Travel Trailer Insurance
There’s nothing quite like hitching up your travel trailer to your truck and heading out to enjoy the outdoors. In fact, this is a favourite pastime of many Ontario residents. After all, Ontario is home to some of the best travel destinations in Canada.
Travel trailers, also known as camper trailers, tent trailers and 5th wheel trailers, are non-motorized trailers that you attach to your vehicle to tow behind you on your travels. These types of trailers are a popular alternative to tents because of the protection and comfort they offer campers. Travel trailers are also more affordable than motorized RVs.
There are several benefits to owning a travel trailer. For one, they require less maintenance than a motorhome or campervan. Another benefit is how easily you can just park and unhitch your trailer, freeing up your truck for trips into town or to a nearby destination. There is certainly some convenience in not having to pull along your whole trailer with you just to take a quick run to the nearest corner store to grab some marshmallows that you forgot to pack for your campfire.
But before you pack up and head out on your next adventure, you may find yourself wondering whether you need insurance for your travel camper. Does your truck insurance cover your camper trailer? And are there any benefits to purchasing travel trailer insurance? Read on for answers to these questions and more.
What is Travel Trailer Insurance?
Travel trailer insurance is an insurance policy uniquely designed to protect the owners of travel trailers and their camper. This comprehensive policy protects your trailer and its contents against possible costly expenses due to damage, theft and more. This customizable policy is tailored to the needs and wants of travel trailer owners and helps to fill in gaps left by your home or auto insurance policy.
What Types of Travel Trailers are There?
There are several types of trailers, including towed trailers like travel, tent, and fifth-wheel trailers.
Travel Trailer: A travel trailer is a recreational vehicle that is towed behind a car or truck and is designed to be used for temporary vacationing. Travel trailers are the most popular type of non-motorized RV.
Tent Trailer: A tent trailer is a camper unit that folds down with its collapsible side walls. These trailers combine the tent camping life but with a wall structure and more amenities like air conditioning, toilets and refrigerators. They offer the feeling of the tent, but they get you off the ground. Tent trailers are easy to set up and easy to store.
Fifth-Wheel Trailer: A fifth-wheel travel trailer is a larger, heavier trailer that requires a full-size truck with a fifth-wheel hitch to tow. These trailers lock onto the large hitch for towing. The fifth-wheel trailers have an overhang that sits above the towing truck bed that could be commonly used as a bedroom.
Does my Truck Insurance cover my Camper Trailer?
Here’s something people may not realize — while yes, your truck’s auto insurance may extend to cover your camper trailer, it’s only the liability coverage while hitched to your vehicle. Thus, if you are involved in an accident or collision, your coverage will not extend to any physical damage caused to your camper. For that, you would need to purchase additional travel trailer insurance.
As your auto insurance’s liability coverage is only extended while your camper is attached to the truck, once you unhitch your trailer when you have reached your campsite, it is no longer protected from liability. If someone is injured or their belongings are damaged while visiting your camper, your auto insurance will not cover any associated costs, such as medical bills or legal fees.
Lastly, whether attached to your truck or not, your auto insurance does not protect your camper against theft or vandalism. These reasons and more are precisely why it’s essential for camper trailer owners to have travel trailer insurance.
What does Travel Trailer Insurance cover?
Obtaining travel trailer insurance helps protect travel trailer owners from financial loss should an accident or collision involving their travel trailer cause bodily harm or property damage. It also helps protect against acts of vandalism, theft, fire, windstorms, lightning and more.
Also known as recreational vehicles, travel trailers are typically towed to their destination via a car or truck. Travel trailers are used for seasonal vacationing and are the most popular type of non-motorized RV. There are several types of coverage available for travel trailer insurance, as outlined below.
Premises Liability: While not an automatic feature in many non-motorized trailer policies, our premises liability insurance feature applies to your trailer when detached from its towing vehicle.
Golf Cart Liability: This protects you if you are found liable for property damage, bodily injury, or death to a third party while operating your golf cart.
Personal Contents: To ensure your personal items stored within your trailer are safe, our personal contents policy provides you coverage against damages caused by an insured loss. These items can include dishes, bedding, clothing, sleeping bags and more. Your primary home policy may also provide a special limit for these contents used off-premises.
Replacement Cost: A replacement cost will pay to replace your RV if it is damaged during a total loss. For example, while travelling, your trailer is knocked over by strong wind as it is being transported to your desired location. However, it’s important to note that most companies will only offer this coverage if the trailer is under five years old.
Actual Cash Value: An actual cash value feature provides you with money to replace the cost of your trailer. Note that the value of your trailer will be calculated based on its condition before the loss. Additionally, the resale value of your trailer may also be taken into consideration to ensure you are desirably covered should irreparable damage occur.
Additional Non-Motorized Insurance Policy Features
Most insurance companies also offer optional travel trailer insurance coverage to ensure that your individual needs are protected throughout your travel adventures, such as:
Emergency Towing Coverage: Pays for the expense of towing your trailer to the nearest repair shop should you be involved in a collision or experience a complete breakdown when you are in transport.
Water Protection Coverage: Covers repair expenses incurred as a result of water damage from sewer backup. This includes damage from brown and black water.
Is Travel Trailer Insurance Required in Ontario?
While large motorized trailers, such as motorhomes and campervans, are required by law to have insurance, a travel trailer is not. This is because your camper trailer has to be towed by another vehicle and cannot be driven on its own. Nevertheless, travel trailer insurance is often very affordable. Between that and the peace of mind it brings, knowing your trailer is protected in the event of damage, theft or vandalism, the added expense is surely worth it.
Why Should I Buy Travel Insurance?
Since your camper trailer is a non-motorized vehicle, it is not required to have insurance. However, owning a camper trailer without insurance is not recommended.
Remember that your auto insurance does not extend to your trailer if stolen or damaged. If you do not have a comprehensive travel trailer insurance policy in place, you would have to pay for its repairs or replacement yourself.
Travel Trailer Insurance Discounts and Savings with Allen Insurance Group
At Allen Insurance Group, we provide cost-saving and discounted rates to Ontario residents when they purchase multiple insurance policies from us, including the following:
Claims-Free Discount: If you have a spotless property insurance history, you are eligible for our claims-free discount.
Trailer, Car and Home Discount: You can combine and save money on insurance plans for your home, car, and RV trailer with Allen Insurance.
Don’t forget to ask one of our Ontario insurance experts for more information on deals to help you save even more money on your insurance coverage!
Get your Free Quote for Travel Trailer Insurance in Ontario today!
Are you looking for personalized travel trailer insurance? If so, call and speak to one of our team members directly or get a free quote for travel trailer insurance online before reaching out for further information at a later time.
We look forward to helping you craft your travel trailer insurance policy in Ontario! We’ll take care of you.