Will insurance co honor title change?

[PigPen]

As some of you know, we just bought a ford e450. As the title currently reads, its a minibus. I've seen these retitled as many different things, including a van. They're size and shape make it a bit easier than bigger buses it seems.

I nearly bought a similar bus and when I went to insure it, they were more than happy to insure it as a van because the seller had retitled it and thats what their systems showed. This was nice because it allowed me to avoid the commercial division.

I am buying out-of-state and want to get temp tags to get it home legally. To do so I need insurance, but I can't retitle until I'm in my home state. This means I have to insure the vehicle at least temporarily as a bus.

My question is whether or not this will make it hard for them to ever insure it as anything but a bus?

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by PigPen

As some of you know, we just bought a ford e450. As the title currently reads, its a minibus. I've seen these retitled as many different things, including a van. They're size and shape make it a bit easier than bigger buses it seems.

I nearly bought a similar bus and when I went to insure it, they were more than happy to insure it as a van because the seller had retitled it and thats what their systems showed. This was nice because it allowed me to avoid the commercial division.

I am buying out-of-state and want to get temp tags to get it home legally. To do so I need insurance, but I can't retitle until I'm in my home state. This means I have to insure the vehicle at least temporarily as a bus.

My question is whether or not this will make it hard for them to ever insure it as anything but a bus?

if all you are doing iooking to get home then re-title it.. call your current ins company and just tell them you are buying a new vehicle and want to find out if you are covered for a short time on your current policy while driving the new vehicle? I know my insurance company will do this.. I buy a new vehicle and im covered for up to 30 days in my new vehicle under my current policy... that would give you the ability to drive it home then re-title it and write a new policy for it.
-Christopher

[PigPen]

Great idea. I'll call now. TN doesn't require proof-of-insurance for temp tags either, so this could be easier than I thought.

[PigPen]

So they say that while I have a 30 day extension on new vehicles and that they will cover any potential accidents, relying on this will still leave me at risk legally as I wouldn't have official proof of insurance. Is this correct? It seems counter-intuitive that the vehicle could simultaneously be insured and at risk of being ticketed for not being insured.

[jake_blue]

Not to throw a fly in your ointment but a personal vehicle insurance policy may not provide any liability protection on the purchase of a new commercial grade vehicle but that will all depend on how your insurance company looks at the vehicle which oftent imes depends on how your state looks at the vehicle. It is better to ask first than to get caught without.

[cadillackid]

jake may be right.. I dont know.. but the proof of insurance is your current insurance card and a bill of sale stating you just bought the vehicle in the last 30 days.

thats OHIO.. I dont know about your state
-Christopher

[PigPen]

So I got quoted with Progressive on a 12-month bus-for-personal-use policy at less than $350 for slightly more than minimum coverage. Not bad, but I have some additional questions now.

If I were to insure it as a bus, how would this change the titling/registration process (if at all)?

Also, does the fact that the e450 cutaway chassis is used for standard RVs mean I may have an easier time insuring it as an RV down the road? My thinking is that it may look better on paper than a full-size bus.

[cadillackid]

if this is a ford E series cant you just insure and title it like a club wagon?

[PigPen]

I don't believe so, but I'd love to be wrong. I went in to the local notary to ask about retitling, but she told me that I couldn't do that and the only thing I can do is change the registration. She also told me that anything with a GVWR over 10000 requires a CDL in PA.

From literally everything I've read/learned on the subject, these are far from correct.

[jake_blue]

Originally Posted by PigPen

I don't believe so, but I'd love to be wrong. I went in to the local notary to ask about retitling, but she told me that I couldn't do that and the only thing I can do is change the registration. She also told me that anything with a GVWR over 10000 requires a CDL in PA.

Well I wouldn't trust the opinion of a notary for matters relating to the motor vehicle bureau... which both of those opinions are. If the GVWR issue was accurate then even an RV would require a CDL and we know that not to be true. CDL requirements are a federal standard, not the state even though drivers licenses are administered by the state. It's a huge, confusing mess.

As far as retitling, again this is the DMV;s purview and the only thing I can imagine would involve a notary is if the DMV requires the forms indicating the title change to be notarized. In Indiana, the form is just an inspection form signed by a police officer that the vehicle meets the description of the requested change but the parameters are vague so it helps to know a cop!

[PigPen]

In PA notaries handle the entire titling and registration process. She should have known, but is definitely wrong. Sounds like my best bet for now is to register it as a truck and I can pick my own gvwr for registration purposes as long as it is between curb weight and the declared gvwr. My yearly fee for registering it will end up between 150 and 300 depending on the weight I declare and my insurance will be 320 for 12 months.

[PigPen]

just wanted to update: cadillackid, you were right! When I took it in I explained my situation. She was like, 'so what do you want.' I replied that I wanted my bus to be fully legal in the cheapest way possible. She told me to give her some time to make some calls and try out some different combinations, and club wagon worked.

[sinapu]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

if all you are doing iooking to get home then re-title it.. call your current ins company and just tell them you are buying a new vehicle and want to find out if you are covered for a short time on your current policy while driving the new vehicle? I know my insurance company will do this.. I buy a new vehicle and im covered for up to 30 days in my new vehicle under my current policy... that would give you the ability to drive it home then re-title it and write a new policy for it.
-Christopher

Hi Christopher , I ended up buying an E450 bus with a 6.0 diesel. I let my insurance lapse with GEICO and now I need to get it back to New Hampshire, any ideas what I can do to get it temporarily insured down here until I get it home? Thanks, Roger

[Dapplecreek]

Originally Posted by sinapu

Hi Christopher , I ended up buying an E450 bus with a 6.0 diesel. I let my insurance lapse with GEICO and now I need to get it back to New Hampshire, any ideas what I can do to get it temporarily insured down here until I get it home? Thanks, Roger

Try calling this nice lady:

Marie Ruiz
mruiz@aisinsurance.com
voice 866 570-7335 x 78802
fax 800 498-3293

[cadillackid]

once you Lapse its a bit tougher... every state seems different too..

I have one bus insured with a Motorhome title and one thats still a bus.. both through preogressive Commerical for personal Use and they havent said a word... I paid for the year upfront.. I check online every now and then to make sure my policy is still in force.. all good.. im in Ohio... progressive is HQ in Ohio so im guessing they have the best license to insure everything in Ohio...

an E-450 van you should be able to insure it like a CLub-wagon... ive seen a couple others insure that way.
-Christopher

[Stu & Filo. T]

I got mine thru Good Sam (National General) and theres two things they asked that would have killed it.

1. Is it a van chassis .
2.Has the suspension been altered in anyway.

[sinapu]

Originally Posted by Dapplecreek

Try calling this nice lady:

Marie Ruiz
mruiz@aisinsurance.com
voice 866 570-7335 x 78802
fax 800 498-3293

Thanks for the suggestion, I made the mistake of telling them it was a shuttle bus which they wont insure