Is My Travel Trailer Actually Covered by Auto Insurance?

Why You Need Travel Trailer Insurance

Got a fantastic auto insurance policy for your truck? It’s time to hit the highway and go on an adventure. So you hook your travel trailer up to your truck and you expect your insurance to cover everything, right? Sadly no, only a sliver of auto insurance coverage works for travel trailers. And if an incident occurs while the trailer is parked at a campsite, then you get no auto insurance protection at all.

A trailer hitched to your car needs proper RV insurance. In this guide, we will break down what your auto insurance doesn’t cover and how RV insurance can ensure your travel trailer is protected.

What Does Auto Insurance Cover for Travel Trailers?

What gets covered by auto insurance

Auto insurance can cover vehicle damages and liability expenses in collisions, but not necessarily for RVs. Some auto insurance does extend minimal coverage to travel trailers, such as covering liability for towed travel trailers, but that is often it.

For example, if your towed trailer sways and accidentally collides with another vehicle, auto insurance with liability coverage will cover damage done to other vehicles. That means it may cover the medical bills and damages of the other driver.

However, auto insurance won’t cover the loss of your travel trailer after. You would have to repair or replace your RV using your own money even if you have collision coverage within your auto insurance policy. You need specialized RV collision coverage if you want your towable trailer to be securely covered.

Why auto insurance isn’t enough

Auto liability coverage can pay for liability damage you cause to third parties while your trailer is being towed. Unfortunately, it pays zero dollars toward your own property, so even if your towed trailer got wrecked while hitting a different car, you will have to pay out-of-pocket to replace the trailer.

Plus, if your travel trailer is unhitched from your truck, any liability concerns related to it will suddenly go uncovered. Property damage, third-party injuries, nothing. Auto insurance only covers third-party liability damage caused by a towed trailer while it is actively being towed on the road.

The Big Blind Spot of Auto Insurance for RVs

Does auto insurance cover travel trailer damage?

Let’s say your vehicle, while connected to your travel trailer, crashes into someone else’s truck. Both trucks are totaled. You have collision coverage through your auto insurance policy. The other driver’s insurance covers their total loss. Nothing protects your destroyed travel trailer.

The repair or total replacement cost of an RV can be disastrous if you don’t have the right RV insurance. RV total loss replacement can give out payouts for 120% of the purchase price depending on the policy.

Highway collision risks

Highway collisions and other auto accidents often result in medical expenses. State laws can affect who is liable and has to pay for the medical expenses of the other driver involved in the collision, determining who may be at fault.

If you get into a highway collision while towing your travel trailer, your auto insurance will not pay a single cent to repair or replace your travel trailer that has been hitched to your truck. The auto insurance covers the main vehicle, like an SUV or truck or sedan. It won’t cover a travel trailer connected to your vehicle in case of a collision.

The "Act of God" Threat

What happens when a severe summer storm dents your RV aluminum, or a tree branch falls through the roof while you're parked at a campsite? Your car insurance will utterly fail to cover these so-called “Acts of God”. They are perils that relate to weather or natural phenomena that happen without human interference.

Not every RV insurance policy actually covers Acts of God. You need a comprehensive RV insurance policy that includes Act of God coverage so it will insure your RV even outside of regular collisions or accidents.

Personal Effects & Campsite Liability

The personal property risk

The main goal of standard auto insurance is supposed to cover your daily driver, not a home-on-wheels. Travel trailers, fifth wheel campers, and any RV can have significantly higher risks. This is because in a travel trailer, you probably have expensive gear, electronics, generators, accessories, and more. If standard car insurance covers RV risks, the auto insurance premiums would skyrocket.

Personal property loss is a severe risk if you use your motorhome as your full-time location of residence, especially if you keep valuables inside your RV. If someone breaks into your trailer and steals your property, auto insurance won’t cover replacement costs for personal property losses.

The risk of unhitching the travel trailer

Auto insurance policies don’t cover trailers that are unhitched, not even for liability. If your RV is parked at a resort or campsite or anywhere, the auto policy liability essentially detaches. It stops covering liability risks if your travel trailer isn’t on the road.

In order to ensure your travel trailer is covered by liability insurance even when it’s unhitched, you need Campsite Liability coverage. This is crucial for situations such as:

• A guest getting injured by your trailer
• Property damage caused by your RV setup
• Applicable lawyer and legal fees in case you get sued

How to Find the Best RV Insurance

Standard auto insurance companies aren't built for the RV lifestyle, there’s just too many gaps in the coverage for you to be truly protected. To avoid catastrophic expenses in case of an accident with your RV, you need a specialized policy or broker.

