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Old 02-02-2018, 03:30 PM   #21
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I've been with State Farm for my house and car insurance for over 25 years. So, it seemed natural to call him when I needed insurance on the bus. I went back-and-forth with his office crew for a few exchanges (all negative) before he jumped in and asked for a face-to-face.

When I went to see him, he tried for nearly an hour to talk me out of the whole bus-conversion thing. He even said he had "called the home office" and spoke to an underwriter who "basically said we will not insure this no matter how you describe it".

About four months later he called and asked for another face-to-face. At that meeting he told me of some sort of State Farm conference he went to. At that conference he listened to a State Farm employee talk about a bus conversion that they insured. He quipped afterwards "I guess there's hope...." Heh, I was not amused.

So at the point I go full-time (if that time ever comes), I'm nearly convinced I'm going to drop State Farm completely and go with Progressive for everything. I might be swayed, but I am pretty miffed.

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Old 02-02-2018, 03:51 PM   #22
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There are a few posts here in Michigan where other members have had good luck, even a number for the contact for state farm... May be worth a call
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Old 02-02-2018, 04:00 PM   #23
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I'm with State Farm (30 years) and while they will not insure it before a conversion, they have no problem insuring it as an RV once the minimum requirements for RV status have been met.
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Old 02-02-2018, 04:02 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
I'm with State Farm (30 years) and while they will not insure it before a conversion, they have no problem insuring it as an RV once the minimum requirements for RV status have been met.
That's what State Farm told me too.

Having not yet tested their promise, I can't say if they will eventually do it.
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Old 02-02-2018, 04:02 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
I'm with State Farm (30 years) and while they will not insure it before a conversion, they have no problem insuring it as an RV once the minimum requirements for RV status have been met.
That may be your experience, but my State Farm agent said that they would probably not insure it even if RV status was met.
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Old 02-02-2018, 04:07 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by MarkyDee View Post
That may be your experience, but my State Farm agent said that they would probably not insure it even if RV status was met.
I suspect that State Farm uses different underwriters for re0insurance in different parts of the country.

As a company, most insurers carry some liability themselves but re-insure a lot of stuff. Whether they will insure your conversion probably depends on which underwriters they use locally, or by state.

The underwriters carry the risk, so they decide what they will insure. When I asked my agent in Tulsa he couldn't give an immediate answer. He came back to me after consulting with the underwriters and they said they would do it. Things could change but right now it's okay.

Often, policies from brokers come either in the broker's name, or the name of some company you've never heard of. That's usually because they are underwritten by a Lloyds syndicate (Lloyds of London).

Lloyds is not a company, it's a re-insurance market-place made up of hundreds of syndicates. Each syndicate acts independently and they get their funds from private investors. So many of them specialize in tiny market segments where they become experts in the particular risk.

A good broker can plug into that network.
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Old 02-02-2018, 04:11 PM   #27
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That may be your experience, but my State Farm agent said that they would probably not insure it even if RV status was met.
I would have kindly dropped all my insurance with that agent and find another one. I'll gladly give you my agents number who will gladly accept your business.
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Old 02-02-2018, 05:01 PM   #28
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I keep seeing people associate how a bus is titled with how they insure it.

I have NEVER been asked by my insurance agent how any of the three buses that I have titled and insured were titled.

They were all titled as RV's as soon as I bought them and all insured as a commercial vehicle for personal use until the conversion was complete.

The first one was completed and the insurance switched to RV with the same carrier. My insurance agent says that the current two that I am working on will be exactly the same.

I did wonder if my insurance company even has the ability to look up the title/registration info. They don't. They can look up the VIN info that says they are buses just like we can but no more.
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Old 02-02-2018, 06:03 PM   #29
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Most insurance agents exhibit a considerable amount of frustration when presented with a bus. I tried to investigate what had been contributing toward the bad bus stigma that we all feel at some point or another. Everyone I've talked to absolutely will not answer questions based on their resistance to give out policies. They were very concerned with what I intended to use the bus for. Apparently somebody has been using buses for nepherious purposes. I don't know if that means hauling goods interstate or what.

