Open ground, open exposure.
Premises liability for pools, playgrounds, lakes and dog runs, property for the office, bathhouses, utilities and pedestals, business income, store and liquor coverage, and wildfire and flood placement for RV parks, campgrounds and resorts.
By Sam Alishahi · CA Insurance License #4348151 · Reviewed October 2026 · How this page is researched
Guests, water, fire and a lot of acreage
An RV park or campground is rated on what guests can reach: swimming pools, playgrounds, lakes and rivers, boat rentals, fishing docks, dog areas and trails. Each one is a premises liability question, and insurers want to know about lifeguards, fencing, posted rules and how far away the nearest ambulance is. Transient guests who stay a weekend are rated differently from long-term residents, who shift the park toward mobile home park rules.
In California, RV parks, temporary RV parks, incidental camping areas and tent camps are special occupancy parks under the Special Occupancy Parks Act, Health and Safety Code section 18860 and following. The Department of Housing and Community Development is the enforcement agency unless a city or county has taken that role, and a park needs an active permit to operate from HCD before it opens and to collect rent, renewed each year.
Property follows the acreage: the office and store, bathhouses and laundry, pavilions, rental cabins, the water, sewer and electrical systems, and the pedestals at every site. Many parks sit in high or very high fire hazard severity zones or in floodplains along a river, which pushes them toward surplus lines insurers. A store that sells beer needs liquor liability, and business income keeps the park paying bills through a closure.
- Premises liabilityPool, playground, lake and dog-run injuries to guests.
- Park propertyOffice, bathhouses, cabins, utility systems and site pedestals.
- Business incomeLost site rent after a covered fire or flood.
- Liquor liabilityBeer and wine sold at the camp store or bar.
What underwriters will ask
Having these ready means I can go to market on the first call. The quote form asks for the same things, and anything you don’t know yet can wait.
- Park: address, acreage, number of RV sites, tent sites and cabins.
- Amenities: pool, playground, lake or river access, boats, dog areas and trails.
- Buildings: office, store, bathhouses, pavilions and utility systems with values.
- Guests: share of transient versus long-term stays and peak occupancy.
- Sales: store revenue, alcohol, propane and any events hosted.
- Permits and history: HCD permit to operate, fire clearance and five years of loss runs.
RV park and campground insurance, answered
Who regulates RV parks and campgrounds in California?
The Department of Housing and Community Development, under the Special Occupancy Parks Act, Health and Safety Code section 18860 and following. A city or county can take over enforcement with HCD's approval. The park must hold an active permit to operate before it opens and to collect rent, and the permit is renewed annually.
Can I get insurance in a wildfire area?
Usually, but often through surplus lines insurers with wildfire conditions: defensible space, water supply and an evacuation plan. The State Fire Marshal's fire hazard severity zone maps are the first thing an underwriter checks.
Is flood covered?
Not under standard property policies. Parks along rivers and lakes need a separate flood policy, and insurers may exclude sites in the floodway entirely.
What about guests who stay for months?
Long-term residents change the park's legal footing and the rating. Tell me the split so the policy matches the occupancy, and see my mobile home park page if most guests are permanent.
Do I need liquor liability for a camp store?
If you sell beer or wine, yes. Most general liability policies limit or exclude liquor sales, and a separate liquor liability policy or endorsement fills the gap, subject to its terms.
Do you insure campgrounds outside California?
Yes, in 49 states and D.C. Nationally, insurers sort campgrounds by type: RV resorts with full hookups, family campgrounds with pools and activities, seasonal and membership parks, primitive tent sites and cabin or glamping resorts. State permit rules differ, so I ask for the local operating permit with the application.
Official sources
- California HCD: mobilehome and special occupancy park operation (permit to operate)
- California HCD: local enforcement agencies for parks
- California Health and Safety Code §18860: Special Occupancy Parks Act
- California Health and Safety Code §18862.43: special occupancy park defined
- Permit Sonoma: special occupancy parks v. organized camps (annual HCD permit)
Tell me about the park. I'll find the market.
Site count, amenities, buildings and your fire zone are enough to start. I'll shop admitted insurers first and surplus lines markets where the location calls for it.
Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, California License #4348151. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage; coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued. Some policies may be placed with nonadmitted (surplus lines) insurers, which are not members of the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA).
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