Before you hit the road in your shiny new travel trailer, you’ll want to make sure that you protect that investment by having the proper insurance. USAA is consistently ranked as one of the top insurers in the US because of its competitive rates and comprehensive policies.
USAA covers travel trailers under recreational vehicle or motorhome policies. They also offer a variety of discounts for USAA members, responsible drivers, and for going more than a year without making a claim.
Coverage options include the following:
- Liability protection
- Emergency assistance
- Vacation coverage
- 24-hour claims service
- Roadside assistance
If you are a current USAA auto policyholder thinking about renting an RV or travel trailer before deciding whether or not to buy your own, speak with your USAA insurance agent about whether your current automotive policy covers your rental or if you’ll need supplemental coverage.
Not all travel trailers are alike, and both insurance companies and recreational vehicle manufacturers make varying distinctions as to what classifies as a travel trailer.
We’ll discuss what kind of trailer you may have (and why that’s important) and whether travel trailer insurance is in your best interests.
Travel Trailer Classifications
USAA categorizes a travel trailer as a non-collapsible trailer towed behind a vehicle for personal use only. If your trailer is collapsible, folding, or pop-up, then it may be considered by USAA to be in a different category.
If your recreational vehicle is not considered by USAA to fall into the travel trailer category, it may not be covered by USAA directly.
For other towable recreational vehicles, like pop-up campers or fifth wheels, your USAA agent may recommend a different coverage option or refer you to a USAA partner site for a policy.
For other towable recreational vehicles, like pop-up campers or fifth wheels, your USAA agent may recommend a different coverage option or refer you to a USAA partner site for a policy.
Recreational vehicle classifications can vary depending on the purpose of the classification. For instance, KOA campgrounds divide travel trailers into only two classifications: fifth wheels, and bumper-pull travel trailers.
They don’t make any additional distinctions between fold-out trailers, pop-up camping trailers, and teardrop campers.
While this kind of broad classification may be just fine for assigning you a spot in their campgrounds, insurers may need more detailed information from you about your vehicle to make sure that you are fully protected for your needs.
Is Travel Trailer Insurance Right for Me?
States vary in their insurance requirements for recreational vehicles, so it best to check what your state recommends. Many states’ insurance laws include travel trailers within your automotive insurance coverage rather than giving them a separate designation.
While some states do not require travel trailers to be insured separately, your auto policy may not cover damages to (or caused by) your trailer, and the road isn’t the only place where your trailer should be protected.
Damages caused by fire, inclement weather, theft, or even vandalism can be expensive to repair and can ruin months of planning for your upcoming trip.
One mistake many people make with insurance coverage for recreational vehicles is assuming that an existing automotive policy will cover all the needed expenses.
While your automotive policy may be great for your daily commuting vehicle, your travel trailer serves a different purpose and its coverage should reflect those different needs.
An automotive policy may treat your travel trailer like a car, meaning that your insurer may cover only structural damage to the travel trailer, ignoring the internal features and even the personal belongings it contains, and leaving you to cover those costs on your own.
What are my Insurance Goals?
Asking yourself what your insurance goals are can help your USAA agent tailor your insurance coverage specifically to benefit you. Are you a full-time RV-er, or do you look at your travel trailer as a vacation-only expense?
If you use your travel trailer as a primary or even part-time residence, you’ll want to insure it more like a home and make sure that your electronics, furnishings, and belongings are covered as well.
If you use your travel trailer at only certain times of the year, you might consider talking to your USAA agent about insuring it during storage months at a reduced rate.
You might find that you also need less coverage for your travel trailer if you use it only a few weeks out of the year and choose to leave your valuable personal belongings at home where they are covered by your home or renter’s insurance policy.
If your travel trailer has additional features on the exterior, you’ll want to know whether your automotive policy or current RV policy will cover those as well. Antennas, awnings, and other equipment also need protection because they can be cost-prohibitive to replace.
You might ask yourself whether you can live without replacing those options or how vital they are to replace if damaged. If those are must-haves, or you don’t want to sacrifice aesthetics or functionality for cost, then talk to your USAA agent about what policies will give you the most comprehensive coverage.
On-road accidents can be scary on their own, but that fear is magnified when you’re pulling a trailer that weighs several thousand pounds. The associated costs resulting from even a minor accident can be even scarier.
If your travel trailer is severely damaged, you may have to replace it completely, or simply do without. The out-of-pocket costs could place your vacation plans out of reach, leaving you stuck at home rather than living your best life out on the open road.
Comprehensive coverage can make the difference between you getting back on the road, or heading home.
If the prospective costs of repairing the damage or replacing your travel trailer altogether are too much for you to handle on your own, a USAA insurance policy may be the most financially savvy option for you to take.
How Expensive is Travel Trailer Insurance?
Just like auto insurance coverage, travel trailer coverage can vary widely depending on how much coverage you need. Many policies are only a few hundred dollars a year and can be significantly lower than insuring your primary motorized vehicle, as low as even one-third the cost of insuring the average car.
Some of the many factors that can affect the overall cost of your travel trailer insurance include
- How often you use your travel trailer
- Your personal driving history
- Your insurance claim history
- The out-of-pocket deductible you choose
- The type and level of coverage you want
In any case, most travel trailer policies are much less expensive than having to replace or repair a damaged travel trailer and its contents. In fact, simply purchasing a new awning for your recreational vehicle could be vastly more expensive than the cost of a full year’s worth of insurance coverage.
When comparing the cost of insurance coverage to the replacement costs of various features on or inside your travel trailer.
Don’t forget to include the cost of replacing necessities like generators (which can frequently be damaged or stolen), your initial investment in the travel trailer itself, and even its aesthetic qualities.
It’s likely to be worth the cost alone just for the peace of mind travel trailer insurance can give you when you’re traveling far from home or parked in a new and unfamiliar place.
Getting your travel trailer insured by a reputable company like USAA pays off in peace of mind alone.
If you don’t want to be stranded or stuck with a vehicle that has more problems than you have money to fix, insurance coverage is an affordable way to ease the stress of planning a trip or preparing for life on the road.
What if I Never Use my Travel Trailer Insurance?
While paying for something that you never use may seem like a waste of money, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Accidents and damage are unpredictable and insurance on anything, whether your home, life, or automobile, protects you in the worst-case scenario. A bonus of choosing USAA as your insurance provider is that the longer you go without making a claim, the bigger your discount.
Keep in mind that the quality of your insurance company is just as important as the policy coverage.
Your insurance policy with a nationwide company as highly rated as USAA can connect you to a community of professionals whose sole purpose is to help you get on the road when life pulls you off.
