Dreams do come true..Who needs a bus?

[Robin97396]

I'm just reinforcing how bad all insurance companies are for conspiring to get all of us on the commercial policy. It's a new development and it's sure to lead to costing us more. They seem to be gathering all our registrations together in one place, with the commercial policy being our last hope most of the time. What doesn't make sense if why Progressive is the only one for most of us.

 

[Robin97396]

Yes it does vary by location. That doesn't make much sense either. Some loop holes work in some states while other loop holes are needed in other states.

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

Full DOT inspection might cost s'more but the insurance company can't holler about you being pro-active to insure you? Go in with everything the DMV ask for and they have no excuses? Whether JACK LEG or full conversion. They want pics? Give'em some? As long as you are have DMV and DOT approval they can't denie you? If it is under 26,001 your drivers license will cover it. Look at your license.
If your vehicle is covered under the weight limit of your license then your insurance should cover you adding a vehicle whether it is a smart car or a bus? Way down south the farmers bought a lot of busses cut everything but the cab off to make a 2' bed and have spanish/Mexican men that can't even speak English driving them?

 

[Robin97396]

Usually you can pull up to 10,000 lbs, but check with your state regulations to be sure.

 

[cadillackid]

I'm registered, titled and insured as a van. Insurance is not even available here as a self built RV. No questions about it unless you can prove it was built by a professional builder. I've always registered them as regular POVs in the past and I did the same with this one.

I'm not converting this to an RV. Everything here can be put on a dolly and moved to the next bus within 30 or 40 minutes. Outwardly this "van" will have minimal indications that it's anything but a bus. It's insured with the standard Progressive commercial policy as a Bluebird van. As a special needs bus this never had seats to speak of, so the argument was since it's not a bus (without expensive additions) it's not exactly a truck so it must be a van. Titled as a van I can get insurance. As a self built RV in Oregon this would sit without insurance.

and mine is staying as close to a bus as I can get... less than 15 seats but still seats in rows.. Like BUS.., a bus can have 2 seats with the converting table in between (my bed).. a bus can have a mini frig and a mini microwave too.. many trip busses have all that...

we will see if progressive attempts to cancel me.. I really dont wantto have to install plumbing which is required to get covered by good sam...

-Christopher

 

[Robin97396]

The trick is while you've first got it home you take pics while it's clean and empty, and if possible let some insurance guys take a couple pics to show that it's an unmodified "van" basically. All seats removed is an easier argument toward it being a van, and you can put them right back in with lag bolts later. They're easier to move around, and you will shift things around.
That's going to be a nice drive, and when you fly to another city it's nice if the bus is ready to go instead of you spending several days getting it serviced.
I hope you have an uneventful trip home. When do you leave?

 

[Azuleslight]

Has anyone here gone through the process of retitling thier skoolies as RV's or are you just saying the skoolie is an RV without the paperwork? As far as I understand once you retitle the skoolie. When they vin search it comes up as an RV. Is this not the case? If it is not, what state do you live in ?

 

[Scooternj]

Has anyone here gone through the process of retitling thier skoolies as RV's or are you just saying the skoolie is an RV without the paperwork? As far as I understand once you retitle the skoolie. When they vin search it comes up as an RV. Is this not the case? If it is not, what state do you live in ?

Depending on your state, flipping the title to RV, even a home-built conversion, may not be that hard. It's more paperwork intensive than anything else. New Jersey's, for example, requires photos of the VIN plate and proof of conversion- permanent bed/sleeper sofa, cooking and water sources, and repaint.

 

[Azuleslight]

Depending on your state, flipping the title to RV, even a home-built conversion, may not be that hard. It's more paperwork intensive than anything else. New Jersey's, for example, requires photos of the VIN plate and proof of conversion- permanent bed/sleeper sofa, cooking and water sources, and repaint.

I know the requirements for my state and the process. That isnt what i was asking about. I was asking if the people who are being dropped by their insurance. If they changed their titles to RV, or if they maintained the Bus title. If they did change the title to RV, why is it vinning out as a bus is my next question. The last question is their a way to change vin search info?

 

[skoolie_n00bie]

I think one reason ppl are being dropped is ins companies not "wanting the risk" of insuring something custom made, and possibly not "professionally done".

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Scooternj]

I know the requirements for my state and the process. That isnt what i was asking about. I was asking if the people who are being dropped by their insurance. If they changed their titles to RV, or if they maintained the Bus title. If they did change the title to RV, why is it vinning out as a bus is my next question. The last question is their a way to change vin search info?

Ah. Unless you flip the VIN, it'll still come up as a "School Bus". There was a thread on the BCI Facebook (Closed) Group asking about that, and it comes down to an engineering appraisal and write up of your conversion to flip the VIN from "Bus" to "RV". But, then YMMV

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

For North Carolina all you have to do is show a way to store food(cooler) a way to prepare food (Coleman stove) and a way to clean up afterwards ? (A 5-gallon bucket on set on the roof with a hose and spigot ran through the window.
I didn't go that route and still are insured,registered and inspected as a private owned bus.
Almost there and am debating talking to my insurance company and DMV about the cost difference between what I am paying in insurance and property tax as a private owned BUS verses what it would cost me to insure as an RV? I think it will be more for both nut I don't know for sure? I do believe as money hungry as all states are it will cost more in property tax as an RV which raises the value which raises the insurance requirements which raise the amount of money I pay out?
I don't know that I will worry about a title change but if/when I do get into an accident it will probably the other drivers fault and there insurance will pay the same as mine? Tax value?
No matter what we put into our conversion's unless or pockets are lined with gold to insure for every dime and time put into it? You will never get it insured for what you think it is worth? You recover your time and money by building what your happy with and using it for local camping just to get away or on the road to drop everything and run away.
Mine is built to live in while I build a house in texas still in N.C. For now but our dreams are to be home and my wife and I have been with nationwide for 20 yrs. and no problems yet and for inspection's I pay the extra money for the full DOT inspection (53vs15) but they evaluate the entire platform and tell me what they think needs to be replaced,looked at, adjusted, and see you next year. Before inspection this year. I replaced all the engine belts because the one they had a concern with was last in the groove of 5, back up lights quit on the drive there? I cleaned the lights and body ground,changed the bulbs, bought new lights(which were due anyway) traced the wires and the problem was the pressure switch at the tranny? next was the carrier bearings? They said replace cause the rubbers were starting to dry rot. So I cleaned/inspected the u-joints/driveline and soaked the rubbers in place with a high saturant oil/PB blaster silicone. Every issue at last years inspection addressed and inspected for another year.
No matter how far I move I always carry tools,spare engine belts(even if some are the old ones ) including the old reverse lights just because no one stocks them? Yeah a good 1/4 of my storage will be tools, spare parts and anything I think I need to keep me on the road while underway and using it to move from place to place I want to build a storage to get my mediocre wood working tools on board and another close to the rear springs to get my real tools on board? I can leave the wood working tools behind and replace when I get there and if I get the job I have applied for in tx then I can give all of my stuff to the ones that I am leaving so as not to haul it?