Insurance

[GPW]

When you insure your trailer , you might want to consider the "cost of replacement" which not only involves the cost of materials and everything you had in it (which BTW should be well documented ...save those receipts , take pictures ) PLUS the Labor it would take to make a new one ...

From experience , the Insurance company is willing to pay an RV dealer $100+/ hour Labor charges, so what is Your time worth ...

[NCOretiredEd]

$60.00 a year is what my company quoted me.

[Mightydog]

What insurance companies is everyone insured with? I called AAA, who insures our cars and they won't cover the camper unless it has a VIN number. In KS, we don't have to tag/title a trailer unless it is over 2,000lbs. So I can't get it insured through them.

I may shop around and switch insurance companies if we can get the teardrop covered.

Among the many hot buttons on this forum are the topics of brakes and putting tags on your trailer. So, at the risk of hitting a hot button....

In the People's Republic of Oregon, you don't have to licence a trailer under 1,500 lbs. Ours is 1,100. The chassis for our trailer was built by a utility trailer builder who does not issue VINs. Our Allstate agent strongly recommended getting an RV tag for our trailer because the state issues VINs to RV trailers that don't have one. Having a VIN allowed the agent to write a rider to our car policy to insure the trailer against anything that might happen to it when it's unhooked from the car.

The laws in your state may vary.

[packerz4]

I insured my TT. A 1989 Jayco 22' that I bought last year for $3500.

Called my car insurance and discussed things like: what if the wind rips off my awning? What if someone t-bones the trailer? what if it's damaged in storage? What if I take out a gas pump? (i've actually done this) etc...

Some things are covered by my vehicle insurance... but acts of God etc are the trailer's insurance. Got the bill for my insurance:

$14/year $3500 replacement cost. Called the insurance company to make sure it wasn't a mistake...I don't smoke or drink, so this was a no brainer "embellishment". $1.20/month for peace of mind.

Tam

[girlcop]

Any suggestions for "wiggling" around insuring a homemade trailer? Geico told me they won't insure other than what's covered by our tow vehicle. Being the police- I trust no one and fear loosing all of Brian's hard work.

[the other side]

I wouldn't drive out of the driveway when I bought the tear, until my husband called the insurance company to have the tear insured. Murphy's law- I pull out with an uninsured tear and something WILL happen. That's my luck. I waited in the driveway until hubby called me back and said it was done/insured, then I pulled out of the driveway to take my tear home! I wouldn't go without insurance, even if the tear is sitting in my garage. I look at the insurance cost like a maintenance fee for the tear.

[wagondude]

What insurance companies is everyone insured with? I called AAA, who insures our cars and they won't cover the camper unless it has a VIN number. In KS, we don't have to tag/title a trailer unless it is over 2,000lbs. So I can't get it insured through them.

I may shop around and switch insurance companies if we can get the teardrop covered.

Even though you don't have to tag/title, you should if for no other reason so it will be eisier to sell to a neighboring state in the future if you need to. After the first year of regestration, you can then get a KS "under 2M" tag for your permanent tag. The state will issue a title for the trailer after it passes a safety inspection. If your frame builder is a licensed trailer manufacturer, you should have recieved a MSO. If it was an independant welding shop, you will need all your reciepts and pictures of the construction at the time of the inspection. Check with RV dealers if the "under 2M" tag will get you an assigned VIN for a home built. I suspect that the answer is probably not.

[Woodbutcher]

Sorry Slow, but you are very short sited here. You don't want to pay about the cost of 1 tank of gas to save yourself the possibility of having to rebuild or replace the entire trailer. Most of the bad things that can happen to your trailer will NOT be covered by your TV insurance. Plus, never having it insured, or your auto insurance company not even know it exists could cause serious problems trying to make a claim.
I got mine insured with a stated valve policy of $8000.00. The premium was about $85.00. The tail lights cost that much. I know you can be insurance poor but this is just to cheap to not have.

[48Rob]

Any suggestions for "wiggling" around insuring a homemade trailer? Geico told me they won't insure other than what's covered by our tow vehicle. Being the police- I trust no one and fear loosing all of Brian's hard work.

Get a new insurance company that wants/appreciates your business.

This is what insurance companies do...

Rob

[StandUpGuy]

I think it depends on the value of the trailer. If the value is such that if it was destroyed it would not be a big burden on the owner to replace then no I think insuring it is not necessary. For me that price is somewhere around $2,500. for me that price is worth the slight risk. Heck lots of people now have $1,000 deductibles now.

[bobhenry]

After I take out the camping gear I only have $800 - $900 in "Chubby"
Hunting down bargains and using what was on hand helped in this HOWEVER .......

I have 3 months of my life in it weekend after weekend and it would be missed it it were taken from me by accident OR theft so the $3,000 value that I set is very modest after allowing for the time and effort that went into the build. If I am going to do it again someone will be helping out financially

[Jim Edgerly]

I've kept detailed records of everything I have spent for my Shack. My total COST ends up right around $4500, which includes nothing for labor. I will insure the Shack for around $6K so if I have to replace it I won't feel cheated. They call it insurance for a reason! Just the fact of having it decreases your odds of needing it. Go with out it, and it's like painting a big bulls-eye on the side of your camper!

[SteveF]

I think that anything you can not do without or readily afford to replace is worth insuring. (or at least considering it) Whether or not you choose to insure something is simply playing the odds--a gamble. Sometimes it pays off and sometime it don't!

[bobditch]

I just got a quote from my agent for our new Little Guy:
"To add the teardrop with $100 comp an $500 collision deductibles (same as your vehicles) the annual premium is $84.  I will need the VIN and year of the one you purchased to add to your auto policy"

[john curtis]

I have $6500. invested in my TD,insured for $10,000 with full coverage for $211.00 a year.For the sum of about $17.00 a month I cant afford not to insure.
John