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Old 03-10-2017, 10:24 AM   #1
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Insuring Conversion in Michigan

Anyone else from Michigan and have difficulty with insurance?

We thought we had a plan worked out that our agent had found for us, but she called us about a week later saying they were going to have to cancel it due to it being a bus conversion (the title was changed and its registered as a motorhome, its when they run the vin number I think that they encounter the issue).

We ended up using another agent who went through a dozen or more places and found roughly the same problem. Things would seem to be ok, we would get a dollar amount and what the policy would cover, then when she would go to submit all our information for one reason or another they refuse to insure it.

So right now our rig is uninsured which is obviously unacceptable and we're sorta stuck until we get this figured out. Apparently the insurance agents around my area haven't dealt with this sorta thing enough to know how to handle it, so I was wondering if any other Michiganders had any advice. Thanks in advance!

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Old 03-10-2017, 10:56 AM   #2
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I will be getting insurance for our conversion here in Birch Run, MI. in a month or so. If you figure yours out i would appreciate hearing where you went for it. I'll let you know what we figure out too,

Bill
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Old 03-10-2017, 11:02 AM   #3
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THis is why I'm more than hesitant to re-title my buses.

Can you change the title back to bus?
Then you could probably just get a commercial policy for private use.
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Old 03-10-2017, 11:11 AM   #4
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they can be titled back to busses but in many states that means CDL required to drive it...

in my case DEV is over 26k GVWR so in ohio id have to have a CDL even for personal use of driving it.. with a medical cert on file if I want to drive it out of the state...

in ohio a DOT number isnt required because it isnt driven for commerce.. but the CDL would be unless the title / Reg is a motorhome.

RedByrd on the other hand is easy and is still a bus and legally driven without CDL because it is 17,500 and is set up to seat 14.. so its simply like a club-wagon van..

I like to think its a Federal mandate for anything over 26k to require a CDL of some sort..

-Christopher
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Old 03-10-2017, 01:00 PM   #5
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And i was wondering how it works for most people. I have been putting off getting the insurance as the conversion is not done yet. And I imagine the insurance company will want to come out and take photos. I am still working on the wiring, and the appliances are not in yet. (Many of the wiring terminations are behind the appliances.) so I was hoping to get it to where it looks mostly finished.
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Old 03-10-2017, 01:08 PM   #6
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I insured mine through National General online. Liability only runs us about $520/year for our 2000 shuttle bus. They didn't want to see pictures and it's listed as a conversion. The online price was a bit cheaper than calling Nat Gen direct.
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Old 03-29-2017, 10:05 PM   #7
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Did you ever find an insurance carrier?

Bill
Birch Run, MI
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Old 06-10-2017, 07:07 AM   #8
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Nobody's insuring my bus

I'm in Michigan and no one will insure my newly purchased bus. Progressive =NO, AIS=NO, National General=NO, The General=No, Meemic=NO, Farm Bureau=NO,several others=NO. Ive called farmers that have busses and asked who they use buy they both hung up on me. Has anyone obtained insurance for their new bus within the last 3 months in Michigan? I need insurance to obtain plates. Please help. If I'm not able to insure it then it's for sale.
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Old 06-10-2017, 03:26 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyLow View Post
I'm in Michigan and no one will insure my newly purchased bus. Progressive =NO, AIS=NO, National General=NO, The General=No, Meemic=NO, Farm Bureau=NO,several others=NO. Ive called farmers that have busses and asked who they use buy they both hung up on me. Has anyone obtained insurance for their new bus within the last 3 months in Michigan? I need insurance to obtain plates. Please help. If I'm not able to insure it then it's for sale.
did you CALL progressive COMMERCIAL? Not consumer and not online.. you are looking for commercial vehicle for private use. and 'YES its Staying a BUS' is all they have to know. keep that while converting, then gert RV insurrance once your bus is built

-Christopher
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Old 06-10-2017, 04:24 PM   #10
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Christopher, your a genius! They
asked a lot of a very detailed questions. I had to take a couple deep breaths, but in the end they gave me a commercial policy.

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Old 06-27-2017, 09:45 AM   #11
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Unhappy

Quote:
Originally Posted by cadillackid View Post
did you CALL progressive COMMERCIAL? Not consumer and not online.. you are looking for commercial vehicle for private use. and 'YES its Staying a BUS' is all they have to know. keep that while converting, then gert RV insurrance once your bus is built

-Christopher
This has not worked for us unfortunately. We were told that Michigan is a state that must have a business use to obtain commercial vehicle insurance. We cannot even get someone to give us a quote. I have two buses, one for personal conversion and one for business conversion, and one of them I can't even find temp one day coverage to drive the thing home.

Anyone have any luck with any other insurance agencies?
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Old 07-12-2017, 01:06 PM   #12
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I am getting around to doing this the next few weeks hopefully. I will let yall know if I have any success
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Old 07-12-2017, 01:33 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by BVicius View Post
This has not worked for us unfortunately. We were told that Michigan is a state that must have a business use to obtain commercial vehicle insurance. We cannot even get someone to give us a quote. I have two buses, one for personal conversion and one for business conversion, and one of them I can't even find temp one day coverage to drive the thing home.

Anyone have any luck with any other insurance agencies?

I noticed michigans rules were stiffer than ohio's too in regards to both comverting a motorhome title and also in wehat constitutes required CDL..

in ohio you can leave it as a bus if you just have enough seats for 14 or less passengers + driver.. I noticed in MI they go totally on manufacturered capacity...
-Christopher
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Old 08-01-2017, 11:19 AM   #14
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We have had our bus one week here in Michigan. Our agent Brad Budka at State Farm in White Lake , managed to insure it for one year liability only with an inspection in one year to show we converted to motorhome. I cannot get a title on it , the Lapeer Secretary of State is as confused as me and wants to charege me over $1k to license as as non commercial bus private use or as a motorhome based on weight or original selling price for even more money! so I am still working on that.
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Old 08-01-2017, 12:01 PM   #15
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I really am not trying to come across as a smart ass, but damn, It may be time to find a new state to live in.
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Old 08-01-2017, 12:02 PM   #16
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Indiana is nice....
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:44 PM   #17
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So is Montana, with much more room too!
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Old 08-01-2017, 08:26 PM   #18
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That's why we got a bus! Will escape Michigan !
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Old 10-31-2017, 12:44 PM   #19
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Unfortunately we still haven't found insurance. This is incredibly frustrating by this point. Has anyone else had any luck? We wanted to get our rig on the road and travel by Thanksgiving but it's looking less and less likely the further down this insurance rabbit hole we go
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Old 10-31-2017, 01:52 PM   #20
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DMV's in any state can be as clueless as the day is long. The "country" SOS offices seem to be better informed than the "city" offices about doing commercial to private title changes.

In Michigan, commercial registration goes by weight and personal goes by original purchase price (Ad Velorem). Try the link below for more info.

SOS - Vehicle Base Prices

Once you've read through the website you'll probably know more than the SOS employees. It took our office 5 titles to get it right.

To convert the title they'll give you an affidavit to sign stating that you've done the conversion - no inspection necessary. I got my title changed over to "motorhome" a few days after bringing it home and the seats were still in it. Showing them receipts for bedding, cooking and heating parts helped.

I got mine insured through National General online. Doing it online was a bit cheaper than calling. Liability only.
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