More Vermont registration problems

[musigenesis]

So, I finally got my new license plates from Vermont. Now I am trying to get insurance (just commercial liability insurance and not full-on RV insurance) and I've run into a problem that I don't understand since tons of other people seem to get VT license plates.

I contacted Kelly Newsome at Allstate and according to her I can't get insurance (of any kind) for my vehicle since I do not reside in Vermont. The only option I apparently have is to get Pennsylvania insurance (since I reside in PA and my bus is titled in PA as well) and then get some sort of temporary tag from PA so that I can at least move my bus occasionally. But I don't know if this is even possible, not to mention that this would waste the $300 and the two months+ I just spent trying to get Vermont tags.

I'm very confused by this as it doesn't seem to be something that anybody doing a skoolie with the Vermont registration thing has ever run into. What am I missing here?

[PNW_Steve]

Is the bus titled/registered in VT or PA?

The insurance companies that I have dealt with are more concerned with where it is "garaged" than where it is registered.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by PNW_Steve

Is the bus titled/registered in VT or PA?

The insurance companies that I have dealt with are more concerned with where it is "garaged" than where it is registered.

Bus is titled (as BUS) in PA and registered (as MH) in VT. I had to do it this way because Vermont won't re-title a vehicle older than 15 years, and Pennsylvania will not register a vehicle as a motor home until it's completed and inspected (I could have registered it as a bus in PA, but this would have cost $850 a year and I couldn't have driven it without a CDL).

I just got a quote from State Farm for $2000 a year, which is not very fun. Fortunately it looks like I can get liability from AIS (National General) for $500, although like everything skoolie-related I'll believe it when it's in my hand.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Bus is titled (as BUS) in PA and registered (as MH) in VT. I had to do it this way because Vermont won't re-title a vehicle older than 15 years, and Pennsylvania will not register a vehicle as a motor home until it's completed and inspected (I could have registered it as a bus in PA, but this would have cost $850 a year and I couldn't have driven it without a CDL).

I just got a quote from State Farm for $2000 a year, which is not very fun. Fortunately it looks like I can get liability from AIS (National General) for $500, although like everything skoolie-related I'll believe it when it's in my hand.

I think you are at the point where the VT. registration is a benefit. You couldn't register your BUS in Pa. because the title and registration reflected that. But now you are wanting to register your Vt. RV. in Pa. You shouldn't need to do anything but insure it and register it in Pa. now. There is no title, does Pa. require one on a vehicle that old?

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by o1marc

I think you are at the point where the VT. registration is a benefit. You couldn't register your BUS in Pa. because the title and registration reflected that. But now you are wanting to register your Vt. RV. in Pa. You shouldn't need to do anything but insure it and register it in Pa. now. There is no title, does Pa. require one on a vehicle that old?

Ah, I probably titled this post wrong, sorry. My actual Vermont registration has come through and all is copacetic on that front. My current problem is getting insurance for this period where I have not yet completed the conversion (once it's completed I'll be able to have it registered in PA as a MH and then I'll be able to get normal RV insurance).

I do have the bus titled in PA now, in my name.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Ah, I probably titled this post wrong, sorry. My actual Vermont registration has come through and all is copacetic on that front. My current problem is getting insurance for this period where I have not yet completed the conversion (once it's completed I'll be able to have it registered in PA as a MH and then I'll be able to get normal RV insurance).

I do have the bus titled in PA now, in my name.

Can you not transfer your RV registration to your current address in Pa. and then insure it as a MH/RV? What am I missing

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by o1marc

Can you not transfer your RV registration to your current address in Pa. and then insure it as a MH/RV? What am I missing

PA won't just do the registration-transfer thing. Even in that scenario, they require an inspection to prove that it has been actually converted to an RV.

The core of my problem is finding a way to be able to drive the bus legally before I have finished converting it.

[peteg59]

Not sure why playing the system would be easy and problem free.
I'd think it'd be easier to register in the state one lives in or holds their driver license in.
The headaches one experiences in trying to beat the system would drive me nuts!

[musigenesis]

I'd think it'd be easier to register in the state one lives in or holds their driver license in.

This might be true in states other than Pennsylvania.

The headaches one experiences in trying to beat the system would drive me nuts!

I'm under the impression that what I'm doing is entirely legal - and in fact everything I'm doing is so that I can drive my bus legally, so I'm not sure why you're determined to characterize it as "playing the system" and "beating the system".

[john61ct]

Playing by the rules staying within certain states would simply mean giving up on what this forum is all about.

Our founders intentionally designed a radical setup where you can shop jurisdictions. Nothing illegal about it, what freedom's all about!

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Ah, I probably titled this post wrong, sorry. My actual Vermont registration has come through and all is copacetic on that front. My current problem is getting insurance

Yes.

Start a new one titled "need a good specialist agent in PA, liability only while converting"

or something similar.

