To find affordable coverage that is right for you, first decide which coverage features are most important to you and how much you are willing to pay. Then you’ll find it easier to compare plans and companies.

Determine Your Coverage Needs

Ask yourself why you want coverage and which issues are most concerning to you. What will it take for you to have peace of mind while operating your RV?

If you’re worried about your motorhome breaking down on the side of the road and not knowing what to do, you’ll probably want a powertrain plan that includes roadside assistance. If you’re also concerned about everything inside the motorhome, you’ll want coverage for the coach items as well.

Some RVers are only worried about the most expensive items, like the engine, transmission, and suspension, while others rest easy knowing that they have the most comprehensive coverage out there.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Which items, issues, or situations worry you most?

Will worrying about these issues affect how you use your RV?

Are you comfortable without tire and wheel coverage?

Do you need roadside assistance? Do you need the absolute best roadside assistance plan?

Know Your Budget

Decide how much you can responsibly spend on coverage. If you have not purchased your RV yet, it’s wise to consider the cost of maintenance and repairs (whether you plan to purchase coverage or self-insure) as part of the total cost of ownership.

Most companies offer payment plans that spread payments over one or two years, though coverage is cheapest when the plan is paid in full at the beginning. The price difference and payment plan structure differs between companies.

When you have a budget in mind, it becomes easier to evaluate warranty products when you receive quotes. 

Compare Providers

It’s time to make some phone calls. While basic plan information is available online and quotes can be emailed, the easiest way to find coverage is to speak with a salesperson. When collecting information, focus on the most important factors to a warranty:

1. 1. The monthly, yearly, and total cost
   2. Deductible
   3. The number of covered items
   4. Coverage caps and limits
   5. Additional benefits
   6. Optional add-on coverages

Cost and coverage are two most important factors. Since companies offer different coverage lengths and slightly different coverage and benefits, it can be difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison. At the very least, calculate the annual cost of coverage from each quote you receive.

The deductible reflects how much the customer pays at the time of repair. When the warranty company covers a claim, the customer pays the deductible to the repair facility and the warranty company takes care of the rest. A lower deductible means customers pay less out-of-pocket for repairs. 

Deductibles are generally charged per visit to the repair facility, so some customers that need several issues fixed do not have to pay several times the price.

A similar factor to consider is how much the plan pays towards the service fee for a mobile mechanic. Mobile mechanics will repair your RV onsite when it’s disabled. They charge a service fee, sometimes called a trip charge, to cover travel expenses. Most companies assist with this service fee: some pay up to $100 towards the fee, while others cover the entire cost.

To compare coverage, use the information above. At a glance, most warranty plans look similar, so it helps to read each plan’s contract. These are available, or you can request one from a sales representative. The contract goes into detail about exactly how the coverage functions and exactly what it covers.

Some plan features are standard in the industry. For instance, coverage is generally unavailable after 100,000 or 150,000 miles. Other features are only offered by the best RV warranty companies, such as allowing repairs at any service center in the USA or Canada. The best companies are backed by insurance, which guarantees that, even if the company that sold you the warranty goes under, your policy will still be serviced by the administrator who handles your policy’s claims.