Insurance companies for personal bus in Colorado

[Middleofitall]

Hi all. I'm in Colorado, looking to insure an Eldorado E450 that has not been converted. The bus used to be registered as a private bus in another state. Any recommendations for insurance companies, or should I just ask around?

 

[AlphaHare]

Before you ask anyone anything - what does the title say it is? If it's an E450 cutaway, the VIN will be an "incomplete vehicle".

This is critical for you. Get it re-titled as a VAN. When you apply for your Colorado title tell the DMV in Colorado you intend to use it as a cargo van for personal (not commercial) use. Tell them you'll be moving hay for the horses, whatever. It will be under 15,000 GVWR, no air brakes, no commercial license, etc.

Do this first. Then ask anyone to insure your VAN.

 

[ewo1]

Before you ask anyone anything - what does the title say it is? If it's an E450 cutaway, the VIN will be an "incomplete vehicle".

This is critical for you. Get it re-titled as a VAN. When you apply for your Colorado title tell the DMV in Colorado you intend to use it as a cargo van for personal (not commercial) use. Tell them you'll be moving hay for the horses, whatever. It will be under 15,000 GVWR, no air brakes, no commercial license, etc.

Do this first. Then ask anyone to insure your VAN.

And when you shop for insurance, mention no skoolie words or conversion words. KISS-Keep it simple

Your always allowed to change your mind LATER, as far as converting conversation goes.

 

[Middleofitall]

How do you retitle it before insurance?

I'm really not planning to do anything to it. I'm a truck driver and its a convenient place to store things at a terminal. I may boondock a little but I probably won't drive it more than 2000 miles in a year, possibly less.

 

[ewo1]

In most states you only need insurance for registraion, issuance of a tag. Changing the name on a title is simply to fulfill the legal obligation to change ownership information within a statutory time period, like within 30 days for example. No insurance need for ownership record changes.

 

[AlphaHare]

I didn't make this up myself, and I was lucky to have a reasonable person at the insurance company. I did tell the insurance agent it was a van-cutaway with a large utility body I was going to use for hauling materials around. We ran the VIN and it came back an E450 (Ford Econline van) incomplete vehicle. As it was non-commercial, the insurance agent agreed it was a van - after I kinda steered us that way.

The RMV in Massachusetts (notoriously cranky) actually did exactly the same thing. I applied for a new title and registered at the same time. As Ewo1 says, they were coupled only by my timing, not necessity.

In both cases, the VIN is your friend. Especially as it moves from commercial shuttle to private, non-commercial use. Your E450 was never a "school bus", it was a van at birth.

 

[nikitis]

It's usually not much of an issue if you are on a VAN Chassis. It's when you are on a truck/bus chassis they have issue.

 

[Anax]

Mine was titled as a motorhome. But state farm gave me a quote

 

[DRoberts123]

I went through Farmers and they subbed it out to progressive and its still in "bus" state as far as title and insurance goes at the moment