Plan B, insure it as being "garaged" in VT. Won't actually pay out, but you're legal to drive, for a while anyway.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Playing by the rules staying within certain states would simply mean giving up on what this forum is all about.

Our founders intentionally designed a radical setup where you can shop jurisdictions. Nothing illegal about it, what freedom's all about!

Ha, I thought you were talking about the founders of skoolie.net at first.

[peteg59]

Originally Posted by musigenesis;326065 I'm under the impression that what I'm doing is entirely legal - and in fact everything I'm doing is so that I can drive my bus [I

legally[/I], so I'm not sure why you're determined to characterize it as "playing the system" and "beating the system".

If you weren't playing the system, you'd have registered it in PA. even though it cost more.
Instead, you're trying a work around of some sticking point in DMV laws where you reside in order to drive your bus.
While it might be legal, it's unethical and could be troublesome for you IF you were ever in an "at fault" motor vehicle accident in it.
But good luck doing what you're trying to do...

[john61ct]

I thought the point was not saving money, but that PA flat out has no path in their regs.

And "unethical", really?

[peteg59]

Originally Posted by john61ct

And "unethical", really? Attachment 33395

Ask your insurance agent what they think...^ Why do you think it's not so easy in finding insurance coverage if you have multi state documentation, or are not upfront with them about your vehicle's current state of construction.

If anyone feels good about having documents from various states for their vehicles, good for them.
It will be an eye opener for you if you're ever in an at fault accident. Especially if someone gets hurt.
Good luck. I've made my points. Have at it, if that's your way to get things done.

[cadillackid]

I didnt even know you could title in one state and register in another... i wonder if thats where the issue comes in? they feel theres some hanky-panky going on so wont insure it?

[joeblack5]

I don't understand either. I thought the whole deal with the Vermont title was that they did not require proof of conversion. Once you have it titled as rv or motorhome you can retitle it in pa as such . of course you would have to pay the sales tax and titling fee. License plate and such.

I bought dory in north Carolina.. Got a temp registration to legally drive it to pa. On the temp. Registration converted it in pa to comply with the rv requirements in pa. With that documentation I applied directly for a motorhome registration. I thought the process was pretty easy and conveniently legal.

[john61ct]

I was not saying anything about insurance, nor them paying out.

Just getting it legal with the state, which requires you to **have** insurance, while working on the conversion.

This goal

Originally Posted by musigenesis

The core of my problem is finding a way to be able to drive the bus legally before I have finished converting it.

Originally Posted by joeblack5

Once you have it titled as rv or motorhome you can retitle it in pa as such

Registration in VT does not get you a title if it's over 15y.o.

[want2camp]

Originally Posted by musigenesis

Bus is titled (as BUS) in PA and registered (as MH) in VT. I had to do it this way because Vermont won't re-title a vehicle older than 15 years, and Pennsylvania will not register a vehicle as a motor home until it's completed and inspected.

There seems to be some confusion here. Vermont doesn't issue titles for vehicles older than 15 years of age, they issue you a transferable registration. This is what everyone used back in the day before titles became a thing. Your PA title is now useless, you may still have it in your possession because you didn't need to send it in due to your vehicle being over 15 years of age but it isn't worth the paper it is written on. You can not use it to prove ownership or transfer ownership. Your VT registration is now the legally binding document proving ownership and is all you need to sell your bus to another individual. The idea behind doing the VT thing is now you have a VT registration that says motor home that you can take to your states motor vehicle department and transfer it to that state, since it says motor home your state should register it as a motor home (if your state issues titles for vehicles over 15 years of age they will do so). Call your motor vehicle department and tell them you have a motor home registered in VT that you want to transfer to PA, don't mention anything about it being a bus or something that is or isn't converted. See what they tell you you need to do.

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by want2camp

There seems to be some confusion here. Vermont doesn't issue titles for vehicles older than 15 years of age, they issue you a transferable registration. This is what everyone used back in the day before titles became a thing. Your PA title is now useless, you may still have it in your possession because you didn't need to send it in due to your vehicle being over 15 years of age but it isn't worth the paper it is written on. You can not use it to prove ownership or transfer ownership. Your VT registration is now the legally binding document proving ownership and is all you need to sell your bus to another individual. The idea behind doing the VT thing is now you have a VT registration that says motor home that you can take to your states motor vehicle department and transfer it to that state, since it says motor home your state should register it as a motor home (if your state issues titles for vehicles over 15 years of age they will do so). Call your motor vehicle department and tell them you have a motor home registered in VT that you want to transfer to PA, don't mention anything about it being a bus or something that is or isn't converted. See what they tell you you need to do.

What happens when I try and register my 15yo bus in a state that requires a title for any 25yo or newer. I can now never register that vehicle in that state.
I agree with the "tell them you are transferring your registered MH to Pa." The OP said the conversion needed to be inspected, but at this point we are not talking about a conversion, we are talking about a registered RV or MH.