Reasons why insurance co. don't like school bus

[cadillackid]

Risk assessment .. for every well built thought out Skoolie you see here are 10 that are peeps slapping a house frig in with bungees behind the driver or stuffed full of kayaks and canoes without regard to safety so yeah the BUS will stay together but a crappy conversion will kill quicker than a stick motor home. Buses are cheap to replace for an insurer but the medical is not even a minor crash becomes major when a Coleman stove beans the driver in the head... we only see a small fraction of Skoolie builders here.. not nearly all are built like most here do
Christopher

[skidfrog]

I suppose our own words get us in trouble....BUT.....I just got a quote for a mini I was interested in. I did not mention bus...….I said it was a GMC 3500 cutaway but they said they couldn't quote me without a vin# so I gave it to them. The dealer is pissed because he swears he discussed with MTO and they're fine crossing out "bus" and putting "commercial cargo van"......but the broker came back and said Vin# came up "bus"......and will not accept what MTO says. $4800 take it or leave it.

[Pizote]

Today I talked with an agent from Allstate in California (initially I talked to one in FL) and they are able to write policies for school bus conversions both professionally and home grown.

As an example:
2007 IC CE300 costs $100 and change per six month policy for 100/300 LIABILITY ONLY

Add Comp/Collision to that by a "professional" ( I've done several home remodels and building projects) with a $45K value after conversion (self-valuated) and the COMP/COLLISION policy for six months goes to just under $300 inclusive of liability.

The FL agent's contact info is:
Kelly Newsome

(\/)
( . . )
c(")(")
Phone 352-326-9300
Fax 352-326-3931
Email kellynewsome1@allstate.com

The CA agent's contact info is:
Joe Lehr
707-546-3700
JOELEHR@allstate.com

NOTE: They are full aware that this bus is registered in VT as a MH with a CA address.

[skidfrog]

I'm still working on it...….I know a couple of people locally who have advised me online they're paying under $650 annually for a full sized bus.

I have been advised to do a quick and dirty convert to RV......but to even drive it off the lot I need insurance first.....and can't plate it until then. So....I'm curious......the dealer is being very helpful and he may find me a way to insure and plate as a cargo van. If I manage that I'll pass the procedure along here.

Second plan is to throw a sleeping bag / a bucket / a jar of water / a battery and a coleman stove on the floor and get a friendly mechanic to say "RV conversion.....check"....again.....the dealer may help me with that too

[Pizote]

I told the agent that it was bare bones for insurance purposes and that I would be doing the conversation. They were totally ok with that. Didn’t care really.

As for registration as an RV, I went the Vermont registration path.

So now I have a bus in the middle of conversation registered in Vermont with a California address and insured by Allstate as an RV.

[Elliot Naess]

Please be aware that the agent does not have the final say. Your new policy will be reviewed by an underwriter at headquarters, and they can reject it -- which means they would cancel it and send you a pro-rated refund.

Let's hope not, but it happened to me with my first bus (before Millicent).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwriting

[Pizote]

Good thing for me they sent it to underwriting prior to issuing the policy.

[Elliot Naess]

Well, splendid!