Towing boats/trailers and insurance

[wombat88]

I leant last week that insurance companies consider a tow bar to be a 'modification' and if not informed of this modification might see it as a reason to decline to pay in the event of an accident. This applies to aftermarket tow bars. Factory fitted tow bars may or may not be considered a modification depending on the insurer etc...grey area.

Having sorted that bit out I started to think about the whole towing/insurance thing. The following is my understanding, have I got it right?

My dinghy and trolley/trailer have comprehensive insurance including third party liability. I assume that when they are being towed they are covered third party by the car's insurance and repairs to boat or trailer covered by the boat's?

The trailer I use to go to the tip has no insurance of its own. When towed it is covered third party only by the car's insurance but repairs are not covered?

Does this make sense? Seems a bit convoluted to me...

 

[wallacebob]

Towbars are an extra fitment, so in case of accident may need replaced. Same as if you fit expensive sounds or wheels, insurance only covers the standard car specification unless notified. There is no cost for towbar fitment.
As to towing; check your policy, companies differ. In my experience no charges for towing cover, but you’re correct it’s not cover for theft, etc. Your boat insurance covers this. BUT again, check. I asked my insurer if I was covered whilst towing away from home, and the security they required. This is all normal for caravanners!

 

[Refueler]

All the years I towed boats / caravans / box trailers in UK - never had to insure separately. They were automatically covered for 3rd Party Risks. Its also the matter of number plate - I believe UK is still trailer carries car number ..
Has that changed ?

But cross the channel into EU land and you are time limited on that ... as over here - we have to register trailers with a separate number plate - separate technical inspection - separate Insurance (minimum is 3rd party - but we have option to Full Comp).
When we import - we have so many days and then its compulsory.

 

[KevinV]

There are so many permutations and limitations on insurance now that the only thing to do is check with your insurer(s).

 

[Graham376]

Here's what AXA says - Towing a trailer and your car insurance | AXA UK

 

[Refueler]

There are so many permutations and limitations on insurance now that the only thing to do is check with your insurer(s).

I suppose it all comes down to money earners ...

 

[KevinV]

I suppose it all comes down to money earners ...

Or savers - everyone wants lower premiums.

Having a towbar means you intend to tow, which is a higher risk than not towing - there's no good reason why non-towers should cover that risk, so it isn't covered by default anymore

Our trailers (and their contents) have their own comprehensive insurance.

 

[chriscallender]

Or savers - everyone wants lower premiums.

Having a towbar means you intend to tow, which is a higher risk than not towing - there's no good reason why non-towers should cover that risk, so it isn't covered by default anymore

Our trailers (and their contents) have their own comprehensive insurance.

When I was buying my last car, and having a towbar fitted within a week of purchase (already boooked in), the first insurers I had gone with tried to insist that it had to be insured with no towbar for that one week, and then I had to pay £50 or something like that for an update to the policy one week later when the bar was fitted. They said I couldn't insure it for one week without a towbar if I had told them I had one, otherwise it wouldn't be covered! Seemed a bit bizarre to me, and I had penalty free cancellation at that point, so I said that if that was the scenario I would just cancel. They were fine with that, and didn't want to rethink their decision, so I cancelled and went elsewhere.

So its a bit difficult for me to reach any other conclusion than some of this stuff is just a money grab for policy amendment fees, rather than risk related. I'm not sure what the first company would have made of it if I'd got one of those towbars with a removable swan neck like my son's car has , I'd have been too scared to take it off in case I was bankrupted.

Chris

 

[bernmeister]

Here's what AXA says - Towing a trailer and your car insurance | AXA UK

Thanks for the link. AXA make no extra charge for towing but I found their quote for my car a lot higher than expected. Its still a case of checking out every offering to find the best value for money.

 

[wombat88]

I was charged £8 plus an amendment fee but my insurance is a dirt cheap online offering in the first place.

Swings and roundabouts.

 

[Daydream believer]

My previous van policies with onesure showed the towbar & roof rack as accessories on endorsements. However, when the hard copy of the policy arrived ( I always ask for hard copies of house & car policies as they can alter on line ones without my knowing) I noticed an absence of the endorsement this year. I went on to chat line earlier today & was advised that towbar & roof rack is no longer considered an accessory so need not be declared & I can carry on as usual. Needless to say I have printed out a copy of the chat & attached it to the filed copy of my policy.
I do not travel abroad so have not persued this avenue.

 

[st599]

All the years I towed boats / caravans / box trailers in UK - never had to insure separately. They were automatically covered for 3rd Party Risks. Its also the matter of number plate - I believe UK is still trailer carries car number ..
Has that changed ?

But cross the channel into EU land and you are time limited on that ... as over here - we have to register trailers with a separate number plate - separate technical inspection - separate Insurance (minimum is 3rd party - but we have option to Full Comp).
When we import - we have so many days and then its compulsory.

In the UK, the plate and light bar can be attached to the load, but in the EU it must be on the trailer behind the load. Following the B word, we can no longer take the first type in to the EU. There's no longer a time limit.

