Travel trailer insurance isn't mandatory, but it's a good idea to get some. It's essential for protecting yourself and your investment when you’re going out on a trip.
Like auto insurance, travel trailer insurance policy provides financial protection in the event of accidents, injuries and other regrettable things. A good, honest insurance cover will reimburse you for repairs, hospital bills and offer liability protection in the event you injure someone or damage their property.
Read on for our list of the best travel trailer insurance companies and see which coverage best suits your needs...
How Much is Travel Trailer Insurance?
Travel trailer insurance varies widely, from a low of around $125 a year to as much as $25,000. The high end is extraordinarily unusual and applicable mainly to specialty trailers, such as custom-made luxury trailers with extensive furnishings. Most people will see travel trailer insurance capping around $400 or $500 a year.
The main reason for everyday pricing is that people who own travel trailers tend to be experienced drivers, which brings risks and costs down. Other factors that may affect your rates include common factors like your age, marital status, credit score, the storage location of your RV, and how many days per year you plan to use it.
What Does Travel Trailer Insurance Cover?
Travel trailer insurance covers different things depending on what company you get insurance from and what plan you get from that company. The following are some of the common things that travel trailer insurance may cover, but make sure you check individual plans to ensure they cover what you want.
Basic Coverage
Basic travel trailer insurance usually covers damage to the trailer and injuries for an accident where you are at fault. Damage to the trailer typically comes in two forms. Repairable damage is exactly that: cover for repairs. However, if you need to replace your trailer, you may get either the full value of the trailer or its depreciated value over time.
Roadside Assistance
Roadside assistance provides help in the event your trailer breaks down somewhere along the road. This mostly includes flat tires but may also involve repairing other, more serious damage to your vehicle.
Personal Effects
Personal Effects covers your possessions. This is particularly helpful if you’re bringing something that gets stolen often, such as a inverter. Coverage for this varies by provider but usually covers a set value in personal items.
Pet Injury
Pet injury clauses cover a particular amount (usually $1,000) in vet bills if you suffer a loss that occurs under comprehensive or collision coverage while your pet is in the trailer. In effect, it’s a little extra peace of mind in case your pet gets thrown around a little during a crazy.
Vacation Liability
Vacation liability coverage deals with bodily injuries and property damage that occurs not just inside your RV but around it while you’re out and about.
People can make outlandish claims when trying to get a payout, so comprehensive coverage like this helps protect you better.
Review of the Best Travel Trailer Insurances
Here are the best travel trailer insurances and information on why we rate them higher than competing services.
Best Overall Travel Trailer Insurance:
Safeco
Pros
Cons
What Does This Cover?
Safeco’s basic policy includes essential liability protection. Optional extras include just about anything you can get in an auto insurance policy, plus RV-specific options like vacation liability coverage and audio-visual/custom equipment protection. Ultimately, Safeco is willing to cover almost anything and has the experience to make it work.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Safeco’s policy stands out mainly because of its size and flexibility. As a large provider, Safeco has the staff and the experience to handle claims quickly, which is important if you’re on vacation and want to get back to having fun. They also provide some consumer-friendly options that other companies typically don’t, such as a diminishing deductible.
Bottom Line
If you’re not sure who to buy travel trailer insurance from, Safeco is an outstanding default option. With flexibility, numerous coverage options, and multiple settlement options, Safeco makes it easier to get the exact policy you want to have.
A Very Close Second:
The Hartford
Pros
Cons
What Does This Cover?
Trailer insurance from The Hartford covers most of the same things you can get with auto insurance, plus extras based on the risks RVs face. Additional coverage options can cover medical payments, collision damage, bodily injury, or property damage. Policies from The Hartford are usually simpler than those from other providers.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The main reason The Hartford stands out is its outstanding customer service, particularly for AARP members. As a senior-focused insurance company, it focuses on experienced drivers and can leverage that for better rates than some competitors.
Bottom Line
While most people like Safeco insurance is a little more, The Hartford is still an excellent company with outstanding financial strength and a lot of experience with the unique characteristics of travel trailer insurance. It more than deserves its position as our runner-up choice.
Best for the Money:
Erie
Pros
Cons
What Does This Cover?
Erie Insurance offers comprehensive travel trailer insurance that essentially duplicates your options for auto insurance, but at a lower rate because travel trailers are generally safer. This includes coverage for physical damage while you’re parked, as well as liability damage when it’s connected to your vehicle.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The main feature that stands out to us is Erie’s bundle with their auto insurance policy. This provides additional discounts and makes it an outstanding value for your money.
Bottom Line
Erie Insurance is worth looking at if you want to get the best value for your money. However, they don’t like advertising the specifics of their policies, so you’ll need to contact an agent to get all the details.
Geico
Pros
Cons
What Does This Cover?
