5 Ways To Ensure Trouble Free RV Insurance Claims
Why beg for trouble by not taking up a proper RV insurance policy? Of course there is no reason why you should preempt problems, there are RV’ers who live their entire life paying premiums for comprehensive insurance but never actually use it. But if there ever comes a situation where you have to put in for financial compensation then you would do well to follow these five points that will ensure you get your money’s worth, in a manner of speaking.
First off ensure you have kept all the receipts of all your expensive purchases like video cameras, bicycles, fishing gear, binoculars etc. Photocopy your receipt and file it, it’s easy to do and you’ll thank yourself for the extra work later. If you are a full time RV’er then it’s prudent to keep a safe deposit box in your bank. Remember when filing a claim your friend philosopher and guide is the adjuster. The adjuster is the one who checks your claim thoroughly to ensure that your claim is legitimate. Before each trip take photos of your RV with your digital camera. Now in case of any eventuality you have proof that the damage is new and not old.
If there is an accident or mishap of some kind, keep your wits about you and take photos again of the damage done and any other relevant features of the accident around you without being inconsiderate to the others involved. It is these photos which will help you garner your claim without hassles. Claims which involve repair to the rig, major repairs included, need all the receipts, quotes and estimates to be filed properly for your adjuster to go through. The adjuster is the one who will apprise you of all the requirements to fulfill your claims terms and conditions.
The main reason for taking photos is that mishaps can be of any kind. You could go over a rut or a speed breaker on the road and your TV gets jostled free, flies off and damages the interior. Your rig is good for driving but you need to get the interior done up. You could clean up the mess and carry on till you reach the next town but then claiming your damages will be difficult as there is no evidence left to show the adjuster.
One very important aspect of paying insurance and making claims is to find out the damage cost that will pay you. For example, if your RV insurance policy mentions a deductible of $450 and you have documented your damages as $700 then will your insurance pay you for filing the claim for $250 that is left after the deductible? The trick is watch out for the fact that sometimes the rate increases when you are making such a claim. In such cases its best to sort the issue out with your agent so you know when and by how much your rate is going to increase. Keep this amount as a contingency plan for any future eventualities. Keep in mind that most insurance agencies use CLUE, a service that tells the agency how many times claims have been filed by people. It works somewhat like a credit rating. The more insurance claims you file the higher goes your rate. It could happen that you are debarred from receiving insurance for other things. Keeping the above mentioned contingency amount aside might help you avoid this kind of situation.
One tried and tested method of saving you problems while claiming is to be completely upfront about details like your plans for using the rig, whether you are considering renting it out and the duration, whether your RV will used 365 days a year or in part etc. avoiding these questions or giving incorrect answers just to save a few dollars may cost you your few thousand dollar claim should the need ever arise. The old adage of honesty being the best policy will help you and your adjuster in filing your claim and getting it approved too.
And last but not the least, ensure that contact details of the insurance are kept handy at all times along with your policy number. An insurance policy is usually a big bulky packet of documents with loads of details and terms and conditions etc. of all this important information the most important are the policy number and the phone number. Keep this wherever you are going to remember it is there like your wallet or the glove compartment of your rig or tape it up to the door on the drivers side etc.
With these five handy tips you should be well on way to a peaceful and happy journey.