Insurance Needed?

[Safari Tim]

Do I really need to add my AS to my auto insurance policy?

When I asked they said it was covered as long as it was connected to my vehicle.

Since it's an old trailer, would it benifit me to add it to my policy?

[85MH325]

Originally posted by Safari Tim
Do I really need to add my AS to my auto insurance policy?

Only if you want comprehensive and collision on it. Liability is covered by your tow vehicle as long as it's attached. I assume that liability is provided by your homeowner's insurance while they're not attached. If you're willing to eat the loss if something happens (like a tree falls on it or you take out the side with the nefarious "hidden post") then you don't need comp & collision.

Roger

[59toaster]

Well due to ours be inheritted I had to settle for only $2700 as the loss value on our TILL I get it restored and can get it appraised. Yearly coverage is a wopping $48.

Content that is not bolted down is covered by your homeowners (same as your car). The $2700 is on only the coach.

[Silvertwinkie]

I thought homeowners only covered it while it was unattached to the car on the property where the home was insured.

So if you were on vacation and in a campground, a tree falls or the trailer rolls down a hill, the car and the homeowners policy would not cover it and thus the need for seperate insurance?

Eric

[85MH325]

Originally posted by Silvertwinkie
I thought homeowners only covered it while it was unattached to the car on the property where the home was insured.

So if you were on vacation and in a campground, a tree falls or the trailer rolls down a hill, the car and the homeowners policy would not cover it and thus the need for seperate insurance?

Eric

I am more concerned with liability; for example, a guest trips over the dog and falls out of the door of my trailer and is injured; or if the disconnected trailer rolls downhill into a house and damages the house. Your homeowner's liability insurance ought to cover those kinds of claims, as obviously your auto policy will not. I suppose that your homeowners might cover the damage to the trailer if it were on your property when the tree fell. If you don't carry comp and collision on your trailer though, in most cases you'll eat the cost of the damage to your trailer.

Roger

[overlander64]

Greetings Tim!

Especially with a Vintage coach, you will want to have a good insurance policy on the coach. You will generally want to look into stated value or agreed value coverage - - otherwise, you will be truly at the mercy of an adjuster (even with stated or agreed value coverage arguments will likely ensue in the event of a claim). Without agreed value coverage, my former insurer (American Family) would only insure a coach more than 15 years old for a maximum of $2,500. It may take some shopping to find a company to write an acceptable policy on your Vintage coach - - my current Auto insurer doesn't insure RVs whether new or Vintage so I have my Airstream and Argosy insured with Foremost on a stated value policy (thus far my experience has been good with Foremost). Remember that your auto insurance will not cover collision, fire, theft, storm damage or comprehensive losses on your Airstream (unless your standard auto insurance policy is different than the ones that I have had in Illinois and Wisconsin) - - the Airstream needs its own policy to be fully covered - - a rider (attached to your tow vehicle's policy) on a late model trailer might be adequate, but I would be leery of such an arrangement for a Vintage coach.

Good luck with your search for insurance!

Kevin

[Silvertwinkie]

As far as I know, my homeowners only covers the trailer for when it's home on the property. While in transit, it's covered under my auto policy.

When at a campground. It is uninsured. So if it rolls and slams into a house while not connected....best bet is to get the car down there too!

State Farm as I recall (and I am not 100% on this) does not look as the Airstream as an extention of the homeowners when not on the property, so thus the policy for the trailer while offsite.

[COLORADO_CAMPER]

Tim,

The peace of mind that a full-coverage insurance policy will give you is worth every penny. I have a new 2004 Bambi insured through State Farm - cost is ~ $43.00 per month. The premiums here in Colorado tend to be a bit higher than in most other parts of the country because of our notrious hail season. You could probably even find a better rate if you shop around.

[59toaster]

Originally posted by Silvertwinkie
As far as I know, my homeowners only covers the trailer for when it's home on the property. While in transit, it's covered under my auto policy.

When at a campground. It is uninsured. So if it rolls and slams into a house while not connected....best bet is to get the car down there too!

State Farm as I recall (and I am not 100% on this) does not look as the Airstream as an extention of the homeowners when not on the property, so thus the policy for the trailer while offsite.

Hmmm I'll have to question my agent again. I'm with State Farm on both home and vehicles.

I throughly questioned my agent on my "Dollar" truck that has about $4k worth of add on's. The way he explained it was if the item is attached to the vehicle in such a way as to need tools to remove it that it is then covered by the vehicle insurance. Content (CD's, tools, personnaly items) are covered by home owners. His recomendation was to collect all the recipts for the add ons on the truck and document them. I verbaly told them what is on the vehicle and that infomation is now in the file at my Agents office.

