What’s So Special About Specialty Vehicle Insurance?

Fun weekend excursions await! But just as important as having the right boat, ATV, snowmobile or RV is knowing how to insure it. Luckily, it’s easy to remember what you’ll need for each of these specialty vehicles—it’s called specialty vehicle insurance.

What is specialty vehicle insurance?

Although it may seem like there are infinite ways to customize car insurance, amending a standard auto policy is generally not the way to insure a specialty vehicle. Instead, specialty vehicle insurance covers those unique forms of transportation that are, more often than not, used on water, snow or trails—in short, vehicles that don’t fit into the typical categories of everyday automobiles.

What vehicles are eligible for specialty insurance?

• RV - Recreation vehicle, motor home, travel trailer, pickup cap and camper.
• Boat - Power boat, sailboat, fishing boat, runabout and personal watercraft.
• ATV - Two wheels, three wheels or more.
• Snowmobile

What are some situations where specialty insurance is NOT the right type?

• In most cases, insurance companies won’t insure motorcycles as specialty vehicles. That’s because motorcycles are operated on roadways and don’t require the types of coverage that certain specialty vehicles do.
• Classic or vintage cars can be very valuable, which makes them more expensive to repair and insure. Like specialty vehicles, vintage cars may only get occasional use, but they’ll often have some specific insurance requirements—such as being of a certain age or needing to be stored in a locked, enclosed private structure—and therefore will generally require custom coverage rather than specialty vehicle insurance.
• Commercial-use vehicles such as food trucks or professionally operated fishing and excursion boats will need commercial vehicle insurance rather than specialty vehicle insurance.
• For other situations that may have you wondering what type of insurance you need, talk with an agent.

Why is boat/ATV/snowmobile/RV insurance important?

Most specialized vehicles won’t be covered under your standard car or home insurance policies, especially when you aren’t operating them on your own property. Fortunately, specialty vehicle insurance can help protect your toys against theft, loss, damage and more. Here are several types of insurance coverages that can generally be included in your policy:

• Collision Coverage lets you repair or replace your ride regardless of who’s at fault.
• Property Damage Coverage is for physical damage caused by accidents, collisions, fire, theft, vandalism or natural disasters.
• Liability Coverage is standard on most specialty vehicle insurance policies and includes bodily injury liability (which applies to medical expenses and/or lost wages for the other party if you are at fault in a collision) and also property damage liability (to repair or replace the other party’s vehicle or property).
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage may assist in paying for medical expenses and damages if you’re involved in an accident with another motorist who lacks insurance or has insufficient coverage.

Do I need specialty insurance for an RV rental?

Temporary coverage for a rented motorhome or travel trailer is called RV rental insurance. Rather than getting this from your insurance agent, you can purchase it from the RV rental company.

Do I need ATV/snowmobile insurance?

Insurance is mandatory if you want to ride a snowmobile or ATV in some national, state and other public parks. Even though there are places that don’t require insurance, it’s worth noting that snowmobile and ATV riders may risk serious injury to themselves or others and should consider having insurance to help protect themselves if something goes wrong. 

How much is boat/ATV/snowmobile/RV insurance?

Insurance rates will largely depend on your location, age, driving/riding history and the make and model of your specialty vehicle.