Most owners of recreational vehicles do not purchase standalonecoverage for their vehicles--opting instead to add the vehicle ontheir auto policy, according to a survey by Mayfield Village,Ohio-based Progressive Insurance Co.

The survey of more than 1,000 RV policyholders found that 28percent bought a standalone insurance policy with specialized RVcoverage. The majority, 54 percent, added their RV to their privatepassenger auto policy, and 14 percent didn't buy any RVinsurance.

The majority of RV owners surveyed--53 percent--spend a month ormore in their RVs each year, and 42 percent travel more than 500miles per trip. However, the survey found that motor home owners (avehicle with living quarters attached permanently to a chassis or avan) want more from their RV insurance than those with traveltrailers.

Motor home owners are nearly two times more likely than traveltrailer owners to buy specialized RV insurance--40 percent versus22 percent, respectively. They are nearly three times more likelyto shop for insurance than travel trailer owners--14 percent versus5 percent--because they want specialized coverage that is generallynot available as an endorsement on their private passenger autoinsurance policy.

"An RV is more than a car, so RV insurance should cover morethan what car insurance covers," said Eric Westphal, RV productmanager, Progressive. "For example, people may keep things in an RVthat they'd never keep in a car, such as jewelry, VCRs, laptops andoutdoor gear. A car insurance policy might not cover these thingsif they were lost or damaged in an RV, whereas specialized RVinsurance would."

As for how often RVers shop for insurance, more than half (56percent) say it's once every three years; about a quarter (27percent) say at least once a year; and the rest (17 percent) saythey shop once every two years.

The most common motivation for shopping is having bought a newRV--39 percent of respondents--but 11 percent said the last timethey shopped for insurance it was because their premium had goneup. Eight percent said it was because they moved.

The survey also found that the last time they shopped forinsurance, more RV owners said they shopped with an independentinsurance agent than those who said they shopped with a captiveagent or directly by phone or on the Internet.