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08-10-2020, 10:08 AM
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#1
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Aug 2020 Best RV/Motorhome/Skoolie Insurance for California
In an attempt to get clear accurate up to date info that is state specific i am hoping to get a thread going about insuring a skoolie conversion insured in the state of California. I have been surfing the threads on "Titles, Insurance, Rego & $$ matters" and although they have posts from 2020 all of the relevant info is from 2017-18. A lot is changing as more and more skoolie builds hit the road and its seemingly a bit harder too. Hopefully threads like this can make some of the harder tasks a bit easier.
We have a 2006 Thomas Safety Liner. Its been gutted, and the exterior is finish painted. We went thru the process of registering it in Vermont as other threads suggested, and it worked! Now i have a running bus with legit tags and rego. But no one seems to want to insure it in CA until it's fully converted. Geico, GoodSam, the like all turned it down until FINISHED! thats gonna take me years!! And ill need to drive it on the road in this time. Is there any work arounds, smaller insurance companies, etc that anyone knows about that still work here in August of 2020? Thanks in advance for your info!
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08-11-2020, 09:48 AM
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#2
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Stanardsville, Virginia
Posts: 165
Year: 2006
Coachwork: International
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 30
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Does California let you register it as a bus for personal use? Then you could get bus insurance and just change everything when you’re done
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08-11-2020, 10:58 AM
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#3
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by witchywoman
Does California let you register it as a bus for personal use? Then you could get bus insurance and just change everything when you’re done
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Thanks for the reply. I have the bus registered. I just need to get it insured before i have the build finished. How did you get your skoolie insured?
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08-11-2020, 12:27 PM
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#4
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Skoolie
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Stanardsville, Virginia
Posts: 165
Year: 2006
Coachwork: International
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: 30
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I called Kelley Newsome from All State. She is based out if Florida but she works with reps from each state who will insure Skoolies before they are built. I had my insurance the same day. She has a firm you need to fill out and then she works with her contacts and gets back to you. I can’t remember her info but you can search her on here.
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08-13-2020, 01:02 AM
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#5
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 4
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Amazing local CA agent
Just worked with an awesome CA-local agent, Chris Pearson of Diamond Valley Insurance Services, Inc., and got signed up for insurance in less than an hour!
He's experienced, lively, smart, and so, so easy to work with.
Hope this helps! Highly recommend!
Chris Pearson
chris@diamondvalleyins.com
951-553-7400 Office ext. 210
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08-14-2020, 10:20 AM
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#6
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by witchywoman
I called Kelley Newsome from All State. She is based out if Florida but she works with reps from each state who will insure Skoolies before they are built. I had my insurance the same day. She has a firm you need to fill out and then she works with her contacts and gets back to you. I can’t remember her info but you can search her on here.
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Thanks for the tip! Im going to try next!
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08-14-2020, 10:21 AM
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#7
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skye
Just worked with an awesome CA-local agent, Chris Pearson of Diamond Valley Insurance Services, Inc., and got signed up for insurance in less than an hour!
He's experienced, lively, smart, and so, so easy to work with.
Hope this helps! Highly recommend!
Chris Pearson
chris@diamondvalleyins.com
951-553-7400 Office ext. 210
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Super great intel, thank you! Ill give them a try as well..
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08-14-2020, 10:24 AM
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#8
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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*update* 8/14/20
I have now tried Good Sam, Geico & Progressive. All say they will insure but when it comes down to it the all want the bus fully converted (toilet, shore power, refrigerator, sink, etc. etc.). So still nothing. Im going to check the couple recommendations from this thread and a couple others i have. Stay tuned!
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08-14-2020, 10:50 AM
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#9
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New Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 4
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I found that if you call insurance companies directly, aka not through an agent they'll reject you, but if you go through a local agent they make it work and help facilitate the process.
If you call Chris, let him know Ari recommended you!
Also noticed your handle — are you an acupuncturist? Free and easy wanderer is an herbal formula!
Good luck!!
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08-16-2020, 08:03 AM
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#10
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skye
I found that if you call insurance companies directly, aka not through an agent they'll reject you, but if you go through a local agent they make it work and help facilitate the process.
If you call Chris, let him know Ari recommended you!
Also noticed your handle — are you an acupuncturist? Free and easy wanderer is an herbal formula!
Good luck!!
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Thanks again! I actually did talk to him and he’s working it out !! Was getting defeated being turned down so much. Thanks for the link! No I’m not an acupuncturist but I Know the formula and that Is whee the name came from 😉
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08-16-2020, 01:04 PM
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#11
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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How were you able to register it without insurance? Most states require proof of insurance before even considering registration. Look for a "commercial for private use" policy.
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
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08-16-2020, 02:47 PM
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#12
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc
How were you able to register it without insurance? Most states require proof of insurance before even considering registration. Look for a "commercial for private use" policy.
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Right! it’s like the old mos DEF adage “why do I need ID to get ID!?” There’s no standard domestically. Vermont allows rego First, from outta state, With meeting some basic criteria (see other threads on Skoolie). CA really allows none of it until it’s all “finished” and “fully converted”.
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08-16-2020, 03:52 PM
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#13
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freeandeasywanderer
Right! it’s like the old mos DEF adage “why do I need ID to get ID!?” There’s no standard domestically. Vermont allows rego First, from outta state, With meeting some basic criteria (see other threads on Skoolie). CA really allows none of it until it’s all “finished” and “fully converted”.
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Ya, the more you mention it, I'm registered in Vt. and don't remember having to show POI then, or on renewal. Here in Ga. they want insurance before they even talk to you.
__________________
I Thank God That He Gifted Me with Common Sense
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08-18-2020, 02:26 PM
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#14
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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08-18-2020, 03:14 PM
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#15
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john61ct
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Thank you, this is very helpful! I will try this if the one I found doesn’t work. Higher up in this thread there is a guy named Chris @ Diamond. He’s great and has us covered!
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08-19-2020, 04:08 PM
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#16
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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*Update number two from August 19, 2020*
through diamond insurance we managed to get a progressive policy started and within one calendar day they had reviewed and canceled it or rather claimed to cancel it (it is still not canceled?) We are waiting for the cancellation notice to come in in the meantime looking for more options.
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08-19-2020, 04:49 PM
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#17
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Northern California
Posts: 44
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FC
Engine: Cat C-7
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We went through our State Farm agent. He covered it before it was converted as Commercial for private use and after re titling as RV.
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08-19-2020, 04:53 PM
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#18
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Northern California
Posts: 44
Year: 2005
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: FC
Engine: Cat C-7
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I was able to when we first got ours and brought it down from Washington State. This was its first verification as a commercial for private use. Later a second verify for RV. Your first reg will be commercial so be prepared to take it hard in your wallet if its California
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08-19-2020, 05:32 PM
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#19
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Mini-Skoolie
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Nevada City, CA
Posts: 37
Year: 2006
Engine: Caterpillar C7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChuckRatto
I was able to when we first got ours and brought it down from Washington State. This was its first verification as a commercial for private use. Later a second verify for RV. Your first reg will be commercial so be prepared to take it hard in your wallet if its California
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Thanks for the reply ChuckRatto. We got it registered already and it wasn't too bad. Its the insuring a [1/2 built comm>rv] 30' skoolie thats become the issue. We insure our cars with Geico and they dropped a hard NO right out the gate. But the guy referred earlier up in the thread, Chris Pearson from Diamond Insurance in SoCal, is really going to bat for us trying to find trustworthy insurance that will protect our dealer bought, bank loaned home on wheels.
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08-19-2020, 11:15 PM
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#20
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
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