insurance?

[handfixer]

I have a 2008 Starcraft Centennial 3612 tent trailer (paid off).  I currently have insurance on it and pay $122 annually with a $500 deductible. I know that if the trailer is attached to my vehicle during transport, my regular vehicle insurance will cover it.  I take it out about 3-4x per year.  I am considering dropping the separate insurance policy and wanted to get some feedback-- what could happen to it that I need the separate coverage? Other then burn down.  In these tough times, I'd like to save every penny, but I don't want to make a stupid decision either.  Advice? Experience? Recommendations?  Thanks!

[PattieAM]

I've got my Fleetwood Niagara on my auto policy, with a $500 deductible.  I had a tree branch stab a hole in the roof in 07, and the roof was replaced.  Don't have my policy handy so can't give you dollar amounts.

[Stella]

I have a 99 coachmen.  
added it to my Geico auto policy.  paying an add'l  87 a year.  500 ded.

[jcampbell03032]

I have 2004 Coleman Carmel - added it to my existing vehicle coverage - cost $58 a year - $500 ded.

[Daddie_Tom]

I have a 2008 Starcraft Centennial 3612 tent trailer (paid off).  I currently have insurance on it and pay $122 annually with a $500 deductible. I know that if the trailer is attached to my vehicle during transport, my regular vehicle insurance will cover it.  I take it out about 3-4x per year.  I am considering dropping the separate insurance policy and wanted to get some feedback-- what could happen to it that I need the separate coverage? Other then burn down.  In these tough times, I'd like to save every penny, but I don't want to make a stupid decision either.  Advice? Experience? Recommendations?  Thanks!

You may want to be sure your current auto policy covers your camper. Mine does not.  My last insurance did not either. Fire and theft are the main things I keep on mine. I call my agent before I go camping and add collision coverage to my policy. This way I save a lot of money not paying collision coverage when it's setting in the garage..

[LACamper]

I'm an insurance agent in Louisiana so I can't guarantee anything but here and with the company I write for, but...

There is often some confusion due to the fact that your liability insurance extends from your tow vehicle. This means that if you turn too wide and your trailer hits a parked car, for instance, your auto liability will pay for the damage caused by impacting the parked car. That is, its going to fix the parked car, not your trailer. Your collision won't usually extend to cover your popup. Your trailer needs to have its own insurance if you want it to be repaired.

[Stella]

was my understanding that my camper was fully covered.  
we added it to our auto policy

i will call tomorrow to be sure. thanks.

[LACamper]

You may want to be sure your current auto policy covers your camper. Mine does not.  My last insurance did not either. Fire and theft are the main things I keep on mine. I call my agent before I go camping and add collision coverage to my policy. This way I save a lot of money not paying collision coverage when it's setting in the garage..

I really hope you don't call him on fridays to add and mondays to remove! You're adding for the camping season, right?

[Daddie_Tom]

I usually add before Memorial day and remove  after Labor day..   Thats an idea though..

[hoppy]

I added $8,000.00 of insurance for my PU with a $500.00 deductable with State Farm. It costs me $5.05 per month for coverage of total replacement. I added this policy back when I purchased the PU used in 2003.

 I'll probably change the insured amount, since the value of my PU is less than 5 K now.

[joe]

Below is an article that was in Pop Up Times, Volume 9 Issue 4 about RV Insurance. This article should help answer your questions

joe

Taking the Myster out of RV Insurance

What types of coverage are available for a Pop Up? Do I have the right Insurance Coverage for my Pop Up Camper? Is a policy through an automobile insurer adequate, or do I need one from a specialty RV Insurer? These are questions that most pop up owners have asked at some point in time. The answers to these questions will depend on your needs or requirements. Some owners feel that the minimum coverage, liability, is adequate. Others are not comfortable unless they have the maximum coverage. While the rest of the owners are satisfied with coverage somewhere in between. To choose the right coverages and insurer, you first need to match your needs with the appropriate coverages, then select the insurer that offers those coverages.

Matching your needs with the appropriate coverages will require an understanding of what types of coverages are available. A generalized list of the different types of coverages available for a pop up are listed below.

 
?   Liability
?   Towing and or Roadside Assistance
?   Damage
?   Disappearing Deductibles
?   Total Loss Replacement
?   Personal Contents
?   Emergency Vacation Expense
?   Vacation Liability
 

There could be other coverages available, but these are the ones available from the majority of the insurers. In addition the names of the actual coverages could be different from insurer to insurer. Now with all that said lets get to the important things, reviewing each type of coverage in detail.

Liability: The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about insurance is liability. But with a pop-up this usually is not a worry. Generally liability insurance for a pop-up is covered under the tow vehicle, when the pop-up is connected to it. Check with your insurance agent to make sure. Liability when not connected to the tow vehicle is discussed under vacation liability. Always make sure that on your auto policy it is noted that you pull a trailer. This will hopefully prevent delays in handling a claim associated with your trailer.

