Travel Trailer Insurance ???

[Burtim]

Do most of the travel trailer owners purchase a separate policy on the trailer? Do some wing it and purchase none?

I'm primarily interested in covering liability but I would cover replacement of our 2007 Casita 17 SD if it isn't too costly to do so. My insurance company says they will add a travel trailer endorsement to my auto insurance for about $10 a month. It covers "replacement cost" of the trailer. They say "we agree to pay actual cash value". Should I be telling them to put a fixed value in there like $14,000 in the event of total loss (or something like that)? I understand insurance companies don't seem to know how to handle FG's.

How do you guys handle insurance?

[Carol H]

Here in BC its not an option to not insure it, the trailer has to have its own plates and liability insurance as its only covered by the auto insurance when actually attached to the auto - with its own insurance should it roll down a hill from a campsite your covered. ;-) Its also not covered should it be lost or stolen from the home under the home owners insurance either.

[Steve Outlaw]

Just insured the new Oliver today. Just under $50.00/month, full replacement coverage. Contents will be covered on home policy.

[Glenn Baglo]

$50 a month seems expensive. I paid $240 for the year, full replacement, liability, contents. My trailer is costs about half of an Oliver, but still....

[Donna D.]

I've never insured my Scamp in all these years. It's parked safely at home, there's nothing inside worth anything and it would cost me maybe $150 to replace all the contents.

However, my new 5er will be fully insured until the tipping point... which is comfort level to not insured it. Frankly, I haven't even looked into cost to insure. Guess I'd better do that!

[arlon]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I've never insured my Scamp in all these years. It's parked safely at home, there's nothing inside worth anything and it would cost me maybe $150 to replace all the contents.

However, my new 5er will be fully insured until the tipping point... which is comfort level to not insured it. Frankly, I haven't even looked into cost to insure. Guess I'd better do that!

It's not the trailer I'm worried about. I'm worried about that little old lady that just wants a look inside and then bust her head on the low door and falls out, breaking several bones when they land. They are old and frail, they don't survive the surgery and their children now own everything you did own..

My policy has decent liability limits as well as theft and such and only costs me $200/year. I would not move that trailer off my residential property without some liability insurance. I also carry a seperate personal liability policy that may cover it but for the cost and peace of mind I'll just stay double covered.

[Roger C H]

Trailers can do as much damage as a car.

Dangerous Trailers.org

[Darwin Maring]

Try the Good Sam Club for an insurance quote.

[Carol H]

For those who don't insure their trailers what happens if the trailer is stolen or if your house goes up in smoke and the trailer goes with it?

I have dealt with two different home owners insurance companies in the time I have owned my trailer and neither of them would cover the loss of the trailer under the above conditions as they consider it a vehicle with a licence and as such it requires its own loss insurance.

[Darwin Maring]

For less than $300 a year we insure our camper with the Good Sam insurance plan that does Campers.

Good Sam Vehicle Insurance - Travel Insurance - Life Insurance, RV insurance

Look the above site up and don't worry about the camper.

[trainjunkie]

For me, Progressive was the cheapest. I pay less than $150.00/year to cover my Bigfoot. Granted, it's a 1989 and the replacement value is under $10K but when I shopped it around, Progressive had the best price for a policy. I can't say the same for my auto insurance, Progressive was high. But for the trailer, they came through.

[Eddie Longest]

In Va. your tow vehicle liability covers your trailer while it is being towed but it does not cover damage to the trailer. Some people assume your homeowners ins. covers your trailer while in the yard but not so. In Va. if the trailer has a title and is licensed it is considered a motor vehicle and has to have its own insurance. If you go to this link http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-63558.html and watch the first part of the video you will see a tree damaged trailer. This trailer was sitting in my yard at least 100 ft from any trees. A tornado came up a deposited a tree top across the back of the trailer. It was not insured and I got nothing from my homeowners Ins. Insurance for that trailer would have only been about $150 a year. BTW I had two trailers damaged in the same storm.
Eddie

[Roy in TO]

Originally Posted by Burtim

... but I would cover replacement of our 2007 Casita 17 SD if it isn't too costly to do so. My insurance company says they will add a travel trailer endorsement to my auto insurance for about $10 a month. It covers "replacement cost" of the trailer. They say "we agree to pay actual cash value". Should I be telling them to put a fixed value in there like $14,000 in the event of total loss (or something like that)? I understand insurance companies don't seem to know how to handle FG's.

How do you guys handle insurance?

Your trailer being a 2007 should not be that difficult to valuate. It won't depreciate as quickly as a stick built so you may want to stick with a fixed value. The "book value" will start to really vary as time goes on. That is part of the reason Greg created his site, to keep a record of current and historical values of FG trailers. Molded Fiberglass Trailers | Fiberglass RV's For Sale

After a while you will likely require appraisals to keep insurance at a set value, much like an antique car. Locally they are called special endorsement policies. There are threads that discuss insuring older and restored trailers.

For me, we have not appraised either of our 35+ year old trailers because the restorations are not complete. When they are finished, we will get them appraised and insured for the full value. In the interim, they are covered under our auto and home policies with lots of pictures of the work to date to document current value.

[Burtim]

Wow. Lots of input. Seems like, for now, I should add it to my tow vehicle policy.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Carol H

For those who don't insure their trailers what happens if the trailer is stolen or if your house goes up in smoke and the trailer goes with it?

Frankly, I'd be SOL. I believe it was Pete Dumbleton (RIP) that lead me down this non-insured path when he stated. At what point is the dollars to insure not worth it when you know what you paid and the replacement cost. I have five motor vehicles, four are at home. One is fully insured (daily driver) and one is covered for comprehesive only (off site), the rest.... I could spend major bucks on insurance every month, which is just a safety net. I choose not to YMMV. However, my new 5er will be fully insured until it too reaches that tipping point. Insurance costs are going up, just like everything.

As a single driver in the home, I've even talked to my insurance agent about covering my vehicles only for comprehension and covering ME for the liability. HA, like you can convince an insurance company to give a consumer a break.

[Glenn Baglo]

Which is why I cancelled life insurance.
Depreciation of the insured and can't get replacement insurance.

[Donna D.]

Exactly Glenn. My death will never be a retirement plan for someone else. Insurance is a lot like the stock market. Plan your risks, take your chances.

[Carol H]

I understand Donna, I actually saved a couple of hundred in home insurance this year by self insuring two of the bikes in my home.

[ruscal]

I insured my 2003 Scamp right after the purchase a couple of years ago. The premium isn't a lot, and I had forgotten about it being insured. After the awning being destroyed in Moab last year I called the insurance company to see if it was covered. They covered the loss which was about $1500.00! The liability side hasn't been tested yet.
Russ

[solarscamp13]

I added my 85' scamp onto my auto insurance policy with progressive. It's covered to $6000 with a $50 deductible. My premium only went up $38 per year, that's $3.16 per month. Well worth it in my opinion.