation
- Insurance Company Tactics to Know — Lowball Offers and Delay
- Disputing a Denied Claim — Internal Appeal and DOI Complaint
- When to Get an Attorney Involved in an Insurance Claim
- Settling vs Litigating — The Cost-Benefit Analysis, the Offer of Judgment, and the Mediation Middle Path
- Statute of Limitations by State — When Time Runs Out
- Reporting Damage Timeline — The Hour-by-Hour Window That Decides Your Claim
- Subrogation Explained — When Your Insurer Goes After the At-Fault Carrier
State minimums · 10 pages+
- California Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Florida Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Texas Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- New York Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Illinois Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Ohio Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Georgia Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- North Carolina Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate
- Michigan Auto Insurance Minimums — What the Law Requires and Why It's Often Inadequate