ERIE,
Pa., June 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Erie
Insurance is sharing tips for new RVers in light of industry data
showing RV ownership is at a record high and almost a third of
owners are new. According to a study by the RV Industry
Association, RV ownership rose more than 62% over the past 20
years. A record 11.2 million households own RVs, and almost a third
(31%) are first-time owners.
"With so many people hitting the road in RVs for the first time,
we want to make sure they're prepared," said Jon Bloom, vice president of personal auto, Erie
Insurance. "I know from personal experience that an RV is a great
way to enjoy the outdoors and connect with friends and family, but
it's a lot different than taking a road trip in a car. We want to
help people enjoy their trip and protect the investment they've
made in their RV."
Being an RVer himself, Bloom said he's learned some important
lessons about the differences between taking a road trip in a car
vs. in an RV. Below are some of his top tips to ensure a safe
ride.
Car Trip Vs. RV Trip
|
The
Difference
|
The
Tips
|
|
Drivability
Driving a car is
second-nature for people who do it all the time, but maneuvering an
RV is different, especially if you're doing it for the first time
and it's not something you do very often.
|
- Spend some time
practicing driving your RV in a safe place away from traffic, such
as in an empty parking lot.
- Leave a lot of room
for wide turns.
- Maintain a proper
distance from other vehicles knowing that it may take longer than
usual to slow down or speed up.
|
|
Visibility
Anyone who drives a
car is familiar with blind spots, but those can seem even more
pronounced for new RVers.
|
- Be extra cautious
knowing that if a car is following too closely behind your RV, you
may not see it.
- Motorcycles can be
especially hard to see depending on where and how close they are to
your vehicle.
|
|
Maintenance
Both cars and RVs
require regular maintenance like oil changes and tire rotations,
but RVs have many additional features to attend to, like water,
sewer and electrical lines, awnings, slide outs and
seals.
|
- Put your RV on a
monthly, seasonal and yearly maintenance schedule to lessen the
chance of a breakdown, equipment failure or other malfunction
happening while you're on a trip.
- Know that it may be
more difficult to access specialized RV roadside assistance if
you're in a more remote location.
|
|
Getting around
& gassing up
When you're on a car
trip you use your car for sight-seeing and you don't think twice
about hitting a drive-through for dinner or pulling into any
service station to gas up. Depending on the size of your RV,
however, those things may not be practical.
|
- Consider towing a
vehicle behind the RV so you can park the RV at a campsite and use
the car to get around.
- Plot out your trip on a map so you know the
locations not only of campgrounds that accommodate RVs, but also of
rest stops big enough for you to get into to fuel up your RV.
|
|
Insurance
Whether for a car or
an RV, you'll need Liability insurance, which covers injuries to
others or damage to others' property if you are responsible for an
accident, and you will also likely want Comprehensive and Collision
to cover your own vehicle.
|
- Many people choose
Umbrella coverage as an extra layer of protection on top of their
existing Auto, RV or Home insurance. Umbrella may be especially
helpful for RVers given the different risks. Talk to your insurance
agent to help you choose the coverage that's best for you based on
your specific needs.
|
While the above tips will help new RVers, this Erie Insurance
blog post, So You Want to Buy an RV, has helpful information for
those who haven't bought an RV yet but are considering it.
About Erie Insurance
According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based
in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 12th
largest homeowners insurer, 13th largest automobile insurer and
13th largest commercial lines insurer in the United States based on direct premiums
written. Founded in 1925, Erie Insurance is a Fortune 500 company
and the 15th largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net
premium written. Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best, ERIE has more than 6 million policies in force
and operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia.
News releases and more information are available on
ERIE's website at
www.erieinsurance.com.
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SOURCE Erie Insurance Group