Do I Need Insurance For My Travel Trailer?

Travel trailers are different than other recreational vehicles. These are popular options for camping lovers and families who can’t wait to go and spend their summers in “the Great Outdoors.” Travel trailers are generally pull behind trailers, also called bumper pull campers, pull behinds, towable campers, and a variety of other names (which all pertain to how they are towed.) Travel trailers must be towed by another vehicle and are attached below the rear bumper or with a fifth wheel attachment in the bed of a pickup truck.

Travel trailers are typically the RV of choice for camping lovers and vacationers because, once you arrive at your destination, you can simply unhitch and – voila. A home away from home, and you still have the vehicle you used to tow your travel trailer with to explore.

Do you need insurance for travel trailers? Short answer: yes, although it isn’t legally required since travel trailers are not deemed as motorized trailers/vehicles. Most people will still want to purchase enough coverage so that their travel trailers are fully protected and their families can get on with the next big adventure, especially since your existing auto and home policies have no included coverage to protect your investment.

Insuring a Travel Trailer

Only your liability is covered under your auto insurance. Your travel trailer will still need insurance to protect it from any potential damages. Your travel trailer – depending on the type – may be added to your home insurance or auto insurance policy, but some are considered separate vehicles and require a separate protection plan.

There are many different vehicles that can be classed as “travel trailers.” These include the following:

• Tent trailers: A tent trailer also goes by the name “pop-out camper” and can be the more wallet-friendly option of the travel trailers. They are smaller than your average trailer and make camping set up much easier.
• Truck campers: These aren’t technically trailers but are similar in nature. These attach to the back of your truck (they require a truck!) and can be expensive.
• Fifth wheel trailers – This is similar to a typical travel trailer, but it offers more stability when driving due to its build. It is deemed one of the safest trailer options and provides far more space for you and your family. These trailers can be expensive and require a truck to tow, however.
• Toy haulers – These are very similar to fifth wheel trailers but offer additional storage space. They can be expensive but are helpful for long trips where you need to bring along a few extra items.
• Hybrid travel trailers – These trailers are a combination between the typical hard-sided travel trailer and a pop-out camper. They are also called expandable travel trailers.

Coverage options for travel trailers

As is the case with any insurance product, you have plenty of options available to you so that you can protect your travel trailer as best as possible. An Excalibur Insurance broker can help discuss your coverage with you to ensure that your options accurately reflect your situation, the make/model of your trailer, and what you use it for. Here are some coverage types:

• Collision – If you were to get into an accident with another vehicle, tree or post, this coverage can protect your travel trailer.
• Comprehensive – This coverage can help offset the cost of any repairs or replacements necessary to account for damage caused by vandalism, wind, hail, fire, and more.
• Contents coverage – This coverage can protect anything you bring along with you inside your travel trailer. Higher value items may need special protection.
• Travel trailer liability – Accidents happen! If you were held liable for personal injury or damage to another party’s property, it could result in a lawsuit. This coverage can help protect you.

If your existing coverage isn’t enough, you may be recommended any of the following endorsements:

• Attached items coverage – This covers any items that are attached or hooked up to your travel trailer.
• Emergency expenses coverage – This offers coverage in the event your travel trailer should unexpectedly breakdown and you require roadside assistance.
• Campsite liability coverage – If you park your travel trailer permanently at a campground, this can cover your liability while stationed away from home.

Keep in mind that “travel trailer” is just an umbrella term for many different types of towable recreational vehicles and yours has different coverage requirements than the average person. A broker can discuss with you all your options and help you choose what coverages would be best applicable to your circumstances and the kind of trailer you use.

Some myths surrounding travel trailer insurance:

We don’t all have time to become experts on travel trailer insurance – and no one expects you to. However, having a base understanding of what your policy includes can help you and your family out if the time ever comes where you need to make a claim or if you are reviewing your needs and need to update your coverage to reflect your new situation. There are a few myths surrounding travel trailer insurance that we would like to clear up for you.

Some travel trailer owners believe that everything included within their travel trailer is covered by their homeowner’s insurance if their trailer is stationed in the driveway. This may not be true and, if these items are permanent fixtures or contents within your travel trailer, they will require separate coverage. If you ever decide to move into your travel trailer “full-time,” your typical travel trailer insurance may not be enough to cover everything. This is because your travel trailer has become your “primary residence.”

Getting Travel Trailer Insurance

In the past, getting insurance meant having to put away hours of your time into shopping around, answering hundreds of questions about your travel trailer and your coverage needs. Thankfully, the process has been modernized so that getting quotes for travel trailer insurance takes no time at all out of your busy day.

Getting travel trailer insurance is a cinch with Excalibur Insurance. Thanks to our partnership with Aviva, we have a new way to get a travel trailer insurance quote faster than ever.