Do you need to take out insurance for your trailer in order to use it legally? In this full article, we take stock of your obligations. Find out here the criteria for whether or not you should take out trailer insurance. You can also find information on the price of insurance contracts according to coverage levels to help you compare trailer insurance contracts.
Is trailer insurance compulsory or not?
If you are towing a trailer or caravan, you may need to purchase special insurance. To find out if you are required to take out a trailer insurance contract, you must refer to the weight of the towed vehicle . You must know the GVWR (Total Permitted Weight) of the trailer.
There are two main scenarios.
- For a trailer with a GVW of less than 750 kg, then the auto insurance of the towing vehicle is sufficient to use the trailer. We then say that the trailer is covered free of charge, its insurance being integrated with that of your auto insurance, the civil liability being sufficient to cover any costs.
- For a trailer with a GVW of over 750 kg, then you need protection through trailer insurance separate from auto insurance.
If you have the obligation to take out trailer insurance as we have just seen, you must choose a contract that offers at least coverage with civil liability.
However, you are free to choose a contract with extended protection, which protects you in particular in the event of theft or fire, or even damage to the trailer.
You can ask your auto insurer for the protection of your trailer, or choose a contract with another insurer.
Note: for trailers weighing more than 500 kg once loaded, it is necessary to comply with an obligation of registration at the prefecture.
Below this weight, you do not have to apply for a registration certificate. All you need to do is put the same license plate as your car on the back of the trailer for easy identification.
What license for trailer insurance?
In addition to the issue of insurance for the trailer you are using, you should also be interested in the driver’s license required to drive that trailer. Once again, it is necessary to refer to the total permissible laden weight, now adding the weight of the trailer or caravan to that of the vehicle.
By obtaining the overall PTAC, three scenarios are possible.
- If you obtain a GVW of 3,500 kg or less, you can drive with your classic car driving license (license B). No specific license or training to follow.
- For a GVW of between 3,500 and 4,250 kg, the rules change. You must have followed the B96 training – 7 hours training in addition to your B license – or hold a BE license.
- Finally, with a cumulative PTAC greater than 4,250 kg, the BE license is compulsory, and simple B96 training is not enough.
Note about the B96 training that it takes place over one day, broken down into two parts. The first part, lasting four hours, takes place out of circulation, then a circulation part takes place for three hours. The cost of this training is around 300 €, without any exam to be taken at the end of the day.
The price of trailer insurance according to the guarantees
The price of trailer insurance varies greatly depending on the choice of cover you want to take out. If you want to limit the cost of this protection, and opt for inexpensive insurance, you can settle for liability coverage . This covers you for all bodily injury and material damage that the trailer may cause to a third party. As a rule, with most insurers, you will also have access to criminal assistance in the event of an accident. You can also have assistance in the event of an accident at no extra cost.
If you choose a more comprehensive trailer insurance plan, the price will be higher. In particular, you can opt for comprehensive trailer insurance or comprehensive trailer insurance . With options such as protection against the risks of fire, explosion, theft and vandalism, you can obtain a very comprehensive contract.
Be aware that there are offers of trailer insurance with prices lower than 100 € per year. You can find a full contract with comprehensive insurance at € 200 for one year.