Liability

The trailer was in your care. You pay damages. It would not be fair to get the owners insurance involved

When you are the vehicle operator, the financial liability for your mistakes is your liability. Whether or not your insurance pays depends on the terms of your policy. Quite likely you will be out of pocket. Even if your liability insurance covers it (unusual), paying out of pocket and not making a claim might be the less expensive option long term, because your insurer can escalate premiums even if they don't pay a claim.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Call your ins. agent and inquire.

Ditto.

My insurance is such that to get coverage for a trailer or truck camper, there's a "rider" (which is an add-on) to my vehicle policy. Without that "rider" then there's no coverage.

Since the trailer isn't insured by your insurance company, your insurance probably has no effect.

Your truck policy wouldn't cover it even if was your trailer. If the trailer hit a parked car then it would cover damage to the car, but not damage to the trailer. That is what your trailer collision policy is for. I would suspect your friend's trailer collision policy would cover the accident even if you were towing it. Let us know how it all turns out. No good deed goes unpunished.

TomG2 wrote:
Say that I am towing my friend's new travel trailer with my pickup and hit a low hanging tree limb and destroy the trailer's electric awning. Whose insurance pays, minus the deductible, of course.

Dang, I wish I hadn't done that!

The low hanging tree limb is clearly responsible and should pay!

MFL wrote:
Tom, not taking sides here, but Turtle is right, you asked! He and several of us answered, going off original info. If the trailer owner was on scene, was the actual spotter, thinking clearance was good, you needed to disclose this info in OP. IMO, a spotter, especially trailer owner, that you are helping is now responsible, so yes this added info makes a big difference. Her insurance should pay and possible raise in insurance to her.

If you choose to help with the deductible, good for you.

Jerry

I wish life were so "Fair". I think that the insurance companies will take a stand based on black and white. It would not change anything if she said "Whoa" and I went "Go". It doesn't matter to them if the tree was a Maple or an Oak. Coverage is what it is, no more, no less. I got enough different answers to make me look it up myself. Thanks to all for their thoughts and advice. We will split the deductible either way.

TomG2 wrote:
Looking at three or four insurance company websites yields the following general information:
"coverage is extended from your personal auto policy to your camper for liability coverage ONLY."

I am 90% sure this is right. Liability from the tow vehicle extends to the towed trailer. But not property damage (which is what this claim is about). If insurance is involved, it will likely be the insurance that covers the TT.

Tom, not taking sides here, but Turtle is right, you asked! He and several of us answered, going off original info. If the trailer owner was on scene, was the actual spotter, thinking clearance was good, you needed to disclose this info in OP. IMO, a spotter, especially trailer owner, that you are helping is now responsible, so yes this added info makes a big difference. Her insurance should pay and possible raise in insurance to her.

If you choose to help with the deductible, good for you.

Jerry

Looking at three or four insurance company websites yields the following general information:
"coverage is extended from your personal auto policy to your camper for liability coverage ONLY."

IMHO, it depends on whether you are doing it for money or not.

If you are towing her TT for a fee, then you should assume all risk. If you are doing it for a favor and if I were her, I would not ask you to pay for the damage and let my insurance taking care of it. Any problem with insurance, I would pay out of my pocket. It's just me.