AAA Reviews

Eight years after I added our utility trailer (used for hauling our personal possessions) to my AAA card for $40 per year, I found out that RV Plus is a total sham for all trailers! It is of virtually no use for the very purpose that most trailers would buy it for. It only covers trailers when you aren't actually using them! The product is marketed broadly under the catch-all banner of 'RV and Trailer Coverage,' creating a powerful false impression. A reasonable person buys it assuming, 'If I get stranded with my trailer, they will rescue me.' Instead, they are hiding a structural bait and switch trap in the fine print. The bait: They sell you a premium membership extension that explicitly lists 'utility trailers' as an eligible vehicle type. The switch: They bury a 'must be empty' operational clause in the contract terms that effectively nullifies the coverage for 99% of real-world utility trailer use cases.

Characteristics of a sham: A sham product is fundamentally deceptive if it cannot perform its core intended function during a normal emergency. It preys on consumer assumptions: Auto clubs know that people do not pull empty utility trailers for recreation. They pull them to move things. By decoupling the trailer frame from the items inside it, they are selling a 'rescue plan' that forces you to abandon your cargo or pay out-of-pocket anyway. It uses technicalities to avoid payouts: They pocket your premium membership fees year after year. Then, when you are at your most vulnerable on the side of a highway, they use corporate liability exclusions to deny you the exact service you paid to receive. It transfers 100% of the risk to you: You pay them to absorb the risk of a roadside breakdown. Instead, their policy ensures that you bear the entire financial and physical burden of transloading your furniture, trash, or valuables on the shoulder of a road.

Conclusion: For a utility trailer owner who uses their equipment to haul cargo rather than trash, this coverage is a waste of money and a completely misleading product. It is a legal permit that protects the auto club's bottom line, not a safety net that protects you.