Let’s go over three of the best RV insurance companies and brokers that help you protect your travel trailer.

National General

National General is best for specialized coverage options and RV insurance bundles. They offer robust, highly customized travel trailer policies.

If you want a simple insurance bundle for your vehicle and RV, National General lets you keep both under one (insurance) roof. They offer an excellent auto-and-RV bundle discount (often up to 20%), which can have only a single deductible if both are damaged in the same accident.

National General is an Allstate company and is highly reliable for RV insurance purposes. They have a useful 24/7 claim service.

Good Sam

Good Sam isn't a direct carrier for RV insurance, but they are best for helping you find the best RV insurance quote.

Good Sam is a full-service insurance agency that shops your specific travel trailer needs across multiple top providers (including National General and Progressive) to find you the absolute best rate.

If you want to compare quotes fast, Good Sam is the best option. You can check for policies that feature ancillary add-ons like RV roadside assistance and more.

Roamly

Roamly is built by and for modern adventurers, and it is by far the best option if you’re interested in doing any Peer-to-Peer Renting.

Most traditional insurers will completely cancel your policy if you rent out your trailer on platforms like Outdoorsy or RVshare. That is a huge problem since you simply won’t have RV insurance in those cases. However, Roamly explicitly permits and covers your RV even if you are leasing it out using an RV renting platform.

Outside of their special permissions, Roamly also features phenomenal, high-limit personal effects coverage for your RV gear, so if you have any expensive gear, Roamly is a competitive option.

Best Travel Trailer Coverage Types

Every policy has its own terms and conditions. Make sure you review your policy details thoroughly and be aware if it covers your RV’s particular mods, gear, and risks.

Comprehensive Coverage

Naturally, comprehensive coverage is the ideal type of RV insurance for most. It covers everything from collisions to campsite liability, Acts of God to theft. If you can afford it and need the coverage, watch for a comprehensive RV policy. Check out Good Sam to find different policies to quickly compare their costs.

Theft, Vandalism, and Physical Damage

Physical damages and theft can be very costly for an RV owner. You would have to pay for the replacement or repair costs out-of-pocket if you don’t have the right insurance policy. We recommend a policy that contains coverage for theft, vandalism, and physical damages to your RV. This is typically included in comprehensive RV insurance policies, but separate from collision coverage.

Campsite Liability Protection

When you park your RV somewhere, like a campsite, it is crucial to carry campsite liability insurance. It is separate from regular auto or RV insurance, so check that your policy covers liability for RVs that are parked at a campsite.

Also make sure you have enough liability insurance. Third-party injuries can be extremely costly, such as if a guest slips and breaks their hip while walking by your trailer. Medical expenses you may be liable for can go into the hundreds of thousands, which would be catastrophic.

RV Gear Insurance

Got any specialized RV gear or accessories? You may need RV gear insurance. Auto insurance does not cover specialized gear, especially if your RV gets modded.

Check your insurance policy to see what kind of expensive RV and campsite gear it can cover, whether that’s appliances, furniture, awning lights, props, or other types of RV accessories.

Modded RV Insurance

Some RV insurance policies only cover the RV as it came out from the factory, so if you have made any modifications to your trailer, it may no longer be covered in case of a problem. Auto insurance will usually not cover RVs that are modded, since it focuses on protecting factory-stock condition vehicles.

Full-time RV Insurance

Do you live or plan to live full-time in your trailer? You probably can qualify for a full-time RV insurance policy. It is ideal for people who live in their motorhome.

Note that RV insurance for full-timers usually comes with certain requirements you need to meet, such as how long you spend living in your trailer every year. It can also cost significantly more at a few thousand dollars a year, since it includes various types of emergencies such as if your motorhome becomes uninhabitable.

What does travel trailer insurance not cover?

RV insurance does not cover every type of damage to your travel trailer. It typically will not cover damages that arise from things such as:

• General wear and tear
• Fungus, mold, or rot
• Delamination repairs

Routine maintenance and precautions can help protect your RV from these types of issues.

Conclusion: Don't Wait for a Claim to Find Out

Don’t settle for auto insurance if you have an RV: it won’t be safe. You need to protect your travel trailer with proper RV insurance or it could be one of the costliest mistakes possible. Liability insurance for your RV is required at minimum, but a specialized RV insurance policy can cover all your bases.

Still hesitant? Call your insurance provider. Ask them what happens if your unhitched travel trailer gets damaged while parked at a campsite, how much will your current policy pay out? The answer is probably zero.