25% surcharge for RV insurance: nationwide or just the wrong company?
Posted date : Nov 7, 2017.
Dear Bird Talk,
We just renewed our RV insurance and were told we would have to pay a surcharge of 25% because we would be in the U.S. for more than 120 days and more than 200 miles from our border. On one hand, we can now be out of province for seven months, but are now being penalized by insurance companies. Have you heard of this? Is it nationwide or are we just dealing with the wrong company. I have attached a copy of the information from Aviva Insurance…another fight for the Snowbird Association?
Karen Youngson
Union Bay, BC
Response:
Ed.: You would think that you could find these things in the “fine print” of your policy, but you often will not. There are lots of underwriting rules that are very different from company to company and having any vehicle out of the province or country for a period of time is one of them. Some companies charge surcharges, some companies refuse to issue you a policy at all, and some companies (in particular, the CSA Auto/Home plan) allow you to travel without restrictions or penalties. I personally will not deal with Aviva but they are one of the very few companies to underwrite RVs. All snowbirds should ask their insurance company or broker to confirm that they are aware that you travel extensively.
