The Van Guide
Insurance · Comparison

Progressive vs Good Sam RV Insurance for Van Conversions (2026 Comparison)

Progressive vs. Good Sam for van conversion insurance in 2026: build requirements, settlement options, discounts, and which is the better fit.

The Van Guide

Progressive and Good Sam are the two largest traditional insurance options for van conversions. Progressive is the biggest auto insurer in the US and began covering DIY van conversions in November 2023. Good Sam Insurance Agency sells National General RV policies under the Good Sam brand — an Allstate-owned product distributed through the Camping World ecosystem.

Both are mainstream carriers (or backed by them), both have deep product catalogs, and both write van conversions as a standard product category. But their eligibility rules, build requirements, and coverage features are different enough that the better choice depends on your specific build, state, and situation.

Quick Comparison

ProgressiveGood Sam (National General)
Parent companyProgressive Corporation (top 3 US auto insurer)National General (Allstate subsidiary), sold through Good Sam (Camping World)
Covers DIY builds?Yes — since Nov 2023Yes — with 7 required features
Habitation features required6 features (no toilet)7 features (indoor plumbing required)
California van conversions?YesNo — Class B excluded in CA
Agreed value?NoYes — up to $300,000
Rental coverage?NoNo
Full-time coverage?Yes — 6+ months definitionYes — Full-Timer Protection Plan
Multi-policy bundling?Yes — Progressive auto/homeYes — Good Sam ecosystem
Single vehicle only?Not restrictedNot eligible

Eligibility: Where Each Carrier Draws the Line

Build Requirements

Both carriers require permanently installed habitation features, but Good Sam’s list is longer.

Progressive requires six features: cooking, refrigeration, sleeping, HVAC (no wood stoves), drinkable water supply, and 110-125V electrical.

Good Sam / National General requires seven features: everything Progressive requires, plus “bathroom facilities with indoor plumbing.”

The bathroom requirement is the key differentiator. A well-built van with a bed, stove, fridge, diesel heater, water system, and electrical but no toilet qualifies at Progressive and not at Good Sam. A van with all of the above plus a wet bath or cassette toilet system with plumbing qualifies at both.

California

Progressive writes Class B van conversions in California. No state exclusion.

Good Sam / National General does not. The underwriting guide explicitly excludes Class B van conversions in California. For the significant van conversion population in Los Angeles, San Diego, the Bay Area, and Orange County, Good Sam is not an option for the van itself. See the California registration guide for retitling requirements in the state.

Single-Vehicle Restriction

Progressive does not restrict coverage to households with multiple vehicles.

Good Sam / National General requires the RV to not be the only vehicle in the household. Vanlifers who have sold their daily driver are not eligible for the standard RV product.

Settlement Options

This is where Good Sam has a clear structural advantage.

Good Sam / National General offers four settlement options:

  • Agreed Value — set at binding, paid at total loss without depreciation. Up to $300,000 with underwriting review. This is the option custom build owners should ask for.
  • Total Loss Replacement — new-for-old replacement for units in the first five model years.
  • Purchase Price Guarantee — pays up to the original purchase price.
  • Actual Cash Value Plus — pays up to 20% above ACV on total loss.

Progressive offers two settlement options:

What this means: Good Sam offers agreed value. Progressive does not. For a custom van conversion worth $50,000+ in build cost, agreed value is the settlement option that prevents a catastrophic gap at total loss. This is Good Sam’s strongest card against Progressive, and it is the reason many well-equipped custom builds end up with Good Sam despite Progressive being the bigger carrier. See What Happens If Your Van Is Totaled for the full analysis.

Coverage Features Compared

Unique to Progressive

  • Pet injury coverage — up to $1,000 in vet bills with no deductible for dogs or cats injured in an accident.
  • Pest damage protection — covers rodent and animal damage for vehicles under 6 years old.
  • Roof Protection Plus — covers roof repair or replacement including wear-and-tear for vehicles under 6 years old.
  • Storage discount — reduce coverage during storage months (keep comprehensive, remove collision/liability).

