Ownership notes

Insurance & Ownership

Real numbers, plain language. No policy numbers, no VINs. What I pay, what I chose, and why.

A note on privacy: This page uses real coverage types and real costs but omits policy numbers, VINs, and any other identifiers. The goal is educational — to give other first-time trailer owners a realistic picture of what insurance actually costs.

Why Progressive

Progressive is one of the most widely used insurers for RVs and trailers — partly because they actually specialize in it, and partly because the premiums tend to be lower than what you'd get adding a rider through a standard home or auto insurer. I was already with Progressive for my car, so I got a multi-policy discount by adding Pearl's policy to the same account. Simple.

The quote process was online and took about 10 minutes. I had the policy active before Pearl left the seller's driveway.

What I pay

Pearl's standalone Travel Trailer policy runs 125/year. That's roughly $10.40/month to insure a custom hand-built teardrop. For context, the trailer cost significantly more than one year's premium to buy — full ownership costs are on the budget page. It's not a line item worth cutting.

Annual premium $125 Travel Trailer · Progressive · Actual Cash Value

Coverage breakdown

Here's every line item — what I selected, what I skipped, and why.

Coverage Deductible Cost Status Notes
Comprehensive $250 $63/yr Selected Theft, hail, fire, flood, vandalism. Covers Pearl sitting in the driveway or at a trailhead.
Collision $250 $22/yr Selected Crash damage, including single-vehicle accidents.
Vacation Liability — $7/yr Selected $25,000 coverage. Covers injury/damage at your campsite.
Personal Effects $100 $7/yr Selected $1,000 replacement cost. Gear inside Pearl if stolen or damaged.
Roadside Assistance — $26/yr Selected Towing, flat tire, lockout. Worth it when you're towing alone.
Mexico Coverage — Included Selected Included with Comprehensive. Good to have.
Emergency Expense — Included Selected $750 covered. Included automatically.
Fire Dept. Service — Included Selected $1,000 covered. Included automatically.
Full Timer's Personal Liability — $0 Skipped Only needed if you live in the trailer full-time. I don't.
Pest Damage Protection — $0 Skipped Skipped for now. Worth revisiting for long-term storage.
Roof Protection Plus — $0 Skipped Skipped. Roof is fiberglass and in good shape.
Disappearing Deductibles — $0 Skipped Not selected. Would reduce deductible over claim-free years.
Total $125/yr

Theft coverage

Yes — theft is covered under Comprehensive. If Pearl is stolen from the driveway, a campsite, or a trailhead parking lot, the policy pays out. That was a non-negotiable for me. A trailer sitting unhitched is a target, and $63/year for that peace of mind is an easy call.

One thing to know: Comprehensive covers the trailer, not the gear inside it. Your camping equipment, electronics, anything stored in the galley — that falls under the Personal Effects line ($1,000 replacement cost, $100 deductible), which I also selected.

Physical damage: Actual Cash Value

Progressive offered two options: Actual Cash Value (ACV) or Agreed Value. I chose ACV, which means if Pearl is totaled, they pay out what she's worth on the market at that moment — depreciation included. Agreed Value locks in a number upfront, which is better if you have a rare or well-restored rig. For a 13-year-old hand-build that I bought used, ACV made more sense.

Worth knowing: ACV on a custom trailer can be tricky — there's no clean Kelley Blue Book equivalent. Document everything (photos, original build notes, any receipts) so you have evidence of condition if you ever need to argue the payout.

Discounts I qualified for

  • Multi-Policy — paired Pearl's policy with my existing Progressive auto policy.
  • Advance Quote — got the quote before the policy start date.
  • Original Owner — I am not, since I bought Pearl used. Progressive still applied this because Chuck was the original registrant and there was a clean title history. Worth asking about.
  • Paid in Full — paid the annual premium upfront rather than monthly.
  • Prompt Payment — no late payments on record.
  • Responsible Driver — clean driving record on the auto side.

What to know before you buy

  • Get the policy before you tow. The moment Pearl left Chuck's driveway, she needed to be covered. I had the policy in place the morning of pickup.
  • Your auto policy won't cover physical damage to the trailer. It may extend liability while towing, but not collision or comprehensive on the trailer itself. Verify with your insurer — don't assume.
  • Photograph everything the day you buy. Inside, outside, every corner. Date-stamped. This matters if you ever file a claim.
  • Pair with your auto insurer if you can. The multi-policy discount is real and the convenience of one account is worth something.
  • $125/year is not a lot of money. Don't skip trailer insurance to save $10/month.

Nothing on this page is legal or insurance advice. It's one person's real numbers from insuring a first trailer. Premiums vary by state, trailer value, and driving history. Get your own quotes and read your actual policy.