 

[penberth3]

.....My dinghy and trolley/trailer have comprehensive insurance including third party liability. I assume that when they are being towed they are covered third party by the car's insurance and repairs to boat or trailer covered by the boat's?.....

That bit isn't clear to me. Does your dinghy/trolley/trailer insurance specifically cover use on public roads? My understanding was it's the towing vehicle's insurance that covers the trailer.

 

[Refueler]

In the UK, the plate and light bar can be attached to the load, but in the EU it must be on the trailer behind the load. Following the B word, we can no longer take the first type in to the EU. There's no longer a time limit.

Actually - example :

Lets say you purchase a boat on a trailer in UK ... you can tow that boat / trailer combo to import into Latvia (EU) and you have X days to present the combo to Registration Dept for inspection and registration.
The problem comes when they ask for previous registration of the trailer .... which if not available will mean no registration in Latvia (EU) unless you can produce Valid Certificates of Test and Manufacturers for the trailer AND it having fixed plated data. Yes the Reg Nbr will be fixed to the trailer - IF the registration is allowed.

I know this as fact as I have a trailer that was refused on those grounds and its now limited to use and not for road.

I also have a close friend who buys such as second hand Fletcher and similar Speedboats on trailers in UK and imports them here.

 

[kippers26]

Approximately 4 years ago I had a policy issued by the AA. Towing a trailer was covered ,but it specifically mentioned a single axle trailer only. So it is worth checking your policy if you have a twin or triple axle trailer.

 

[Alicatt]

In Belgium if the trailer is under 500kg it goes under the towing vehicle's registration and insurance, and must be declared to the insurance company, over 500kg and/or more than one axle then the trailer must be plated and have it's own registration and insurance, the trailer must be tested every year too, usually you do that at the same time as the tow vehicle.

My car is allowed to tow up to 3.5tonnes and I do that a few times per year, my own little trailer is only a 500kg gross weight trailer and it is noted to the insurance company, the bigger trailers have a veritable book of documents to go with them.

My wife's driving licence only allows her to have a max of 500kg behind the car, she took my son's 3.5tonne trailer and Landy Discovery to the test station to get them tested and they told her she could only put a 50kg load in the trailer with her licence

 

[ylop]

I leant last week that insurance companies consider a tow bar to be a 'modification' and if not informed of this modification might see it as a reason to decline to pay in the event of an accident. This applies to aftermarket tow bars. Factory fitted tow bars may or may not be considered a modification depending on the insurer etc...grey area.

I think it’s more accurate to say “some” insurers consider it a modification. Some are clear it does not need declared although I would always make sure you either have that in writing or that you told them about the tow bar writing.

My dinghy and trolley/trailer have comprehensive insurance including third party liability. I assume that when they are being towed they are covered third party by the car's insurance and repairs to boat or trailer covered by the boat's?

Correct - your boat/trailer insurance almost certainly does not cover any road traffic act requirement whilst your car insurance will not cover any damage to the load or the trailer itself, but should cover 3rd parties for harm caused by the trailer. I think there was some argument at one stage if the insurance still applied if the coupling is broken but I’m sure I recall a case where the court ruled that insurance co was on the hook for the harm caused.

You should check your boats insurance actually covers for damage caused when being towed. You’d expect “full comp” to do so… but of course each policy is up to the insurer.

Having a towbar means you intend to tow

Not necessarily - may have been fitted by previous owner, or be used only for a bike rack etc.

, which is a higher risk than not towing - there's no good reason why non-towers should cover that risk,

I wonder if that’s true - or do towers on average drive more safely all the time because they become more used to being aware of what is around them, tend to be in less of a rush when towing, etc? If the risk was significant then I’d expect the premiums to be loaded and I’ve never heard anyone pay more than some admin cost for recording the modification.

so it isn't covered by default anymore

Depends on the company. I suspect it’s more likely slippery insurers trying to find yet another way to dodge claims entirely.

Our trailers (and their contents) have their own comprehensive insurance.

they almost certainly don’t cover any road traffic liabilities to 3rd parties.

 

[KevinV]

they almost certainly don’t cover any road traffic liabilities to 3rd parties

Correct, that's covered by the towing vehicles' insurance

 

[wombat88]

Correct, that's covered by the towing vehicles' insurance

Just checked. third party should be covered by car insurance if insurance company notified of tow bar etc. Boat and trailer in transit covered by boat insurance.

 

[MikeBz]

I suspect the OP read about the same case as I did, where as I understand it the circumstances were roughly this: Owner was involved in an accident (not towing at the time of the accident) and substantial claim. Insurer inspected the vehicle and found that a towbar had been fitted, and refused the claim on the grounds that the owner hadn't notified them of the 'modification'. The towbar was of the detachable type, was not attached at the time of the accident, and the fact that it had been fitted had no bearing on the accident or the claim.

Many people I've spoken to have never thought to declare a towbar as a modification, but it seems that it's a must. I bet very few people who buy a car with a towbar already fitted would think of declaring that as a modification. Even less likely if it's a detachable one and the detachable part is missing, a lot of people would be completely unware that it had even been fitted.