Towing and or Roadside Assistance: You think this would be the least complicated of coverages but it is not. First off don?t assume that if you have tow coverage on your tow vehicle that it extents to your camper. Tow coverage on a tow vehicle does not usually extent to a pop-up, check your policy. If the pop up brakes down the tow vehicle policy might not cover towing of the pop up if needed. In addition if your tow vehicle requires towing while pulling your pop up, you may have to pay for towing the pop up if you do not have tow coverage on the pop up. The pop-up will usually require its own tow policy. Tow coverage and or roadside assistance are available from many different companies and can be purchased as a stand-alone policy.  Tow coverages and Roadside assistance for a pop up come in many flavors and sizes, from covering all towing expenses to just covering a preset number of miles or maximum number of dollars. Look for the following when considering tow coverage
? Covers all expenses to the nearest repair facility
? Covers a set number of miles with you paying the rest. Camper repair places are not as plentiful as auto repair shops and towing distance could be long
? Covers a maximum dollar amount, usually you pay the towing and then get reimbursed by the company.
? Company arranges towing
? Towing hours 24/7?
? You arrange towing
? Amount Time covered for roadside assistance, usually quoted in hours of pay for a mechanic
? What constitutes a tow, flat tire, bad wheel bearing, tow vehicle brake down and etc.
? Make sure the tow policy will tow the camper if the tow vehicle has to be towed.

Tow coverage could also be included in another coverage such as damage protection, ask your agent.

Damage Protection: Covers you in the event the camper is damaged by collision with another object or from acts such as fire, theft, vandalism, hail, wind, flood or impact with an animal. Damage protection can be considered one coverage by some companies and can be divided into two coverages by other companies. When damage protection is divided into two coverages, they are usually called Comprehensive and Collision. Comprehensive covers damages that did not incur in a collision. Collision covers damages from a collision. Damage coverage can include options, which lower premiums, such as 50 percent at fault. This option states that if you are more then 50% at fault there is no coverage or significantly reduced coverage. Review these options to better understand what you are getting. Damage coverage has different deductibles to chose from. If you decide to go with an automobile insurer make sure the policy states that you have a pop-up, not just a trailer. There are many things in a pop-up that could be damaged in a collision that are not in a trailer that you want to have coverage for, such as stove, sink, beds and etc.

Disappearing Deductibles: Provides a reduction in the deductible amount you pay if there is a Damage (Comprehensive or Collision) claim. For each consecutive claim-free renewal, the original Comprehensive and Collision deductibles decrease by  a percentage, usually 25% until the time they reach 0. The deductibles will return to their original amounts after a claim.

Total Loss Replacement: If your Pop Up is totaled for any reason this coverage will provide you with a brand new comparable Pop Up, if you are the original owner and it is less than a set number of years old. If you bought the Pop Up used or if it is older than a set number of years old, you will get a check for the purchase price or value of the Pop Up to put towards another Pop Up.

Personal Contents: Pays up to specified replacement cost limits for loss of, or damage to, the Pop Up contents that are normally used in conjunction with the Pop Up. Loss or damage to items outside the Pop Up can also be covered. A deductible could apply to this coverage. A homeowner?s policy may provide coverage, so check before deciding.

Emergency Travel Expense: If your Pop Up is incapacitated due to a covered loss, you will be reimbursement up to selected limits for lodging, food and etc, while your Pop Up is being repaired.  If the pop up is irreparable, the policy can cover transporting the pop up home. The preset spending limit that you choose, is usually from $750 to $2000 per occurrence. This coverage could have an option that you have to be more than a set number of miles from home to be in effect.

Vacation Liability: This coverage pays up to specified limits for bodily injury and property damage for which an insured person is legally liable as a result of an accident that occurs while the Pop Up is used as a temporary vacation quarters. Before deciding on this coverage check with your homeowner?s policy to see what that covers.

Once you have determined the coverages that you need, an insurer most be selected. Remember to consider that some coverages could be available from other policies, such as homeowners. If you want all the coverages, a specialty RV Insurer will probably be your choice. If you have chosen a limited number of coverages an automobile insurer or a specialty RV insurer could meet your needs. Regardless of what type of insurer you need, compare different companies.

[Stella]

just wanted to pop in and say, I called my insurance agency,  spoke to a rep,  she clearly said, i am fully covered.
any damage done to the camper,  or any damage the camper does to any other RV or vehicle, I am covered, if i turn into a parking lot and the  camper sways andhits a car, the car and the camper are covered 100%.

policy's change from state to state, from zip code to zop code.
 and it depends on how much your camper is insured for.

i have an excellent rate,  covering 5 vehicles, 4 drivers, and a pop up.  I'm  doing well with what I have.

i suggest you call your  agent and ask. each is different

[Oski88]

I just purchased and '03 Coleman Sante Fe.  I insured it with State Farm for about $40 a year with a $50 deductible (home state = Oregon).  My agent exlained that liability insurance carries from the TV but you insure the pup separately for comprehensive and collision coverage.  Also, SF mandated that coverage be for the MSRP, not 'normal' replacement value.

[LACamper]

Oski, I think what they were getting at was that the rate charts (how they compute the premium) are based on MSRP, not actual cash value (ACV). You're insured for ACV though. Most major insurance companies pay NADA retail plus sales tax so its not a bad deal at all. Its a lot more than you could sell it for...

BTW, I wish our rates were as cheap as Oregon's!!!!

[Oski88]

Oski, I think what they were getting at was that the rate charts (how they compute the premium) are based on MSRP, not actual cash value (ACV). You're insured for ACV though. Most major insurance companies pay NADA retail plus sales tax so its not a bad deal at all. Its a lot more than you could sell it for...

BTW, I wish our rates were as cheap as Oregon's!!!!

Interesting.  On one hand that seems unfair - rates should be based off actual reimbursement amounts, otherwise they get to charge for the higher number and pay claims off the lower number.  On the other hand I understand they don't want to create an adverse selection situation by providing an incentive for people to profit by mysteriously having their pup stolen.