Progressive has online bus conversion options

[Jolly Roger]

I had no problem with nationwide in N.C. But I have been with them for years?
One nation under goat also (in this group) did? Maybe you could ask them where/ what they ended up with?

[Famousinternetjesus]

What company are you going through, have you engaged the services of a specialized broker? What is the vehicle currently registered and titled as? If you are seeking liability only with the vehicle registered as a motorhome, as long as you have a kitchen, toilet, bed and have enough bus seats out you shouldn't have a problem. What state are you in? What's your driving record like, your age etc. I'm 24, and successfully obtained liability from national general using the brokers at AIS they were very helpful

[mowracer]

Waiting to hear from Nationwide in the morning, I called too late and they could not get the policy underwritten today. I had to move my primary vehicle to them in order for them to consider insuring the bus, and it's not definite yet, but looking good. As for things that might affect insurability, none, I'm 40 and driving since I was 16 with no accidents and only 2 speeding tickets which were both dropped - it's solely the way the bus description pulls up in a VIN search. Bummer!

[kanijapukka]

I got insured through progressive before I picked up my bus. I told them it was a motorhome and gave them the chassis info. Guy had to put it into "other". Never once said school bus, never had any problems. That was for very basic coverage though, I think for rarely driven (20 days or less) was $200-300 for the year.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by kanijapukka

I got insured through progressive before I picked up my bus. I told them it was a motorhome and gave them the chassis info. Guy had to put it into "other". Never once said school bus, never had any problems. That was for very basic coverage though, I think for rarely driven (20 days or less) was $200-300 for the year.

But if you do get into an accident, once the adjuster comes and sees what you are driving, couldn't Progressive deny your coverage based on your vehicle being a converted school bus (which they are very clear that they will not cover) and force you to go out of pocket to cover your liability costs? I wouldn't want to take that chance.

[EastCoastCB]

Something similar to that happened to me once.

[mowracer]

Well... My bus is insured and I have a new policy for my daily driver through Nationwide. Ended up being cheaper than my current insurance. Now off to the DMV for registration and plates, I'm sure that will be yet another fun time in the noob bus owner world for me.

[The-Breeze]

I am between a rock and a hard place on all these people applying for insurance thru Progressive. There are many, many horror stories about what happens. Same old stories.

Yeah.... I got insurance thru them!

****....they cancelled me!

I think every time I see the same story...different time I want to scream

"CAN'T YOU IDIOTS READ"

Then, I take a deep breath and think, "what the hell...let them deal with it, no sweat off my brow"

..........and then I think, maybe just maybe, one of these folks will be the one that breaks them and opens the door for others to follow.

[CaptainInsaneo]

Originally Posted by The-Breeze

I think every time I see the same story...different time I want to scream

"CAN'T YOU IDIOTS READ"

Then, I take a deep breath and think, "what the hell...let them deal with it, no sweat off my brow"

..........and then I think, maybe just maybe, one of these folks will be the one that breaks them and opens the door for others to follow.

Never going to happen, any of it...

No1 Reading is a lost art.

No2 Not unless more people get skoolies professionally converted and most pros won't touch a skoolie. That and there are too many Party mobiles filled with drunken revelers, Steel tents, Electrics run with suicide cords/ live skins and out of balance roof raises If you raise the roof you realllllly need to counterbalance the bottom. All they will see is a loss waiting to happen.

[nat_ster]

And this is why I try to get people to stop just slapping crap together.

Nat

[CaptainInsaneo]

Originally Posted by nat_ster

And this is why I try to get people to stop just slapping crap together.

Nat

The idea of a $5000 40' motor home is too appealing to too many people. You know how many times you have burst peoples bubble about that. How many of them say I'll show them and go and do it anyways.

Also how many times do we see something an RV factory did and say WHAT, then we do something better only to be scolded for not doing it to RVIA standards. I just want to say I know I have done it to a higher level than their standards. Of course that just gives the insurance company to not pay out.

I am beginning to believe that the only option is to track down anybody who will give me liability only and accept that they will probably not pay out in an accident or convert a motor coach not a skoolie. Because you can get insurance on a 1960 gm 4106 but you can't on a 1999 IC RE, I seriously doubt that a 50 year old bus converted in the 80's is in a better level of road worthiness than a bus that got pulled from service last year.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by CaptainInsaneo

I am beginning to believe that the only option is to track down anybody who will give me liability only and accept that they will probably not pay out in an accident or convert a motor coach not a skoolie. Because you can get insurance on a 1960 gm 4106 but you can't on a 1999 IC RE, I seriously doubt that a 50 year old bus converted in the 80's is in a better level of road worthiness than a bus that got pulled from service last year.

