Written by RVShare, a leader in RV rental services.
If you’re an RV owner, chances are you already know the unique frustration of having your beloved vacation vehicle sit empty for weeks, or even months, on end. Along with taunting you with all the adventure you’re too busy to have at the moment, that motorhome or travel trailer is also steadily funneling away at your money, whether you’re still paying off the loan or just footing the bill of storage, maintenance, and repairs.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to put your RV to work for you, and it can be lucrative enough to make your rig pay for itself — or even turn you a significant profit. You can rent your motorhome or travel trailer to other travelers just like you through the peer-to-peer market at RVshare, and some
owners have earned as much as $40,000 per year in additional income by doing just that. Here’s how renting out your RV on RVshare works, including frequently-raised owner concerns about insurance, pricing, payment and more.
How do I list my RV?
Listing your rig on RVshare is simple and easy, and we even have a one-on-one coaching option available to walk you through every step. You’re in control of the process from start to finish, including setting your own prices and determining how many nights a renter can keep your RV.
To get started, head to the RVshare website and enter your RV type, first and last name, and email address to see how much you might be able to earn by joining the peer-to-peer rental market. You’ll then enter some basic details like your home address, choose your level of insurance coverage, and start crafting your listing. (Be sure to include a comprehensive description, and lots of photos!)
If you have questions at any point during the creation process, you can always reach our rental coaches at (888) 482-0234, M-F 8am – 6pm ET.
How do insurance and repairs work? If something goes wrong while someone else is using the RV, do they contact insurance or do I?
At RVshare, the price of insurance is paid for by the renters. There are no startup costs, fees, or monthly premiums — it’s a service you receive simply by listing and booking through our platform.
Once you’ve activated RVshare Rental Insurance, your renters’ per-night price will include an additional charge for insurance coverage, which varies based on the stated value of your RV. These rates start as low as $9.95 per night, and cover $1,000,000 in liability coverage, as well as comprehensive and collision coverage for the value of their RV up to $200,000.
RVshare Rental Insurance does come with a deductible of $1,500, but this is payable from the renter’s security deposit, meaning your costs can be extremely low (or even non-existent) if something does go wrong on the road. In the case of an accident or damage, claims are filed through the RVshare dashboard: navigate to the Rental Insurance tab, and then to the Claim Center. From here, you will see the option to file a claim online.
After gathering the necessary documentation, including the accident report form, police report, rental contract, etc, you’ll upload these, along with photos of the damages, into the portal. Once the claim is filed, both you and the renters will be contacted by an adjuster within two business days. Claims must be filed within 30 days of the end date of the rental period. You have 72 hours from the end of each reservation to inspect your RV and submit the checkout form to let us know if there were any damages or overages.
Do I set the pricing for my own RV?
Yes! The per-night rental price of your RV is up to you, and insurance, taxes, and service fees will be added in by RVshare. You can also choose to charge for additional services like cleaning, dumping, or delivery.
Can I set limits on how long or how far away someone can rent my unit for?
You always have control over where and how your RV is rented! Even if you list your RV with the Instant Book option, you can set how much lead time you need before the start of the reservation so you can contact the renters and confirm the travel plans.
When your RV is not available, you can block out the dates on your calendar so it’s not displayed in search results among renters looking for those particular travel times. You can also choose to disallow your RV be taken to specific destinations, such as Burning Man or Death Valley during the summer.
Do I meet the renter?
In most cases, yes, you’ll meet the renter at the start of the rental period. This is an important moment — not only to hand over the keys, but also to give your renter the “rundown” on how your RV works, including any particularities.
Keep in mind that some renters will have no experience with RVing at all, while others will feel right at home. Regardless, this is the moment to set your expectations and to go over the items in the Departure Form, which you can find in the RVshare dashboard by clicking on the “Documents” tab.
The Departure Form shows you how to complete a variety of important pre-departure steps, including the damage walk-through, training walk-through, setup lesson, and even a driving lesson if you choose. This is also the time to go over any conditional fees and traveler responsibilities you expect of your renters… as well as to wish them bon voyage!
When do I get paid?
You’ll see the payout for booked rentals disperse on the first business day following the start of the reservation period. (Thus, if your renters drive off on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, you won’t see payment until Monday.) Holidays may also have an effect on how and when payments are dispersed, but once initiated, the funds generally reach your bank account within only one or two business days.
We hope renting your RV brings you a whole new way to enjoy and benefit from this unique travel lifestyle!
Check out the first part to this blog and get the scoop on RV rentals. Everything you need to know about renting out your RV and logistics.
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