I need help locating auto insurance for the bus. I have spoken with Geico and Progressive. Both said no can do due to it being a conversion. Progressive gave me the number for American Choice Insurance and they just said the same thing. Who will insure a Conversion bus.
Thank you ahead of time.
Dominic
I have mine thru State Farm.
We're with Progressive, but I'm sure that this is different on a state-by-state basis.
My suggestion would be to work through an independent insurance agent who has access to various company's products and who can shop this around for you. If your conversion is not complete it might be more difficult, and be sure to never use the word 'bus' when talking to insurance people. Assuming that you have the coach titled and registered as a motor home, then you are shopping for insurance for a motor home, not a bus and not a bus conversion.
Might try these guys. ;D
https://www.aisinsurance.com/products/recreational-vehicle/bus-conversion.aspx#t2 (https://www.aisinsurance.com/products/recreational-vehicle/bus-conversion.aspx#t2)
I have AIS also.
They insure my "snowbird" plated stuff in AK,FL,AL,MN and AZ.
And provide "fulltimer" on the coach.
Since 2002.
USAA has a third party i go thru. Foremost
The title reads Make - MCI. Body style MH..
When they ran the vin, they came back and stated that MCI is for Motor Coach Industries which made Bus's exclusively. So it appears yours is a conversion and we can not insure it. I have not called the other people listed.
Thank You for the assistance.. I am on a project outside of Midland that its expecting to finish up in the next 3 weeks or so and then I will likely be going to Indiana for a couple months followed by project in San Antonio.
Looks like the bus will be getting a couple of decent voyages this year so insurance is a must..
Dominic
I insured mine through Texas Farm Bureau, but I bundled my house and 3 other cars with it. I was with State Farm before that. I recommend a bundled policy if you can.
David
There were more than a few professional conversions done on a new MCI chassis. Custom Coach did many, kind of like Marathon does with Prevost. It's my understanding that MCI sold shells, just like GM, Prevost, and other companies.
Regardless, it is possible to get insurance. Maybe you need to find a Progressive agent and show them photos of your coach so that they'll see its a motor home.
Using the term "bus" with insurance companies is not wise, to them, RV is the magic word. The fact that your MCI is a 1967 model year is probably another factor. My insurance company, Pekin, challenged insuring my 1984 Eagle saying that it was a bus when new, but I provided proof that it was always an Entertainer Coach from new with a bathroom, kitchen, and sleeping arrangements, in fact, it was a Senators Coach leased out to various groups. The Underwriters that work for these companies are inconsistent and rely on computers too much. Different people working for the same company will come up with different answers. Just keep inquiring around using the terms Motor Home or RV.
Will Do.. thank you
If your coach is titled as a motorhome/house car, then ask for insurance for a MOTORHOME. Couple factor having an effect on coverage is the state you are in, the stage of conversion, agency, and use (Fulltime vs recreation). Good news is virtually all who want insurance can find a policy.
As mentioned the title does say MH, so thats a good start. The conversion is 100% complete even though its a bit dated. New headlights just came in today. Both windshields are cracked, so if needed before an inspection I can order replacement windshields. All the tires are dated but in good condition as the MH has been stored inside when not in use for the last 20 years.
All mechanicals work good. just need the insurance so it can get registered.
Or do as I did when I was initially turned down by Allstate. I reminded my insurance agent that I have been with them for over 25 years and by being turned down, I asked if they were suggesting I find another agent and agency for ALL my insurance needs? His response was to let me know that they found a way to insure my bus at an amount I suggested. Be a proper customer and demand respect from them for your money.
I'm not sure if it's been mentioned already. I noticed that I couldn't get full insurance unless I had a person come out and assess value. However, I was able to get the minimum stuff to be legally on the road.
I finally got Progressive after dumping National General that would only due liability. Had to go through an agent in Oregon, provide detailed pictures and give an estimated value if I had to replace it with something from Ebay or some other site. Took a few weeks to finalize the policy.
The lady from Progressive seems to get stuck in a loop. "What is the Model? I can not put motor home in the space. I need a model before we can move forward."
