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What to do When Your RV Breaks Down

The RV lifestyle can be carefree and exciting until that inevitable moment hits: your RV has broken down. As we always say: Someday they’ll make an RV that doesn’t breakdown, until then there’s us! So while we wait for that perfect rig to hit the market, we want to prepare you for what to do when you encounter an RV breakdown and you have a warranty. This blog will provide you with a simple and easy-to-use instruction manual on what steps to follow when you experience an RV breakdown:

Breakdown

If your RV breaks down on the side of the road, you will want to call your roadside assistance provider immediately. It can often take several hours for a tow truck of appropriate size and strength to be dispatched to your location, so you do not want to waste any time. The RV warranties we sell DO come with roadside assistance, but the coverage is limited, so we recommend to cover all your bases and purchase an additional roadside assistance plan. You can click here to see roadside assistance plans we offer at affordable prices. If using the roadside assistance option through your RV warranty, call the 24-hour number on your contract and get things started quickly. If your situation involves a less immediate breakdown, and is not affecting your ability to drive, start your search for a trusted repair facility in the area or mobile mechanic. You can also view our sister site, RV Repair Direct, which will utilize your GPS location to direct you to nearby facilities and display reviews from fellow RVers.

Start the Claims Process

This is when the “peace of mind” of having an RV warranty really kicks in. Begin the claims process by having your repair facility contact your warranty company to open a claim. If you’ve purchased your contract through Wholesale Warranties, you can also contact us with any questions, and we are happy to take at least some stress out of an already stressful situation.

First Diagnose, Then Fix

It is very important that your repair facility not jump right into fixing your coach. First, you must ensure that you have received authorization from the warranty company to go forward with repairs and that the breakdown is something that is covered. This is the golden rule of RV warranties! Repairs that are already finished when a claim is being made will be specifically excluded, even if the breakdown is covered.

Repair Facility Diagnosis

Have your repair facility send a copy of the diagnosis directly to the warranty company so the details and cause of failure can be reviewed by the warranty company.

Pre-Authorization

Once any covered repairs are adjusted, pre-authorization will be given to your shop and they can begin repairs on the coach.

Returning to the Road

Following completed repairs, the claim will be paid with a corporate credit card, and you as the customer will be responsible for the deductible and any non-covered items. After this, you are ready to hit the road and continue in your RV travels!

To read more RV Warranty related blogs, click here.