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This is largely an urban legend. Towing forums have pages and pages of arguments about this exact topic and no one can ever seem to cite and actual instance of it happening. The whole concept of insurance is to cover people when they do dumb things. The general criteria an insurance company has to meet to deny a claim is to prove you willfully set out to defraud them. Towing overloaded isn't close to that.Most insurance companies will deny any claims, and you’ll be stuck footing the bill yourself.
I do know that they grilled me on why I wanted to see the policy jacket to actually read how they determine coverage. They were not very forthcoming with the information. They did say that adjusters have a lot of latitude to decide if something is covered or not.
Real world experience is that everything is fine until something happens. If you get caught being overweight you are screwed. But if you hurt somebody, God forbid kill somebody, while being overweight then you are done.Any real-world experiences?
Not really feeling taking out another mortgage to buy one of these new $$$$ trucks just for that. As well, the other 50-weeks of the year my truck is basically a commuter vehicle.
They were actually the reason that I found out I was required to carry a different collision policy on my camper. Geico said no, and they showed me where it is a requirement in my state. I think their main thing was thinking that I may have had an accident that I hadn't filed a claim on and that I was trying to figure out if it were covered. Once I was finally able to articulate that I just want to know how they determine what is covered vs what is not they seemed to calm down a bit.They were likely scared that you were about to jump ship. An insurance company that is confident in what they sell and service wouldn't be so on-edge about such a simple request, and would have simply asked how you wanted it and where to send it.
I dunno, man... if I got that kind of treatment in just asking for a copy of the fine print (w/o having filed any claims or complaints otherwise), I'd immediately start looking for another insurance carrier.
If they treat you like that over a simple request for documents that you are fully entitled to, imagine how they'll treat you if you have to file a claim.
This.My 4th-Gen Hooptie Edition has among the puniest tow ratings alive for this forum (4400 lbs), and it is my grocery-getter, my homestead mule, and it occasionally gets pressed into service as a parade float dragger for my local American Legion post. So, yeah, I totally get it.
That said, instead of busting limits when I bought a trailer, I stayed below them (okay, barely, but...) My trailer is only 22' long, and weighs 3600 lbs dry. Gives me 800 lbs of room to play with (minus 240lb water and 60lb or propane, but 500lbs of food, dishes, and clothing is a pretty freakin' tall order to fill...) I suggest that you may want to do the same, for reasons that everyone else has articulated (insurance, -safety-, etc.)
Normally, you size the truck to the RV, but very few people do that (and neither did I, which is why I did it the other way 'round). Normally it's no big deal, until you go big ( >30' long ). If you truly need that really big 35' trailer, costing $$$$$($$!), you may seriously want to consider at least buying an old used 2500/3500 to drag it around with. Here's another reason why...
I could, on a practical front, get away with busting my puny 4.4k limit if I wanted to (I won't), because no cop is going to pull over a half-ton dragging a small trailer that doesn't visibly squat the bed. OTOH, a half-ton pulling a really, really big trailer is going to get the attention and notice of nearly every stater, deputy, and cop that is sufficiently bored and behind on his quota. You may find yourself getting pulled over, and either asked to produce a CAT receipt or get directed to the nearest weigh station if there is one. In Oregon, you get fined for every 100lbs over your GVWR/tow limit...