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Old 09-21-2017, 07:51 PM   #1
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Vashon, Washington
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Insurance Help Needed

Hi there,

I'm ten minutes new here and I promise I'll introduce myself and my skoolie very soon, but first:

I'm in insurance HELL trying to get this shortie insured.
My auto insurance company, Progressive, turned me down.
National General turned me down.
A local independent agent I called here in Salem (Oregon) turned me down and told me to try RV World (or something like that) and THEY won't insure a converted bus.

So far, the only "conversion" I've done is pull out all the passenger seats.

Does any one in Oregon have any recommendations?

Thanks!
lori

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Old 09-21-2017, 07:59 PM   #2
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Well welcome to the Skoolie world. I am from Florida so I can't help you pe se but your issues are felt in every state.

I ran into the same issues calling many insurance companies. Keep calling. I eventually was insured by Allstate. I have had other people on this forum get insurance through Progressive and others. Some words of advice, be honest with them, don't try to mislead them. It seems to be the agreement that you will have better luck if you go through an agent not calling their 800 number.
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Old 09-21-2017, 08:03 PM   #3
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Maybe call a local agent, don't mention the word "conversion"?
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Old 09-24-2017, 01:39 PM   #4
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Hi,
Having the seats out and no conversion yet is a good thing.
Oregon has a thing against insuring home converted RVs, there are no building codes that you have to go by. If it is professionally converted you will be able to find insurance.
We are in Philomath, just west of Corvallis.
Here is what we did. Keep in mind we have not and do not intend to do a full conversion. We are using it for a tent on wheels/ hauler. We registered it as a 2 passenger van not an RV using ODOT ORS803.435. The registration fee is determined by weight of the van + # of passengers x 150#. If that is under 8000# the registration fee is only $55 plus title transfer. In Oregon RV registration fee is determined by the length. Then we took it to our State Farm agent. He did go around with head office a bit, because the vin # comes up as a bus 0-30 passenger. But... because we had the seats out and had it registered as a van, he was able to secure us a commercial liability policy for about $30/month.
Cathy
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Old 09-24-2017, 02:09 PM   #5
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In Mo i was having the same problem. I wound up with National General partial conversion insurance. High priced for about 2-3 months and then changed over to Farm Bureau.
Once you already have insurance then in my case they wanted to steal me fom National General and no photos needed and the insurance covers any trailer i pull and what is on it. My bus has a Class A Motor home title.
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Old 09-25-2017, 12:20 PM   #6
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Join Date: Sep 2017
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Then we took it to our State Farm agent. He did go around with head office a bit, because the vin # comes up as a bus 0-30 passenger. But... because we had the seats out and had it registered as a van, he was able to secure us a commercial liability policy for about $30/month.
Cathy[/QUOTE]

I just got off the phone with State Farm and explained my situation:
60-year-old, non-party animal just looking to get an empty school bus insured so I could use it to haul my tools around to help people, for free.

They turned me down.

I even referenced you having gotten insurance on your bus from State Farm. "We stopped writing bus insurance policies; I don't know when"
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Old 09-25-2017, 12:22 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Versatile View Post
In Mo i was having the same problem. I wound up with National General partial conversion insurance. High priced for about 2-3 months and then changed over to Farm Bureau.
Once you already have insurance then in my case they wanted to steal me fom National General and no photos needed and the insurance covers any trailer i pull and what is on it. My bus has a Class A Motor home title.
National General said they will NOT insure the bus unless it's been converted to their specs: permanent sleeping arrangements, permanent cooking arrangements, etc.
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Old 09-26-2017, 01:14 PM   #8
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I have the same as ForBears… State Farm has me as a commercial basic liability since mine is for "hauling my artwork and supplies"… I haul them quite comfortably, thank you! They have it as a G-30 Chevy box van… I, too, recommend walking in as opposed to 800#s!
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Old 09-29-2017, 01:26 PM   #9
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Got insurance!

Thanks to all who suggested I go through a local agent! I found one who helped me get a commercial policy...with Progressive (who carries the insurance on my autos and who, ironically, turned me down when I called their 800 customer service line)
It's just over $500 for a year--more than I thought I'd spend--, but it gives me a year to remodel if I want and come up with something else.
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Old 09-29-2017, 07:23 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whywalk View Post
Thanks to all who suggested I go through a local agent! I found one who helped me get a commercial policy...with Progressive (who carries the insurance on my autos and who, ironically, turned me down when I called their 800 customer service line)
It's just over $500 for a year--more than I thought I'd spend--, but it gives me a year to remodel if I want and come up with something else.
I have my insurance through Progressive Commercial (**BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IT AND THEIR PERSONAL AUTO DIVISION!!!**). My insurance is about the same price, or about $50 a month.
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Old 09-30-2017, 02:23 PM   #11
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Lori try the commercial side of progressive. I'm In SC but I'm sure they have it nationwide. Nationwide won't touch em either so now progressive has all 4 of my cars as well. Let's teach these insurers a lesson hit em in the wallet!

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