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Old 02-12-2013, 04:34 PM   #1
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How to get insurance in Alberta

Hello all

I am new here and i have been planning to buy and convert a skoolie. However, answers in how to get insurance proving elusive. I called the AMA (who i have insurance with) and they said they won't insure until the conversion is completed by a professional with matching documentation AND proof of value by an appraiser... *sniff* it's staring to sound complicated and expensive. Is there any one who's gotten good results with insuring their skoolie recently in Alberta? Canada?
Any suggestions for insurance companies to try that work for canada too? GMAC is not available in canada.


Thank you kindly, eh

Zahra

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Old 02-13-2013, 08:21 AM   #2
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

It pays to shop around....... Check with other Insurance companies....
just food for thought..
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Old 02-13-2013, 07:05 PM   #3
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

Im in Ontario, when I got the bus a only could get insurance from 1 company and they gave us a year to convert in, then I had to get a inspection done on the propane system, then a appraiser to look it over. then I got another quote and a lower price for my insurance. They day I bought it I regestered it as a motorhome before i drove it home it still had the seats in it and still yellow. I think that i would ask them if they just need inspections and the appraisal.
good luck to you
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Old 03-06-2013, 07:45 PM   #4
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

im in SK. yay gov't insurance. licensed as a motorhome. only needs a bed + either a sink/stove/fridge in it. I have a bed and fridge.
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Old 10-03-2013, 11:48 PM   #5
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

Try a different agent, and tell them nothing more than you have to. Don't tell them your plans. Just insure it as is.

My old home town agent would not insure me. I moved a hour away, same company, different agent, in and out for half the cost, insured as a motor home.

Some agents will use anything you say or tell them to try to increase what they can charge you. They are in it for profit.

Nat
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Old 04-13-2014, 09:34 AM   #6
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

Hello, I just got a bus and am in Legal, AB and am having the same issues. Did you ever get coverage?
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Old 04-15-2014, 10:33 AM   #7
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

Quote:
Originally Posted by adamhere
Hello, I just got a bus and am in Legal, AB and am having the same issues. Did you ever get coverage?
Do you have other units insured with them?

My bus is still insured even though it's not driving at the moment. With all this, I'm afraid to pull the insurance off of it.


Nat
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Old 04-16-2014, 01:02 AM   #8
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Re: How to get insurance in Alberta

I didn't seem to have a problem. I phoned my regular agent and gave them the info over the phone. I had them forward a copy of the insurance to the registry office. The registry office transferred it into my name and at the same time registered it as an RV. The registry is Sylvan Lake Registries. This is the second time I've dealt with them in two months and both times they have gone above and beyond for me....I highly recommend them. I will travel the 1/2 hour so I get their customer service again.
While my insurance agent is the same one I've been using for over twenty years and they have me insured thru Wawaneesa, I won't say who they are...just because.
I also agree about phoning around, there was a lot of difference between quotes when I phoned around 25 years ago after first moving into Alberta.
Good luck,

Richard
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Old 12-16-2016, 07:45 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alwaysFlOoReD View Post
I didn't seem to have a problem. I phoned my regular agent and gave them the info over the phone. I had them forward a copy of the insurance to the registry office. The registry office transferred it into my name and at the same time registered it as an RV. The registry is Sylvan Lake Registries. This is the second time I've dealt with them in two months and both times they have gone above and beyond for me....I highly recommend them. I will travel the 1/2 hour so I get their customer service again.
While my insurance agent is the same one I've been using for over twenty years and they have me insured thru Wawaneesa, I won't say who they are...just because.
I also agree about phoning around, there was a lot of difference between quotes when I phoned around 25 years ago after first moving into Alberta.
Good luck,

Richard

What's the insurance broker in Sylvan Lake?
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Old 12-16-2016, 08:20 PM   #10
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I have my bus insured with comprehensive only with Wawanesa. So I can't legally drive it. My broker says once I finish camperizeing it, they will not insure it. I hear a company called "The Personal" will do camperized busses. Please keep us posted with what you find.
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Old 06-13-2017, 08:01 AM   #11
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Insurance alberta

I have recently purchased a 2000 international that had been partly converted, from B.C. After phoning around and waiting on quotes that never came I called a company in my home town. They insured it no problem with hardly any questions asked through a company called "Intact". I found it far more difficult getting the out of province inspection done for my registration.
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Old 06-13-2017, 08:02 AM   #12
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I have recently purchased a 2000 international that had been partly converted, from B.C. After phoning around and waiting on quotes that never came I called a company in my home town. They insured it no problem with hardly any questions asked through a company called "Intact". I found it far more difficult getting the out of province inspection done for my registration.
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Old 06-13-2017, 08:54 AM   #13
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Probably easy to insure because it was already partly converted. I know Intact wouldn't insure mine when it was a full bus.
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Old 06-09-2021, 12:18 AM   #14
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It sure is a mixed bag out there. Guys when post you got insurance please let us know what you are paying. So far the insurance may cost more than the bus! . It kills me that I can call my insurance company and insure a piece of **** 40 year old winibago but a unit that has had a commercial safety inspection every 6 months of its life is a high risk. Not to mention the superior brakes and lighting. What a crock of ****.
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Old 06-09-2021, 12:36 AM   #15
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I’m in at $500/year with full coverage at RV direct insurance but I heard they quit covering bus conversions shortly after I got in. They might be worth a phone call though. The only other one I know about is Nordic insurance; if you find a broker that works with them you should be able to get just liability for $2000/year. I used them for my first year while I did most of the conversion.

There’s another thread about insurance in Canada and it goes back and forth mainly between Ontario and Alberta. There’s a bunch of info in there you might find helpful.
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Old 06-09-2021, 07:38 AM   #16
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Alberta Insurance

I have just recently renewed my insurance with Intact, I just have PL/&PD. My yearly premium is just over $200. I have driven everywhere from the Yukon to New Orleans and the insurance company is fully aware of that. I think as soon as you remove the seats it becomes much easier to insure. That is what they seemed to care about most, so you can’t carry passengers.
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Old 10-26-2021, 10:46 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vaebrin View Post
I have just recently renewed my insurance with Intact, I just have PL/&PD. My yearly premium is just over $200. I have driven everywhere from the Yukon to New Orleans and the insurance company is fully aware of that. I think as soon as you remove the seats it becomes much easier to insure. That is what they seemed to care about most, so you can’t carry passengers.
Do you know by any chance which brokerage or location or name of agent you called? I've tried intact and they have said no, however it seems when you call different people you get different responses. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
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Old 01-19-2022, 07:22 PM   #18
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Insurance in Alberta

Hi! I'm new here. My name is Lindsay and my husband and I recently bought a 2002 Ford E450. I have spent some time this week sorting insurance and wanted to share since I read many of these threads in preparing to call. We live in Calgary Alberta so this may be fairly specific to this area.

I called Westland Insurance and a lovely Broker had no issues in securing insurance through Nordic. While doing the build, we have no comprehensive or collision and once the build is complete, they will cover us for that too provided we have a vehicle inspection and appraisal.

We can’t combine our other vehicles or home insurance (and move them from our current policy/provider) since Nordic only does specialty/high risk auto insurance so no discounts. The Broker did say that she was doing some training soon with the company Aviva Elite and that was the only other company that will maybe take custom conversions (she said she asked around her office to the other Brokers and nobody could come up with anything different).

The cost of insuring our bus through Nordic is $1700/year . We may look at Aviva Elite once she does her training with them (we are currently with Aviva but with the Elite part you need a Broker).
I hope that somebody finds that helpful😊
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