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Old 04-08-2021, 12:07 PM   #1
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 261
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466 / MD3060
Pre-Conversion Insurance with Progressive

Skoolie Fam! Just wanted to share my experience getting insurance for the drive home - PRE-CONVERSION - with Progressive!

Based on everything I've read (thanks Skoolie Fam!) - we need a "Commercial Vehicle for Personal Use" Liability Policy. Those are the magic words apparently. You will get a different policy with a different carrier when your conversion is complete.

My experience:
1. Go online to Progressive Commercial ( https://www.progressivecommercial.com/ ) and start the "quote online process" by entering your zip and selecting "Commercial Auto" - click GET QUOTE.

2. On the next page, in the upper left, there is a little "REQUEST A CALL" button. DO THIS!
(Don’t waste your time calling the 1800 number - I spent a total of 40 minutes, 3 separate calls on hold until I clicked this REQUEST A CALL button - then I got a call in 1 minute and was talking to an agent in 4 minutes.)

3. Be super nice to your agent - they're your friend now
Key points: You have a "Commercial Vehicle for Personal Use" - tell them you're going to use it for storage on your property - “hey it's cheaper than a shipping container or free-standing shed!”

4.THE BIG QUESTION: They will ask "What kind of vehicle is this?" I started with "1995 International" and when he asked again I just told him "it's an old school bus, we got a killer deal on it!"
My agent was super cool about it, and didn’t skip a beat when I said “school bus”
Don’t mention anything about your conversion, RVs, motor homes, or anything like that - this policy is ONLY for the bus pre-conversion. You will have to call a different insurance company (I hear State Farm) for the RV / Conversion insurance.

5. Provide your VIN#, all drivers’ information (name, age, birthdate, driver’s licence #, etc)

6. They will run some numbers, and ask some questions about the vehicle:
- how far will the vehicle be driven? (I gave them the miles i will drive the bus home from auction, in my case 250mi)
- what will it be used for? (storage)
- where will it be parked? - (your property)
- does it have a wheelchair lift? (yes/no)
- does it still have all of the seats? (i said maybe, but i will take them out when i pick up the bus, my agent entered “no” on his side)
- just stick to your guns that this is an innocent little storage bus, no big deal!!

7. I opted out of any additional insurance, just stuck to a 6mo. Liability policy covering other’s property - I was off the phone with my policy in 26minutes - $260 for coverage!

I think I got the order of operations right there - bottom line, be friendly, stick to your guns, NO this is not an RV, it is a Commercial Vehicle for Personal Use - Liability Policy (available in 6mo, 12mo, MAYBE 1mo policies)

These guys have a pretty good guide also - https://www.skoolielivin.com/school-...ion-insurance/

GOOD LUCK - DRIVE SAFE - HAVE FUN!!!

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Old 04-09-2021, 09:56 AM   #2
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 261
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466 / MD3060
Just a quick update - got my Progressive ID cards and Certificate of Insurance (electric copies) today! After completing the call with the agent, it took about 20 hours to go live on my progressive account.

Hope this helps someone
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Old 04-19-2021, 05:50 PM   #3
Mini-Skoolie
 
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Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Edmonds, WA
Posts: 13
Year: 2006
Coachwork: International
Chassis: 6-window short bus
Engine: VT365
You posted this thread THEE DAY that I was searching for this information! This was exactly what I needed. I activated my pre-conversion insurance just a few days later. Thank you, Bear!
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Old 04-21-2021, 01:15 PM   #4
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: Texas panhandle
Posts: 39
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Diamond Shuttle bus
Chassis: 2000 Ford E450
Engine: 7.3 liter Power Stroke diesel
Rated Cap: 14050
Insurance and tag

I just used this to get insurance during my build. Was easy and worked great. I, then, went to my tag office and purchased a 30 day tag to use for getting it inspected and any work that I need done.
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Old 04-21-2021, 03:36 PM   #5
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 41
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: Tc2000
Got my bus retitled as a MH...motor house aka rv.
Insirance through state farm took may be 15 minutes.
No need for commercial insurance.
My rate is just under $10 a month
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Old 04-21-2021, 04:02 PM   #6
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Monrovia California
Posts: 151
Year: 1984
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Engine: 3208 turbo Cat
Rated Cap: 78
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bear Gerschafer View Post
Skoolie Fam! Just wanted to share my experience getting insurance for the drive home - PRE-CONVERSION - with Progressive!

Based on everything I've read (thanks Skoolie Fam!) - we need a "Commercial Vehicle for Personal Use" Liability Policy. Those are the magic words apparently. You will get a different policy with a different carrier when your conversion is complete.

My experience:
1. Go online to Progressive Commercial ( https://www.progressivecommercial.com/ ) and start the "quote online process" by entering your zip and selecting "Commercial Auto" - click GET QUOTE.

2. On the next page, in the upper left, there is a little "REQUEST A CALL" button. DO THIS!
(Don’t waste your time calling the 1800 number - I spent a total of 40 minutes, 3 separate calls on hold until I clicked this REQUEST A CALL button - then I got a call in 1 minute and was talking to an agent in 4 minutes.)

3. Be super nice to your agent - they're your friend now
Key points: You have a "Commercial Vehicle for Personal Use" - tell them you're going to use it for storage on your property - “hey it's cheaper than a shipping container or free-standing shed!”

4.THE BIG QUESTION: They will ask "What kind of vehicle is this?" I started with "1995 International" and when he asked again I just told him "it's an old school bus, we got a killer deal on it!"
My agent was super cool about it, and didn’t skip a beat when I said “school bus”
Don’t mention anything about your conversion, RVs, motor homes, or anything like that - this policy is ONLY for the bus pre-conversion. You will have to call a different insurance company (I hear State Farm) for the RV / Conversion insurance.