My response was "I am reading the title off to you under model is just says MOTOR HOME"
This was the beginning of a loop back to the question "What is the model"
On our 4106 when they asked the model question I told them 4106. Then they wanted photos and a copy of the title to demonstrate that it was a motor home. Then we had insurance.
I had to have my coach ( M C I )appraised before I could insure it . the cost was $ 250 and after it was done I had no problem getting full replacement insurance
dave
Sometimes its not funny, but I recall doing the registration initially. They had a problem with using the complete: motor coach industries. Reply was, it wont fit. I thought ? Many responses but said can you just use the initials, MCI. That worked for the name anyhow, just as most MVI inspectors would write on their paperwork.
In the model, I would use or try hard to use the original model. I think this is, in its best interest as it directly relates ( to DOT, an actual officer ) the manufactured characteristics of the vehicle or equipment. I say this becaues they " do" have a list with serial locations and other specifics. And actually when they call in or now days just type it in on their mobile laptop, well it comes up on screen correctly in short order.
Now if and when rebuilding a bus to an RV type, your state has a name or designation for such vehicle ( it could be motor home ). In this case I would look and or ask personell in that specific office. Like here the Officers have and wear the brown uniform. They also give the drive test, inspect the inspector mechanics on procedures and paperwork.
Good day
Floyd
Quote from: brmax on May 23, 2018, 05:26:23 AM... Now if and when rebuilding a bus to an RV type, your state has a name or designation for such vehicle ( it could be motor home )...
Yes, in North Carolina, the designation is "House Car" (or HC in documents where they us a two-digit code). Having that opens lots of doors for you. I think that the House Car thing is a pretty venerable classification and isn't in step with modern terminology but it's the way to go in NC (and I'm told other states).
They have mine as SE05 Eagle MH
...Progressive.
Quote from: Oonrahnjay on May 23, 2018, 05:46:16 AM
Yes, in North Carolina, the designation is "House Car" (or HC in documents where they us a two-digit code). Having that opens lots of doors for you. I think that the House Car thing is a pretty venerable classification and isn't in step with modern terminology but it's the way to go in NC (and I'm told other states).
Of all the different labels given to bus conversions, house car is the most fitting. I pondered this awhile back and thought it really is a house and a car (motorized vehicle).
A motorhome is not nearly as precise a label. It is a lot more than a motor and generally more a house than a home unless you FT and have no other place you could call home.
Quote from: windtrader on May 23, 2018, 11:33:27 AM
unless you FT and have no other place you could call home.
it is for this very reason that my vehicles and homes/properties are not bundled
vehicles. rolling stock are with Progressive and real estate is with a private group that sells to commercial interests only...not affiliated with a national brokerge, ie: they don't communicate.
when i took my 1947 white out on its first trip, i called my (at the time) american family agent insure it and all he offered was liability, put it down as a camp bus
i need to insure it again this year and thought about haggerty or some other of the antique vehicle insurance companys.. it is a 47 and has won throphy's at 2 car shows i stopped in at ..
has anyone done this with a vintage bus yet
Another +1 for State Farm from a local agent.
A few others were willing to cover an already converted coach, but at least a few required an appraisal or inspection.
I got ahold of AIS Motor Home Insurance. All they offered was liability for an extreme price.
I got ahold of a broker that Progressive suggested because they wouldn't insure it. The broker came back today with an extremely low liability rate and a not so bad rate for full coverage. Both rates were through Progressive. It would be nice if someone over there could get there head out of their rectum.
Someone at some point registered my MH as an MCA rather than an MCI.. that appeared to make all of the difference.
Whiskey runner: I have three coaches with Condon & Skelly. Agreed value. registered as antiques. fully seated coaches. not motorhomes. Bummer is C&S stopped writing policies for buses. I am grandfathered, but no more new policies. Wife says they are trying to tell me something. I don't get it! My fourth is with Hagerty. More expensive than C&S, but agreed value antique, and same full coverage as C&S. I do not know if Hagerty will do motor homes. I doubt it.