HI All,
I'm having problems buying insurance. It seems that most of the big companies are no longer insuring bus conversions that are non-professionally converted (that would be most of us). Who can I call right now for a yes answer??
My findings so far:
Progressive: wont insure bus conversions.
Geico: wont insure bus conversions.
Good Sams Club Insurance: cant get a yes or no answer, have been waiting days for a reply.
National RV: Wont insure bus conversions.
I have Progressive. Just tell them it was professionally converted by a company that is out of business. Good Luck, TomC
I've got progressive, it's just a stated value comprehensive policy. They also insure my 1988 International S1654 truck that's got a 1 ton dually bed on it as a non-commercial vehicle.
This is what Progressive says, and the 12,000 lbs and cooking facilities things would be a disqualifier, no?
Additional eligibility requirements for:
trucks, SUVs, vans, conversion vans, customized or other modified vehicles
The vehicle cannot be any of the following:
a vehicle with a load capacity greater than one ton or a gross vehicle weight greater than 12,000 lbs
a micro truck, step van, panel van, cutaway van, flatbed, dump truck, or wide load escort vehicle
a vehicle equipped with cooking facilities, drinkable water supply system, bathroom facilities, propane system, refrigeration system, or 110/125 volt electric power system
a vehicle equipped with a snow plow in any of the following states:
AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, WA, WV, WY
Yes, it will be a commercial policy, not a regular automotive policy. My Int'l S1654 is a commercial policy (dictated by the vehicle type/specs/gvcw), but with non-commercial rates due to it not being used for commercial use.
I just tried Progressive again, through the RV insurance portal, and it seems like it worked. For whatever reason, it didn't work through the main page option to build a quote.
I use USAA but it seemed like it was a 3rd party that USAA backed. Also, I couldn't get full coverage without a value estimate. I wasn't willing to do all that so I just got the min insurance needed.
This might be a communication problem. Tell your trusty knowledgeable long term insurance agent what you want. Tell him NON COMMERCIAL motor coach ownership.
It is possible your agent is confusing your Bus Conversion with any other COMMERCIAL vehicle. It is not. This is a problem I had many years ago with Progressive Insurance.
You can nudge your agent to do THEIR job. They will not want to, but if you suggest you may change agents, you might be surprised at their effort helping you.
But ... Progressive may also have changed their company policy towards Bus Conversions. All they wanted way back then was sleeping and cooking facilities.
The need for a "Professional Conversion" is just an excuse? It also may tie into the misunderstanding what your Bus Conversion is. You have a non commercial bus.
Anyhow, good luck binding with insurance. You do NOT want to embellish or lie to your insurance agent. If and when you really need coverage you may not have any.
State Farm insures them
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
USAA currently farms it out to Progressive. Progressive's current line is that they will not insure any bus conversion Professional or other, and I have that from multiple of their phone answerers I had gotten an online quote through progressive for RV insurance, but never followed up when they said no over the phone.
I had heard good sam had no problem with conversions, but getting a quote online was a no go so I have to call to get info.
I just purchased an RV policy through Progressive over the phone yesterday, no issues and great pricing. Told them that it was a MCI MC-12 Bus conversion and they just wanted to make sure it had water/sleeping/bathroom/kitchen.
FWIW, just got off the phone with Sam Good. They will insure converted coaches/buses. They must be already completed conversions and is sounds like there were several hoops lined up for you to jump through. The bus I am buying is not yet converted so they could not help me, but maybe someone else can benefit.
Progressive, through USAA, also literally just told me no to converted buses. Maybe you have a better agent.
I am off to look for a commercial policy to get me home this weekend.
Never call it a BUS, it's a motor home (RV or a conversion if you must), when talking to DMV or insurance, lvmci...
Quote from: j.m.jackson on June 13, 2017, 08:04:21 AM
I've got progressive, it's just a stated value comprehensive policy. They also insure my 1988 International S1654 truck that's got a 1 ton dually bed on it as a non-commercial vehicle.
Yup. Get a little plaque made giving company name and location as well as an indication they convert busses. Then say you bought it already converted and never bothered retitling it.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Tom you beat me to it,
While it is fun to call it a Bus or Bus Conversion. Look at your registration for what you should call it. Mine say MCI MH (Motor Home). So that is what I told my agent.
Or ask them for agreed on value. You and your agent will agree (or Not) or a reasonable replacement value and that's what it will be insured for.
Insuring my Bus (oops...MotorHome) was a nightmare. RVer Insurance Exchange helped me get insurance through progressive. I think they think TMC stands for Thor Motorcoach Company, though. Lol. I tried to tell them, but oh well.