5. Provide your VIN#, all drivers’ information (name, age, birthdate, driver’s licence #, etc)

6. They will run some numbers, and ask some questions about the vehicle:
- how far will the vehicle be driven? (I gave them the miles i will drive the bus home from auction, in my case 250mi)
- what will it be used for? (storage)
- where will it be parked? - (your property)
- does it have a wheelchair lift? (yes/no)
- does it still have all of the seats? (i said maybe, but i will take them out when i pick up the bus, my agent entered “no” on his side)
- just stick to your guns that this is an innocent little storage bus, no big deal!!

7. I opted out of any additional insurance, just stuck to a 6mo. Liability policy covering other’s property - I was off the phone with my policy in 26minutes - $260 for coverage!

I think I got the order of operations right there - bottom line, be friendly, stick to your guns, NO this is not an RV, it is a Commercial Vehicle for Personal Use - Liability Policy (available in 6mo, 12mo, MAYBE 1mo policies)

These guys have a pretty good guide also - https://www.skoolielivin.com/school-...ion-insurance/

GOOD LUCK - DRIVE SAFE - HAVE FUN!!!

Thank you for sharing, very helpful for the skoolie community.

J
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Old 04-21-2021, 04:08 PM   #7
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 261
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466 / MD3060
Happy to hear it is working out for others! Just wanted to get my first hand experience out there - often my searches end up leaving me with more questions
I'll let you all know how the Vermont RV title thing works out next!!
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Old 04-21-2021, 05:04 PM   #8
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Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Tri cities washington
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Year: 2001
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: All American/ All Canadian
Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
Just got off the phone with Geico, I was told that because I do not have a CDL; they are unable to insure me.
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Old 04-21-2021, 05:23 PM   #9
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Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
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Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyVet View Post
Got my bus retitled as a MH...motor house aka rv.
Insirance through state farm took may be 15 minutes.
No need for commercial insurance.
My rate is just under $10 a month
Is your conversion completed? Did they inspect it?
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Old 04-21-2021, 10:39 PM   #10
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Location: Tri cities washington
Posts: 5
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Engine: 8.3 Cummins
Rated Cap: 78
I'm about to start my conversion. I wanted to be insured when I go to pick up my bus tomorrow in Tacoma, Washington. But, Geico said they use a 3rd party insurance to do Commercial vehicle for personal use, and they wont insure me with out a CDL.

So save yourself 20 minutes on phone time and skip Geico

Called my local State Farm agent. Was super kind and actual asked me if I was going to turn this into a skoolie. Agent is going to find the cheapest route for me.

I guess I'll be finding out how much that'll be costing me tomorrow morning. I'll update y'all tomorrow.
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Old 04-21-2021, 10:50 PM   #11
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Location: S.E Missouri
Posts: 81
Year: 2000
Coachwork: BlueBird
Chassis: All American
Engine: Cummins 5.9L 24 valve
Rated Cap: 78
I too have State Farm for my personal vehicles but they consider my 1988 F-350 a commercial vehicle because it has dual rear tires and therefor put it on a separate commercial account. That truck costs me about $26 a month but that commercial account gives me 30 days of automatic insurance on anything I buy, including my bus. All I had to do was carry my proof of insurance card from that pickup for the ride home in the bus and now it sits waiting for me to get busy on converting it.
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Old 04-28-2021, 02:03 PM   #12
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Year: 2009
Coachwork: International CE
Chassis: CE
Engine: 7.6
Rated Cap: 26 seats
Thank you, this worked slick

Ok thanks for the tutorial. I bought my bus from the GSA auction site, and it was located in Baltimore. Unfortunately, I live and the bus will reside in California.
So I called progressive, got a 6 month commercial to private policy including collusion, fire, as well as medical and liability for $312 bucks for the 6 months.

I'll convert that to camper insurance once I get the bus outfitted - but I now have the insurance I need to legally drive the bus across country!
Slowstepper - out!
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Old 04-28-2021, 04:21 PM   #13
Bus Geek
 
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by hehewhowhohaha View Post
I'm about to start my conversion. I wanted to be insured when I go to pick up my bus tomorrow in Tacoma, Washington. But, Geico said they use a 3rd party insurance to do Commercial vehicle for personal use, and they wont insure me with out a CDL.

So save yourself 20 minutes on phone time and skip Geico

Called my local State Farm agent. Was super kind and actual asked me if I was going to turn this into a skoolie. Agent is going to find the cheapest route for me.

I guess I'll be finding out how much that'll be costing me tomorrow morning. I'll update y'all tomorrow.
Your State Farm agent is slacking. State Farm insures me in ANY VEHICLE I buy for 7 days to get it home and paperwork worked out, Ga. allows up to 30 days on BOS before registering it. While SF will not insure your "school bus", they will for the 7 day period.
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Old 10-26-2021, 03:24 PM   #14
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 13
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: All American CS-FE
Engine: Cummins 5.9 24 valve
Didn't Work in Florida

I unfortunately just gave this a shot and the Progressive agent told me Progressive is not currently insuring commercial vehicles for non-commercial purposes in Florida.

Thanks for the tip though! I'm sure it will be useful for many people.
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Old 10-26-2021, 03:47 PM   #15
Bus Nut
 
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 261
Year: 1995
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466 / MD3060
Oh no! Sorry to hear that - we're in NV so regulations / availability might be different. I wonder why. . .
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Old 10-29-2021, 03:29 PM   #16
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 16
Louisiana insurance is ridiculous. I did exactly the same thing you suggested with progressive. My insurance is 120 dollars a month for just liability. They did provide me with insurance though.
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