Forum Discussion

SweetLou's avatar
SweetLou
Explorer
May 25, 2023

Tree Fell onto My Fifth Wheel

So, last week we had a very bad thunderstorm with hail and lots of wind. A large pine tree fell onto our trailer. I am going to get a professional company to crane lift this off. Trailer is insured and I have gap insurance from 2008 when we purchased the trailer. The unit on NADA low says its worth 20K and I still owe 18K. I can't tell if there is structural damage yet. It has not totally crushed the trailer. It just looks like its leaning on top of it. Do any of you have experience with such an issue using the insurance company and gap? I am looking for the warning pitfalls to watch out about with insurance. They are not sending an inspector out to look at the damage. They want me to take it to a dealer for repair estimates. Need some advice.

Thanks
  • way2roll's avatar
    way2roll
    Navigator II
    May 25, 2023
    Depending on your state can be different different. Some states like NC say that if the repair is 75% or more of the "value" of the vehicle, they will total it. And value is fair market value. Insurance companies won't use NADA, they use sold comps and they are usually lower than you think.

    Your Rv is 15 years old. My guess it will have structural, water, electrical etc etc. It doesn't help that labor is probably $120/hr. In short, my guess would be that they total it, and the value will be less than you think.
  • MFL's avatar
    MFL
    Nomad II
    May 25, 2023
    If an RV dealer repairman, or insurance inspector, can see the RV, with tree still on it, they would be more able to guesstimate the damage/repair.

    A picture would help forum members, to be more able to give opinions also. It appears that you have a HitchHiker brand FW, which were a solid built brand. A tree falling over, but just leaning on that RV, may not have caused any structural damage.

    Hard to give advice, when no idea what it looks like.

    Hope they treat you fairly,

    Jerry
  • phillyg's avatar
    phillyg
    Explorer II
    May 26, 2023
    Look closely at your gap insurance policy. Some are only good for the first five years or so.
  • Cwilson333's avatar
    Cwilson333
    Explorer
    May 26, 2023
    SweetLou wrote:
    The unit on NADA low says its worth 20K and I still owe 18K.


    Sounds like an example of the pitfalls of 240 month RV financing.
  • sayoung's avatar
    sayoung
    Explorer
    May 28, 2023
    I really don't know about Ca but was the tree yours or your neighbors ? Was it dead or a healthy living tree. If it was a dead tree on your neighbors property then they are liable but if live it's an Act of GOD. My Daughter went thru a similar tree problem last year
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    May 28, 2023
    Can you/ have you been inside to look for damage??
  • SweetLou's avatar
    SweetLou
    Explorer
    May 28, 2023
    sayoung wrote:
    I really don't know about Ca but was the tree yours or your neighbors ? Was it dead or a healthy living tree. If it was a dead tree on your neighbors property then they are liable but if live it's an Act of GOD. My Daughter went thru a similar tree problem last year
    The trailer is stored on my Washington property and it was my tree
  • SweetLou's avatar
    SweetLou
    Explorer
    May 28, 2023
    rhagfo wrote:
    Can you/ have you been inside to look for damage??
    I will be there on Tuesday but from what a friend told me who has looked at it, not to be hopeful. Large tree and the limbs probably went thru the roof. I'll know Tuesday

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