Unique to Good Sam / National General

  • Agreed value — the single most important coverage advantage for custom builds (see above).
  • Purchase Price Guarantee — alternative settlement option not available at Progressive.
  • ACV Plus (Enhanced Replacement Cost) — 20% above ACV on total loss.
  • Good Sam ecosystem discounts — membership, roadside, extended warranty enrollment all stack.

Comparable at Both

  • Liability, comprehensive, and collision
  • Full-time coverage (different structures, same general availability)
  • Emergency expense coverage (both offer it; Progressive up to $7,500 for full-timers)
  • Vacation liability (both offer it; Progressive up to $500,000, Good Sam up to $300,000)
  • Personal effects / belongings coverage
  • Roadside assistance

Pricing Dynamics

Progressive tends to be cheaper when:

  • You bundle with Progressive auto or home insurance
  • You stack Progressive’s nine named discounts (safe driver, paid in full, paperless, etc.)
  • You are in a state where Progressive’s scale advantage produces competitive base rates
  • Your build is straightforward and clears underwriting quickly

Good Sam tends to be competitive when:

  • You use Good Sam membership, roadside, or extended warranty (discount stack)
  • You need agreed value (Progressive does not offer it, so the premium comparison is not apples-to-apples)
  • You have a high-value factory or custom Class B where the settlement option matters more than the annual premium

The nuance: A Progressive policy at $750/year with ACV settlement is not the same product as a Good Sam policy at $900/year with agreed value. The Good Sam policy may cost more annually but pay $30,000+ more at total loss. Compare total cost of coverage, not just the premium line.

Full-Time Coverage

Progressive defines full-time as living in the RV more than six months per year. The endorsement adds full-timer’s liability, visitor medical payments, and loss assessment up to $5,000. Emergency expense increases to $7,500.

Good Sam / National General offers a Full-Timer Protection Plan with comparable personal liability and medical payments extensions. One restriction: minimum BI/PD limits are 50/100 on Full-Timer policies.

Both products handle full-time use, but remember Good Sam’s single-vehicle restriction — if the van is your only vehicle, Good Sam may not write the Full-Timer policy regardless.

Who Should Choose Progressive

  • Your van is garaged in California (Good Sam excluded)
  • Your build does not have a full bathroom with indoor plumbing
  • The van is your only vehicle
  • You already have Progressive auto/home and want multi-policy discounts
  • You are comfortable with ACV settlement (no agreed value needed)
  • You value features like pet injury, pest damage, and roof protection

Who Should Choose Good Sam

  • Your build has all seven required features including a real bathroom
  • You are outside California
  • You need agreed value to protect a high-value custom build
  • You already use Good Sam membership, roadside, or warranties (discount stacking)
  • You have a second vehicle
  • You want a policy with an Allstate-backed carrier and decades of RV claims history

When Neither Is the Best Option

If your build does not meet Progressive’s six features or Good Sam’s seven features, neither carrier will write the policy. Roamly has the most flexible build requirements and is the starting point for minimalist or partial conversions.

If you plan to rent the van on Outdoorsy or RVshare, neither Progressive nor Good Sam covers rental use. Roamly is the only major option that explicitly supports peer-to-peer rental.

The Bottom Line

Progressive wins on accessibility (broader eligibility, no bathroom requirement, no California exclusion, no single-vehicle restriction) and on price for existing customers who can stack multi-policy discounts. Good Sam wins on coverage depth for qualifying builds — particularly agreed value, which is the single most important coverage feature for a high-value custom conversion at total loss.

For a well-equipped build that qualifies at both carriers: get both quotes and compare the settlement options, not just the premiums. The $150/year difference in premium matters far less than the $30,000 difference in payout at total loss.

How to Get Quotes

Sources and Verification

All coverage details reflect published carrier materials as of April 2026. Individual quotes, coverage availability, and terms vary by state, vehicle, and driver profile. Get direct quotes before making coverage decisions.