THIS^
I learned this the hard way more than ten years ago.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by CaptainInsaneo

If you raise the roof you realllllly need to counterbalance the bottom..

OK, can you (maybe in another thread so this one does not go too far askew) lay out a little more of what you mean here? I have read through a lot of build threads with roof raises, and I have not seen this addressed yet.

Thanks

[nat_ster]

Originally Posted by OMGIBoughtABus

OK, can you (maybe in another thread so this one does not go too far askew) lay out a little more of what you mean here? I have read through a lot of build threads with roof raises, and I have not seen this addressed yet.

Thanks

Body of the bus is light compared to the chassis, holding tanks, belly storage, ect.

99% of the time this all naturally works out.

Nat

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by nat_ster

Body of the bus is light compared to the chassis, holding tanks, belly storage, ect.

99% of the time this all naturally works out.

Nat

Well I do get the concept of counterbalancing, but I was hoping for some specifics, like are you putting ballast in the belly, or will a fridge, range, stove, bed, etc. suffice? Are there any other adjustments (tires etc.) that should be looked at so it's not as top heavy?

[nat_ster]

A water tank under a bed will not offer as much counter balance as a water tank under the bus. That additional 16 inches lower makes a big difference.

I drew out a floor plan, and marked all heavy objects that need to go into the bus. Then I did my best to spread them out evenly.

Like my wood stove. It's midship, passenger side. So there for I will install my 300 pound battery bank and my tool box on the other side.

Balancing the weight front to back is even more important. A overloaded steering axle can lead to a ton more trouble.

I feel most stay so far under the loaded limits that this is almost never a issue.

I on the other hand will be loaded to the max due to full time living.

Nat

[CaptainInsaneo]

What he said, and under storage, under storage, under storage! put as many things under the bus as possible.

[kanijapukka]

Originally Posted by OMGIBoughtABus

But if you do get into an accident, once the adjuster comes and sees what you are driving, couldn't Progressive deny your coverage based on your vehicle being a converted school bus (which they are very clear that they will not cover) and force you to go out of pocket to cover your liability costs? I wouldn't want to take that chance.

Is that happening to alot of people? I applied with an agent over the phone and I would assume with the VIN and model it would've been obvious it was a school bus. They didn't see it listed as a motorhome but went with it and they didn't ask many questions, so I figured that was alright. It was just to get her home anyway, I plan to get better coverage once she's on the road.

[OMGIBoughtABus]

Originally Posted by kanijapukka

Is that happening to alot of people? I applied with an agent over the phone and I would assume with the VIN and model it would've been obvious it was a school bus. They didn't see it listed as a motorhome but went with it and they didn't ask many questions, so I figured that was alright. It was just to get her home anyway, I plan to get better coverage once she's on the road.

The person you spoke with has no vested interest in doing a thorough job or stopping you from making a mistake. They enter the info, and if your policy goes through, it goes through. Your policy gets reviewed later, and that's when it gets flagged. Or, your policy continues on, you keep paying your premiums, and if you ever have to make a claim, only then do you find out that you have wasted your money and your claim is denied.

But, like John Wayne said in Hondo, "a long time ago, I made me a rule. I let people do what they want to do."

[Famousinternetjesus]

Any kind of dancing around the fact that it is/was a school bus is a no go. Don't do it. Your policy will be voided if you attempt to make a claim. Insurance is not just a piece of paper think about how important it will be if you actually need it. You MUST clearly state and make sure that the company you are dealing with is fully aware of what the vehicle is. Very few companies are willing to insure a school bus. One of the guidelines, one of the guidelines that underwriters look for is an un-modified exterior. Any kind of roof raise or roof addition makes you undesirable. There are simply too many horror stories of rollovers occurring in hippiebuses with vw vans welded to the roofs. National General will still write valid policies on converted schoolbuses. They are one of the only ones left. So don't out a big roof deck on the bus, clearly state hat is WAS/IS a bus, and deal with a company that actually writes policies for buses... Lying and or Omitting information from you insurance company is an absolutely terrible thing to do that will only result in your own misery. This thread seriously needs to be retitled, as Natonal General will insure skoolies...........