insurance in Ontario Canada??

[Adventurbus]

Shambhala Tinbolle, with what insurance company did you go with? I'm in the process of trying to get insurance on my shorty.

Thanks,
Brendan

[Shambhala Tinbolle]

hi Brendan,

For my bus I'm with Royal Sun Alliance. They will only give me a 'facility' rate until I'm finished my conversion. The rate is just over 2K a year.

Once my conversion is finished, I'll have to get my bus/RV appraised, have pics taken and answer any other questions the insurer has, in order to get an RV insurance rate.

hope this info helps you.

[Shambhala Tinbolle]

.....a quick note....... I have a full size bus. I don't know why it says 'mini-skoolie' under my name. Haven't figured out how to change or correct that.

[Twigg]

Originally Posted by Shambhala Tinbolle

.....a quick note....... I have a full size bus. I don't know why it says 'mini-skoolie' under my name. Haven't figured out how to change or correct that.

You can't change it. It's a system generated descriptor based on the number of posts you have made. It will take care of itself eventually.

[Adventurbus]

Interesting, I got a facilities quote for about $4500 a year and mine is already converted, no tickets or anything, I'm 22. Are there different "facility insurers or something?

I'm currently looking with other insurers and I'm in the process of getting the appraisal and safety and all that. I'll let you know what I end up going with.

Thanks,
Brendan

[superFreddie]

Originally Posted by gbstewart

hi and welcome.
where about's are you?
for insurance try co-operaters i'm with all allstate but they don't do bus anymore
gbstewart

Cooperators had also said just today that inspite of what their web site says they will no longer insure converted buses. Meloche Monnex TD insursnce has also said the same thing. Is anyone having recent success??

[superFreddie]

Originally Posted by gbstewart

It's the start, but once it's converted and registered as a rv and you have something else to insure then it should go down, now I hate to tell you but we pay less then 200. A year, it just went down again, but with that being said I do have lots insured , and is been driving over 38 years
gbstewart.

Gbstewart: who did you get coverage from? I don't know what lots insured is but I've also been driving for a long time , 45 years. Thank you.

[superFreddie]

Originally Posted by Shambhala Tinbolle

hi Brendan,

For my bus I'm with Royal Sun Alliance. They will only give me a 'facility' rate until I'm finished my conversion. The rate is just over 2K a year.

Once my conversion is finished, I'll have to get my bus/RV appraised, have pics taken and answer any other questions the insurer has, in order to get an RV insurance rate.

hope this info helps you.

Thank you Shambhala Tinbolle.

Right now RSA is saying no to me but would you plesse tell me who your broker is? I would try there.

Thanks so much,

Fred

[gbstewart]

Originally Posted by superFreddie

Gbstewart: who did you get coverage from? I don't know what lots insured is but I've also been driving for a long time , 45 years. Thank you.

I'm with all state
gbstewart

[Vlad]

Insurance for my skoolie in Ontario was a real PITA. I tried to call MANY MANY brokers and insurance companies directly.... no luck, they don't even call back...

Luckily for me another skoolie enthusiast from Ontario mentioned James Browning from Wallaceburg The Co-operators. I decided to give it a try.

I called and left a message, thinking another dead end, but to my surprise James Browning called me back in couple of hours and after collecting some info he promised to find right solution for me.

Later the same evening I received insurance quote and the price was another GOOD SURPRISE under $500 annually.

So, try your luck and call him 519-627-3332

Make sure you ask James Browning

[skidfrog]

I'm just going through the same thing right now...I have an almost new GMC 3500 spotted.......the dealer says no problem to register as commercial ( cargo van )....but the broker says she doesn't care what the MTO says....Vin# says "bus" so it will always be a bus no matter what .

Looking for a new broker now .

[LapizLesley]

Originally Posted by Vlad

Insurance for my skoolie in Ontario was a real PITA. I tried to call MANY MANY brokers and insurance companies directly.... no luck, they don't even call back...

Luckily for me another skoolie enthusiast from Ontario mentioned James Browning from Wallaceburg The Co-operators. I decided to give it a try.

I called and left a message, thinking another dead end, but to my surprise James Browning called me back in couple of hours and after collecting some info he promised to find right solution for me.

Later the same evening I received insurance quote and the price was another GOOD SURPRISE under $500 annually.

So, try your luck and call him 519-627-3332

Make sure you ask James Browning

Brand new to the skoolie world - and I am considering the option of raising the roof on ours when we get it. Does anyone know how this will impact the apparently already difficult insurance procedure here in Canada? thanks!

[elwin]

Hello Everyone, after searching and searching for a insurance company to insure my skoolie I came across the name James Browning on this Forum. After a little bit of searching I came across North Kent Mutual Insurance where James Browning is currently at as a insurance agent. I gave him a call at 519-355-8047 left him a message and he got back to me within the same day. I explained to him my situation and he was more than happy to help me out. SOOO good in fact I have switched over all my auto and home policies over. I highly reccomend speaking to James Browning at North Kent Mutual Insurance if you are searching for Motorhome Insurance!!