Geico’s insurance plan for travel trailers mainly covers comprehensive and collision needs. However, they include some extra benefits with these policies, including vacation liability coverage and emergency expense coverage. Geico also offers a medical payments coverage plan that will pay for medical treatments regardless of fault.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Geico stands out because of its excellent insurance packaging at reasonable costs. It includes some types of coverage that other providers charge separately for, making it an excellent deal for most users.
Bottom Line
Geico may be known mostly for its advertising campaigns, but their RV insurance offers great coverage at reasonable rates. They’re a great choice if you want to get a simpler plan, without needing to pick and choose your coverage.
Good Sam
Pros
Cons
What Does This Cover?
Good Sam offers customizable plans based on your needs. They provide different rates based on the features your trailer has. This makes the coverage complicated, but also highly comprehensive, so there’s a reduced risk of finding yourself in a situation that your insurance doesn’t cover.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Good Sam stands out mostly because it’s more of a middleman than a direct provider. They’ll compare rates through different providers to find the best deal for your specific situation, and that can save a lot of hassle if you don’t want to look at the intricacies of existing plans.
Bottom Line
Good Sam isn’t quite as good as our top choices, but its focus on RV insurance (including travel trailers) gives it expertise that many of its competitors lack.
Pros and Cons of Having Travel Trailer Insurance
Pros
Regular Car Insurance Rarely Covers Trailers
While you can put a travel trailer on a regular auto insurance plan, you shouldn’t. This is generally ineffective because car insurance isn’t tailored for the costs or needs of travel trailers. Getting specialized insurance is both affordable and sensible, so you can rest assured knowing that you have proper coverage when you get travel trailer insurance.
Plans Are Highly Customizable
Most people don’t realize how flexible RV insurance is. Providers usually offer a variety of add-ons that can protect you in different situations. Some of these won’t be relevant to your situation, while others can protect you from less-common risks at minimal expense.
We recommend getting these in writing when possible. Insurance companies offer so many options that it’s easier to read through them and ask questions later than it is to start with a talk over the phone.
There Are Plenty of Discounts
RV insurance is already affordable unless you add too many optional things to your coverage (see below for more on this), but it’s possible to reduce costs even further if you talk with your insurance provider.
The best discount is “not in use” discount. This goes by different names at different companies, but it broadly refers to discounted rates you can get when your RV is in storage for extended periods. A non-use discount can reduce insurance costs by as much as half, making it worth asking about.
Cons
Costs Can Add Up Quickly
Basic travel trailer insurance is highly affordable. If you can afford such a trailer in the first place, you can afford RV insurance. However, when you start adding on all of the optional upgrades, costs can start to get very high, very fast. Ultimately, you need to decide how to balance your risks with your insurance expenses and avoid paying too much.
Watch Out for Scammy Insurance Companies
Yes, we said it. There are many companies that try their best not to pay out, so don't go for something cheap from a company you've never heard of.
Travel Trailer Insurance FAQs
Here are some of the most common questions that people have about travel trailer insurance.
What Insurance Do I Need For a Travel Trailer?
The best insurance for a travel trailer is RV Insurance, modified as appropriate for your situation. High-end luxury trailers need significantly better coverage than casual or older trailers usually do. You should consider adding liability, personal injury, personal possession, and full replacement cost coverage to your RV insurance policy.
Is Good Sam RV Insurance Good?
Yes. Good Sam is a good provider for RV insurance, though it’s not quite one of our top three choices. See the reviews above for an in-depth explanation of what we like, and dislike, about our top five companies.
What Does GAP Insurance Cover on a Travel Trailer?
GAP, or Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance, covers the difference between your insurance settlement and the balance of a loan if you take a total loss. This is mainly relevant for the total destruction of newer or valuable travel trailers. Coverage varies (as it always does), but typically covers a difference of up to $50,000.
Should I Get Travel Trailer Insurance?
Yes. You should get travel trailer insurance for as long as you own the trailer. It’s extremely affordable, especially if you don’t use your trailer often, and it provides comprehensive protection if anything goes wrong.
How Do You Insure a Travel Trailer?
The best way to ensure a travel trailer is through a reputable insurance company that offers either RV Insurance or a functional equivalent. The process of getting the coverage varies by company but may include email support, one or more phone calls, or mailing documents.
What is the Average Loan Term For a Travel Trailer?
Most people get pans for 10-20 years, with the average loan being in the 10-15 range. How much time you have left on your loan may affect your insurance coverage. In most cases, older trailers can benefit from reduced insurance coverage costs, while new trailers will be more expensive.
Travel trailer Insurance for Peace of Mind
As you can see, there are many different types of travel trailer insurance, and companies can offer different packages to suit your unique needs. We think Safeco is the best travel trailer insurance overall, but don’t hesitate to ask for quotes or give other companies the chance to make you a deal. If nothing else, that can help you get a better rate when you negotiate.
Other Related Guides
Here are a few other related guides to set you in the right direction:
