How this site gets written.

Insurance claims get denied because of one misread policy clause. DMV applications get rejected over a wrong form number. Build quotes go sideways when assumed specs weren't verified. In this space, wrong information has a real cost — and the internet is full of it.

Most of it isn't malicious. It's confident, plausible, and sourced to other blog posts that also didn't check. The Van Guide is built around a single rule: if a claim can't be traced to a primary source, it doesn't get published.

How research works

Every factual claim is evaluated against a strict source hierarchy before it goes in an article. In order of preference:

1. Primary sources. Official carrier websites, state DMV handbooks, statutes and bills, federal agency publications, manufacturer documentation. These are always the first stop and the last word.
2. Direct attribution. Named quotes from company representatives in press releases or verified trade coverage — RVBusiness, RVIA bulletins, specialty trade publications. Named and linked.
3. Owner reports. Forum posts and first-person owner accounts. Used sparingly, always labeled as anecdotal, never treated as policy.
4. Never cited as fact. Other SEO blogs, content farms, AI-generated summaries, or unattributed forum consensus — regardless of how many sites repeat the same claim.

When a primary source is unclear or the situation is genuinely ambiguous, the article says so — plainly, with a date. Invented certainty isn't useful to anyone trying to make a real decision.

How articles are maintained

Carrier rules change. State DMV procedures get updated. Every article in The Van Guide carries a first-published date and a last-updated date. When a fact changes, the article is updated and re-dated; the change isn't buried. Long-form articles include a "Sources and verification" section at the bottom with direct links to every primary source used.

The builder directory

Directory listings are built from public information: the shop's website, platforms they build on, verified location, years in business, and any public documentation of their work. Shops don't pay for a listing, and rankings are not influenced by payment. A listing is not a recommendation — it's a starting point for your own research. Before committing money to any build, verify licensing, call for references, and read the contract carefully.

Affiliate and sponsorship disclosure

Some outbound links — particularly to insurance carriers — may be affiliate links that earn The Van Guide a referral commission. When they are, the article says so at the top. Affiliate relationships don't influence which carriers are recommended or how they're compared. If a carrier with an affiliate agreement isn't the right fit for a given situation, the article will say that too.

Corrections

If you find an error — a carrier rule that's changed, a statute that's been superseded, a date that's wrong — email with the URL and the specific claim. Corrections are made promptly and noted at the bottom of the affected article.