[Calomnya]

Originally Posted by elwin

Hello Everyone, after searching and searching for a insurance company to insure my skoolie I came across the name James Browning on this Forum. After a little bit of searching I came across North Kent Mutual Insurance where James Browning is currently at as a insurance agent. I gave him a call at 519-355-8047 left him a message and he got back to me within the same day. I explained to him my situation and he was more than happy to help me out. SOOO good in fact I have switched over all my auto and home policies over. I highly reccomend speaking to James Browning at North Kent Mutual Insurance if you are searching for Motorhome Insurance!!

Hi! I'm new to this world and I was about to give up the dream because of the insurance nightmare. I'm glad you were able to track that agent down. I will definitely call him! Thanks for the update 😁 I hope it won't matter that I'm not in the area.

Julie

[DreamWeaverBus]

(responding to RudyTheShuttle) This is awesome! The Conversion requirements for Ontario are exactly the same as the requirements here in Illinois! I'm thinking of moving to Ontario later so this is great!

Oooh, *writes down James Browning at North Kent Mutual Insurance*

[36ftoffreedom]

Originally Posted by elwin

Hello Everyone, after searching and searching for a insurance company to insure my skoolie I came across the name James Browning on this Forum. After a little bit of searching I came across North Kent Mutual Insurance where James Browning is currently at as a insurance agent. I gave him a call at 519-355-8047 left him a message and he got back to me within the same day. I explained to him my situation and he was more than happy to help me out. SOOO good in fact I have switched over all my auto and home policies over. I highly reccomend speaking to James Browning at North Kent Mutual Insurance if you are searching for Motorhome Insurance!!

^^^^^ THIS IS THE BIGGEST BREAK THROUGH I'VE HAD IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS OF LOOKING FOR INSURANCE

Here is my situation: we just bought a full size bus, the bus is already registered as an RV, and was previously insured by the old owner with Certa.
I have been phoning EVERY insurance company - no one will touch the bus. I've tried calling it an RV, explaining its a converted school bus, pretending I just need auto insurance. I've phoned Desjardins, All state, TD, WayFair, multiple insurance brokers, i tried cooperators and they out right hung up on me. Certa wouldn't even insure me which made no sense because the bus was insured with them days before.

BUT THEN I SAW THE NUMBER FOR JAMES BROWNING...

I gave him a call and this is what he told me.

I can get insurance through cooperators but I have to switch everything (home and auto) over with them first. Start by asking to switch all your insurance over then throw the RV into the mix. They should insure it once you have their attention with the other policies. Just asking for RV insurance will not excite them enough to move you forward. Once I have my insurance through cooperators and my safety I can get my etest and get my plates.

Then he told me his insurance company is only interested in already converted buses, he wants to see the finished product. SO once I have the plates, I will put all the necessities in for a "converted bus" you know - the water source, power source, heater, etc, take some pictures and switch over my insurance to them. Then I will hopefully be in the clear and finish off the rest of my actual converstion.

BTW Every insurance company that I spoke to said they have had an influx of people calling in Ontario for school bus insurance and they had no helpful advice on where to look.

[Mauricio8983]

I’ve read many posts from 2017. Back then people were having trouble getting insured. Well, now it’s 2022. Does anybody know of an insurance company that will insure a bus while converting it or a converted bus for that matter?
Why is it such a pain in the butt ?

[Mauricio8983]

These people do not insure Skoolies or buses for that matter. I just got off the phone with a very rude agent.

[Danosh]

Hi there I’m looking at buying a transit bus to convert… however… I’m hitting brick walls with insurance which obviously is nothing new. I’m hoping that someone from Ontario can share their experience of success and direct me to a company that will give me insurance. I have been told that it has to be insured commercial. However, the only thing I’ve been given is a quote that ONLY covers liability not theft, collision or fire because I won’t be using it for commercial purposes (really?!) AND there is no policy to cover a commercial vehicle for personal use. So, basically, I can’t even drive it home with confidence. I cannot believe that there is nothing available at this point. It makes no sense to me.
Is it just this province or is everyone STILL running into these challenges?!

[Dbacks2k4]

Originally Posted by Danosh

Hi there I’m looking at buying a transit bus to convert… however… I’m hitting brick walls with insurance which obviously is nothing new. I’m hoping that someone from Ontario can share their experience of success and direct me to a company that will give me insurance. I have been told that it has to be insured commercial. However, the only thing I’ve been given is a quote that ONLY covers liability not theft, collision or fire because I won’t be using it for commercial purposes (really?!) AND there is no policy to cover a commercial vehicle for personal use. So, basically, I can’t even drive it home with confidence. I cannot believe that there is nothing available at this point. It makes no sense to me.
Is it just this province or is everyone STILL running into these challenges?!

I'm from the States so can't speak to experience, but I remember seeing this video somewhat recently from someone building in Ontario.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-7OOj6VeVNk