If I had committed to converting this bus to a RV, I would still be sitting here with no insurance. That was not an option. They were ok with me making this into a fishing cabin though. Let's call it a conversion van for fishing. I figure I can do anything that can legally be done to a conversion van. You know, shag carpet ceilings and little moon shaped windows and stuff.
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Old 02-02-2018, 06:35 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by brokedown View Post
Lots of insurance threads here where people insured as a MH and got their policy cancelled. It's hard to get a policy in Florida unless you just don't ever bring up that you're converting it when purchasing your commercial policy.
I had no trouble getting my bus insured here in FL, actually by an Allstate agent over on your side of the state.
They know it's a conversion, and I just typed up what I said to them on the other insurance thread
I think the most important question was do you live full time on it, and that answer should be NO.
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Old 02-03-2018, 11:42 AM   #31
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Any advice for me finding an insurance company that will insure a party bus? How do I go about in finding a company? Should I not tell them what it is going to be used for and if not, then what do I tell them? Thanks.
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Old 02-03-2018, 11:56 AM   #32
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Originally Posted by efrem08 View Post
Any advice for me finding an insurance company that will insure a party bus? How do I go about in finding a company? Should I not tell them what it is going to be used for and if not, then what do I tell them? Thanks.
Are you wanting to charge money to ride on this party bus? If so you'll need a DOT number, CDL, and all that jazz.
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Old 02-03-2018, 11:59 AM   #33
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Yes I would be charging to board the party bus. Is there something different I can tell the insurance companies so I'll be able to get insured?
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Old 02-03-2018, 12:00 PM   #34
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Yes I would be charging to board the party bus. Is there something different I can tell the insurance companies so I'll be able to get insured?
You don't want to lie if you're using it as a commercial bus. You want all the coverage you can get.
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Old 02-03-2018, 01:12 PM   #35
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There is a distinct difference in keeping your mouth closed instead of offering unsolicited information, but that's talking about skoolies.

Commercial use for any purpose is a whole different ballgame. Getting caught using a bus for commercial purposes would undoubtedly cost you several times the cost of commercial licensing fees.

At one time I wanted to use a bus as a sort of taxi or designated driver between strip clubs in the local metropolis. Too much paperwork for me.
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Old 02-05-2018, 02:09 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin97396 View Post
it's a van or truck or whatever you want to register it as. Whenever you retitle it as a motorhome, then you need to get motorhome insurance that will very much resemble the commercial policy for private use.

My bus is titled as a van. It is actually a van. No walls, no plumbing and a minimal electrical system. I can still actually empty this van out, which backs the whole van theory. I wasn't going for the motorhome build, as this is a basic fishing shack.
"
HEY this is just what I am talking about too. My bus will rip the seats out no plumbing, no walls, and minimal electrical system. SO how did you get it listed as a van b/c this is just what I am doing!? and are you saying this is the way to go? and its called a commercial vehicle for personal use is what I need to tell them. right?
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Old 02-05-2018, 02:17 PM   #37
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Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
I'm with State Farm (30 years) and while they will not insure it before a conversion, they have no problem insuring it as an RV once the minimum requirements for RV status have been met.
What are state farms minimum requirements?
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Old 02-05-2018, 02:49 PM   #38
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Originally Posted by efrem08 View Post
Any advice for me finding an insurance company that will insure a party bus? How do I go about in finding a company? Should I not tell them what it is going to be used for and if not, then what do I tell them? Thanks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by efrem08 View Post
Yes I would be charging to board the party bus. Is there something different I can tell the insurance companies so I'll be able to get insured?
East Coast is right, you *WILL* definitely need commercial passenger coverage for use as a party bus. You'll also either need the DOT numbers and authority, but many of those also set up as limousine services (this allows dark tinted windows and alcohol, among other differences). You can go either way, depending what state you're in, but no matter which, you *DO* need that commercial coverage.

For your own protection, along with the passengers you haul, **DO NOT LIE ABOUT THIS TO GET YOUR POLICY** And most states *WILL* check to make sure you have the correct coverage before giving you whatever permits/licenses/authority to operate as a passenger hauler.
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Old 02-05-2018, 04:20 PM   #39
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What are state farms minimum requirements?
I just read this 10 minutes after they closed for the day, I'll check with them tomorrow and post back.
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Old 06-22-2018, 07:28 AM   #40
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lol girl cave evokes funny thoughts.
ROFL

Good to see that I'm not the only one here with a bent brain...
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