Do campers and trailers need separate insurance in Canada?

If you own a camper or trailer, it’s easy to assume your auto insurance covers everything automatically. But depending on the type of trailer or camper you own, how you use it, and what’s inside it, that may not always be the case.

Understanding how camper and trailer insurance works can help you avoid coverage gaps before your next trip.

Does your auto insurance cover your trailer?

In many cases, your vehicle’s auto insurance may provide some liability coverage while towing a trailer. That means if you cause damage to someone else while driving, your auto policy may respond.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean your trailer itself is covered. Physical damage coverage for the trailer, along with protection for theft, vandalism, weather damage, or contents inside the trailer, often requires separate coverage. That’s especially important if your trailer has significant value or contains expensive gear and personal belongings.

What types of trailers can be insured?

Coverage options can vary depending on the trailer type, including:

• • Travel trailers
  • Fifth wheels
  • Tent trailers
  • Utility trailers
  • Toy haulers (trailers with a built-in garage area for ATVs, motorcycles, or gear)
  • Truck campers (units that sit in the bed of a pickup truck)

Some policies can also include seasonal or full-time usage considerations.

Advisor insight: At Westland, recreational vehicles we insure most often are travel trailers, campers, motorhomes and fifth wheels. Travel trailers and campers remain the most popular due to their affordability and versatility, while fifth wheels and motorhomes tend to appeal to more experienced or seasonal travellers looking for space and comfort.

What can camper and trailer insurance cover?

Every policy is different, but your camper or trailer insurance  can typically include:

• Physical damage coverage: Helps cover damage from collisions, fire, storms, falling objects, theft, or vandalism.
• Liability coverage: May help if your trailer causes damage or injury while parked or being used at a campsite.
• Contents coverage: Can help protect belongings kept inside the trailer, like camping gear, electronics, tools, or outdoor equipment.
• Emergency expense coverage: Some policies may help with temporary accommodations or transportation costs if your trailer becomes unusable during a trip.
• Vacation liability: This may provide liability protection while your trailer is parked and being used recreationally.

Here’s why this coverage matters in practice:

These are a couple claims examples we’ve come across in the branch:

• While out for a walk around the campsite, a family returned to find a tree had fallen on their travel trailer, resulting in a total loss.
• A campfire spread beyond its pit and caused damage to the neighboring site, leading to a liability claim.

Events like these, along with injuries around the campfire or theft, highlight how unexpected situations can easily happen and why having the right coverage for your camper or trailer is so important.