Recreational Vehicle is a very broad term for many different types of vehicles used for fun and enjoyment. This term can be used to refer to:
Many people don’t consider the possibility of liability arising from the use of their recreational vehicles. Not only is it important to cover your family in the event that others are involved in an accident, but it is important to protect yourself and your family if they are injured or your property is damaged. For example, what happens if someone runs your ATV into a tree? What if your dirt bike is stolen? What if your 5th wheel experiences a failure while climbing up a mountain to a prime camping spot? What if someone using your ATV slams into another rider and their vehicle while trail blazing?
Much like other personal auto policies, coverage for recreational vehicles include bodily injury liability, uninsured and underinsured motorist, collision, and other than collision (comprehensive) coverage. Each policy can be customized based on your use and needs.
Arizona Financial Responsibility Law
The state of Arizona law stipulates if you use a recreational vehicle on-road it must be registered and you must have coverage that meets the state's minimum financial responsibility requirements. Keep in mind, even if you are only using a road to get from one trail to another, the vehicle must be registered and insured. If your recreational vehicle is strictly used off-road, then the financial responsibility law does not apply. However, we highly recommend maintaining insurance to protect your family from possible lawsuit, bodily injury, and damage to yours or others' property.
Like 38 other at-fault states, Arizona holds the driver who caused the accident, (referred to as at-fault), financially responsible for any property damage, bodily injury/medical bills, lost wages, and possibly additional associated costs suffered by the not-at-fault person(s). Arizona's minimum liability insurance must be at least up to $25,000 per person, and up to
Policy Limits - Split Limits and Combined Limits
There are two ways that policy limits are offered:
Split Limits are the most popular and are displayed as Per-person Limit/Per-Accident Limit such as $250,000/$500,000 which means up to$250,000 per person, up to a total payout allowed of $500,000 for the accident/incident. Property damage liability is often added at the end of these numbers to make it easy to see all three limits at once such as $250,000/$500,000/$100,000 - this means that in addition to the bodily injury liability the $100,000 indicates that your policy has a limit of up to $100,000 for damage to someone else's property.
Combined Limits aren't as common but are still widely used and is displayed as one number such as $500,000 CSL (combined single limit). This means that both bodily injury and property damage liability payments are distributed out of one bucket of $500,000.
Coverage A - Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability
If you are found at-fault and legally responsible, this coverage pays the third-party for costs related to the treatment of bodily injury up to the amount you've chosen in your policy limits. Exclusions such as illegal use, apply.
If you are found at-fault and legally responsible, this coverage pays the third-party for costs related to the repair or replacement of property such as vehicles, walls, fences, poles, etc. up to the amount you've chosen in your policy limits. Exclusions such as illegal use, apply.
Coverage B - Medical Payments
Medical payments is an elective coverage, meaning that it is not required by the state of Arizona to meet the financial liability requirements. This coverage is for reasonable expenses for medical and funeral services incurred within three years of the date of injury.
This coverage differs for two reasons: this payment is for you the insured (first-party) and anyone that was in your vehicle at the time of an accident or injury; payout under Medical Payments coverage does not require you to be legally responsible for the accident.
Coverage C - Uninsured Motorist Coverage and Underinsured
As of May 29th, 2025 the Arizona State Supreme court ruled that Uninsured Motorist, and Underinsured Motorist Coverage does NOT carry over from your standard auto policy when operating a vehicle designed primarily for off-road use, off-road. Furthermore, any vehicle not meeting the Financial Responsibility Act's definition of a motorized vehicle can be excluded from UM/UIM coverage.
Uninsured motorist is an elective coverage and pays for your bodily injury when a third-party is legally at-fault for an accident but does not carry any liability insurance. This coverage applies to you and anyone in your covered vehicle at the time of the accident, or when you and your family occupy another vehicle. This payment also applies in a hit-and-run situation where the third-party cannot be located, and if you are involved in a hit and run as a pedestrian.
It is possible this coverage will pay for bodily injury while the third-party is being located. If the at-fault party is located your insurance company will subrogate (legally recoup financial loss) with their auto insurance, or in some circumstances file lawsuit against their personal assets.
Underinsured Motorist Coverage is also an elective coverage, and is similar to the uninsured coverage but serves to fill a gap if the at-fault party (third-party) doesn't have enough liability coverage for expenses they were legally responsible for.
Coverage D - Collision, and Other Than Collision (Comprehensive)
Comprehensive and Collision coverage is an elective coverage, and is not required by the state of Arizona to meet the minimum financial liability requirement.
Collision covers damage to your vehicle when you collide with property, whether it’s another vehicle or an object such as a wall, fence, pole - generally when your vehicle collides with another object, or vehicle upset/turnover. The only situation in which colliding with something does not apply is if you hit an animal that causes damage. Carrying collision coverage subjects you to a deductible which you choose when buying the policy.
Collision coverage is an important coverage, because if something happens to your vehicle that you are at-fault for, if you're in a hit-and-run situation, or if you lose control of your vehicle, you must have this coverage in order for your vehicle to be repaired or replaced.
If you are not at-fault for an accident, your vehicle would be covered by the at-fault party if they have the proper coverage.
Comprehensive covers damage caused by perils other than collision. Some examples of coverage incidents include: falling objects, fire/explosion, theft, hail, water/flood, wind, safety glass damage, and striking an animal on the roadway. Carrying comprehensive coverage subject you to a deductible which you choose when buying the policy.
At this time our agency does NOT recommend filling a glass claim, but rather getting cash prices from a local (non-corporate) glass shop and paying out of pocket. Small claims like these will add up and cause rate increases, and make it extremely difficult to shop for new rates.
Roadside Assistance and Trip Interruption
Most everyone is familiar with roadside assistance. This is an elective coverage that offers you assistance with certain break-down and lockout events. This coverage is usually provided on a per-occurrence basis of like $75/occurrence which means if you need a tow, or someone to help change your tire, the most insurance will pay for each occurrence is $75.
If you have a motorhome or travel trailer, you will have the option to opt into what is often called trip interruption. What this does is it not only provides roadside assistance but also helps vacationers who experience an interruption due to vehicle breakdown or mechanical issue. It can help with towing to a repair shop, daily food and housing allowance, and other transportation related expenses. Each carrier has their own version of this coverage.
There are many and varying differences between each type of recreational vehicle, and even between the same category types, so make sure and stop by our office and sit down with one of our professional insurance agents to make sure you get the coverage and coverage limits need for the vehicles you zoom around in.
