Travel Trailer Insurance Ontario
Also known as camper trailers, tent trailers or fifth-wheel trailers, a travel trailer is a non-motorized trailer that you tow behind you on your travels using a car or truck. Travel trailers are a popular alternative to tents as they offer more protection and comfort. They are also often a much more affordable option than a motorhome or campervan.
There are many benefits to opting for a travel trailer, such as they require less maintenance than a motorized RV. Also, should you want to drive to a nearby area or town once you have reached your vacation destination, you do not have to bring your whole trailer with you — you can just park and unhitch it, freeing up your vehicle.
However, before you unhitch your travel trailer and leave it unsupervised, you will want to make sure it is adequately insured with a comprehensive travel trailer insurance policy. Just in case it is damaged or stolen while you take a quick trip into town. Better yet, before you hitch it up to your vehicle at home, start insurance shopping to ensure your trailer is protected while you are out on the road.
You may be wondering, wouldn’t your auto insurance cover your trailer since it’s hitched to it? Why would you need travel trailer insurance? Could travel trailer insurance be mandatory in Ontario? Read on to learn all of this and more.
What is Travel Trailer Insurance in Ontario?
Travel trailer insurance offers protection for non-motorized travel trailers and their passengers. It helps to protect your trailer and its contents against potentially large out-of-pocket expenses due to damage, theft and more. Travel trailer insurance is a customizable policy that’s tailored to your needs as a travel trailer owner, filling in any gaps left by your home or auto insurance policy.
What Are The Types of Travel Trailers?
There are various types of towed trailers, including 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.
One thing to keep in mind with travel trailers is you need to know the gross vehicle weight rate to ensure your vehicle can tow the trailer safely. If your vehicle is towing more than it is capable of, it can damage the engine. This includes how much the trailer and your vehicle weigh, plus the weight of everything you will bring on your trip, including the campers.
Is Travel Trailer Insurance Required in Ontario?
Non-motorized trailers are not required to have insurance in Ontario. However, between the low costs of travel trailer insurance and the peace of mind it offers, knowing that you are protected should something unexpected happen, it is undoubtedly worth purchasing.
While some of your auto insurance will likely extend to your travel trailer, what you may not realize is that physical damage to the trailer itself may not be covered. This means that, should your trailer be damaged in a collision, you will be left to pay for the repairs or replacement costs on your own.
Why Should I Buy Travel Trailer Insurance?
Because a travel trailer is a non-motorized vehicle, having insurance for it is not mandatory. However, not having any insurance on your trailer is certainly a risky decision. Should your trailer be damaged or stolen while parked at your vacation site, your auto insurance will not extend to it, and you will be required to pay for these out-of-pocket. Whereas, if you had a comprehensive travel trailer insurance policy, these damages and losses would be covered.
What Does Ontario Travel Trailer Insurance Cover?
Owning 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 additional travel trailer insurance to ensure that your 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.
What Does Travel Trailer Insurance Not Cover in Ontario?
While the above coverage combined with your auto insurance policy helps to protect you while on the road, there are still some limitations to your comprehensive policy.
Poor maintenance: Regular wear and tear or deterioration of the travel trailer due to a lack of proper maintenance will not be covered. This is because general wear and tear will happen, no matter what. The more you use something, the more it gets worn down, just like with any vehicle. This also includes defects, rust or corrosion, mold, rot, worn seals, buckling, cracking and mechanical breakdown.
Infestation, including pet-related damages: Should your travel trailer become infested with bugs or other small critters, your insurance policy does not cover repairs or replacements. This also includes any damages caused by your pets, such as claw marks and scratches.
Intentional damage: This should go without saying, but if you intentionally damage your travel trailer, your insurance policy will not cover repairs. In fact, there are no insurance products available to cover intentional acts, as insurance is meant to protect you from unexpected events.
Criminal acts: Just like intentional damage is not covered by your insurer, neither is any damage incurred during any type of criminal activity.
Is Travel Trailer Insurance Required in Ontario?
For travel trailers, tent trailers or fifth-wheel trailers, having insurance is not mandatory in Ontario because these trailers are towed and not driven themselves. As such, liability coverage from your auto insurance policy may extend to your travel trailer while it is on the road hitched to your vehicle. Nonetheless, a trailer is an investment, and it is recommended that you still insure it to protect it in the event of an accident or collision because your auto insurance policy will not cover damage to your travel trailer. This means that you would have to pay out-of-pocket to repair or replace your travel trailer if it is damaged in a collision.
What Are Some of the Risks of Not Having Travel Trailer Insurance?
Although it is not mandatory in Ontario for you to have travel trailer insurance, there are still several reasons why it is strongly encouraged.
Travel trailers are generally an investment. Should yours be stolen or damaged, it may not be financially possible to purchase another one or replace its contents without the protection of an RV insurance policy. Also, should you be deemed responsible for any third-party injuries or property damage involving your travel trailer, you might find yourself facing an expensive lawsuit. So, while insurance is not mandatory, it is absolutely something all travel trailer owners should strongly consider.
Also, as mentioned previously, while your auto insurance policy will protect you and your non-motorized travel trailer while you are on the road, it does not cover you once you are parked. Therefore, if your travel trailer is damaged, stolen or vandalized while parked at your campsite, having travel trailer insurance can assist you with the financial burden of repairing or replacing it.
What Kind of Insurance Do I Need?
Several factors help insurance companies determine the best type of insurance for you you and your travel trailer, such as:
- Where you plan to travel with it
- How often you plan to use it
- What you plan to use it for (e.g., overnight trips, extended vacations, travelling)
- The contents within your travel trailer
Travel Trailer Insurance Discounts and Savings with Allen Insurance Group
At Allen Insurance Group, we offer cost-saving and discounted rates to Ontario residents who purchase more than one type of insurance policy from us.
Below are just some of the advantages of partnering with us:
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.
With the assistance of the insurance specialists at Allen Insurance Group, RV owners throughout the province of Ontario can get the most out of their travels without having to worry whether their travel trailer insurance sufficiently protects their interests and assets in the event of an unexpected accident.
We look forward to helping you craft your travel trailer insurance policy in Ontario! We’ll take care of you.