When I insured the A/S I did bring up content and again they said basicly the same deal, unless we were not on the same page. They did question where the A/S would be stored when not being used and did indicate the rate would be much different if not stored on my property.

NOW this may vary state to state.

[Silvertwinkie]

I'll also recheck....you know, I'm in a bit of a constant communication with my agent lately now that the tree fell on the garage!

I'm betting I'm just the person he's looking to talk with right about now!

[85MH325]

[i]
When at a campground. It is uninsured. So if it rolls and slams into a house while not connected....best bet is to get the car down there too!

State Farm as I recall (and I am not 100% on this) does not look as the Airstream as an extention of the homeowners when not on the property, so thus the policy for the trailer while offsite. [/B]

If you don't already have the coverage, you need to have the Airstream added as a separate item on your policy! We have ours listed as it's own vehicle with it's own coverages; liability excepted. I don't think you can get liability on a trailer alone???

The Airstream itself won't be covered by homeowners, probably at all. Your homeowner's would only cover liability issues were you to be sued as a result of something your Bambi did that you didn't want it to while NOT attached to your car... AND that's provided that you don't have separate coverage on the trailer.

[Safari Tim]

The only reason to get insurance on a vintage trailer is to protect you if it rolls down a hill at the campsite and runs over the neighbors dog and smashes into their car.

Otherwise, if it's parked at home your homeowners covers it. While under tow your auto insurance covers it.

[overlander64]

Greetings Tim!

You also want insurance for other perils beyond those that you mention that are only covered by a policy specifically for your trailer such as:

1.) Collission - - repairs the coach if you accidentally damage it while in use. For instance, graze a fence post and place four or five creases in a side panel and repair will likely be in excess of $1,700 (I know this from experience on my Overlander) - - Collission on the trailer policy covered this repair.

2.) Theft - - "replaces" your coach in the event that it is stolen. Such theft of RVs or recreation products (stored on the premises of my home) valued in excess of $500 were exclueded from coverage on my homeowners policy unless specifically ridered. My tow vehicle only covers liability for the trailer while it is connected to the tow vehicle.

3.) Acts of Nature - - flood, hail, etc. - - "repairs" or "reimburses" damages related to these events. The scenario that I encountered with this coverage was an offer for an "appearance adjustment" due to loss of value caused by a hail storm (on my previous Nomad trailer).

4.) Fire - - "replaces" or "repairs" coach in the event that it is damaged by a fire.

5.) Contents Coverage - - this is an optional coverage with most companies, but I carry it just for peace of mind.

6.) Towing/Trip Interruption Coverage - - these are also optional coverages and are generally available separately. I carry both, but suspect that I will likely never need trip interruption coverage as I usually am not on that tight of a schedule.

For both of my coaches, my insurer requested appraisals. In both cases, I was able to get acceptable documentation from vendors who did restoration work on the coaches. The policys have stated value coverage for the coach. Annual premiums for the Airstream are just a tad below $375.00 and for the Argosy just a little less than $275.00 for 12-months coverage.

Good luck with your quest for insurance coverage for your coach!

Kevin

[wingfoot321]

Tim,

I think Overlander 64 is on the money.

I am insured with Farm Bureau of Tenn. There was a similar thread running on this subject a couple weeks ago and I called my agent.

I was told that my policy was correct . I have (1)a specified value policy, (2) comprehensive, and (3) collision listed separately with premium required.

The bodily injury, property damage, medical payments, & uninsured motorist are on the tow vehicle and required no additional premium.

[WayWard Wind]

We have ALL (vehicles, home, etc) our insurance with State Farm & our 02 Bambi runs $37 per month. Our insurance agent told us that we must carry seperate insurance for the trailer, even while parked at home for the winter. Homeowners Ins would only apply to liability & not carry thru for damage to the A-S. At first I was going to cancel the A-S Ins for the winter, until I was told that then I was going to raise the deduct for the winter months, but they would not go for it. If we do raise the deduct, then the premiums will be prorated. They told me I could only change the deduct once, then there would be a charge after that. I would question your agent regarding just what is covered, if you do not carry insurance on the TT. I would bet that your homeowners Ins will not cover damage to the TT.
Best,

[Silvertwinkie]

My rate is almost exactly the same. That is very strange on the deductable charge. I have never heard of anything like that and I have raised mine (and lowered one) without any problems, fees or otherwise. I too have several policies with State Farm.

[Pahaska]

I recently raised the deductables on my car and truck. I wanted to also raise the comprehensive on the A/S from the original $100. Surprise! USAA only has actuarial calculations for $100 comprehensive on travel trailers (at least on Airstreams). For the cars and truck there was a whole list of deductables to choose from.

I guess I can't complain too much. USAA replaced the awning on my Scamp without a murmur and paid over $8000 for hail damage on my TrailManor with no fuss.