New Bus. Need insurance in Illinois.

[Mercuric Mind]

Hi all,

I just bought a bus, my first, and need to get insurance so I'm covered to pick it up at the school yard and drive it back to where I will be doing the conversion. I'm in Illinois. Does anyone have or know of an insurance agent that can help with that?

Thanks
MercuricMind

 

[Gonhtn1]

Did you find some insurance? Who with?

 

[Mercuric Mind]

Hi GONHTN,

Yes I found insurance. I first had to get commercial insurance to transport the school bus from the district bus yard to where I'm doing the conversion. I then was able to transfer the title and registration into an RV and arrange for RV insurance. I used an insurance broker for both, Peter Jahn from Guaranteed Rate, here is his contact info:

Peter.Jahn@rate.com
312-252-2416

If you are in Illinois you can apply for vehicle title & registration at most currency exchanges, They may be less critical of the condition of your bus / RV. For example like if you haven't finished the conversion. I don't know if this applies to other states.

 

[o1marc]

Hi GONHTN,

Yes I found insurance. I first had to get commercial insurance to transport the school bus from the district bus yard to where I'm doing the conversion. I then was able to transfer the title and registration into an RV and arrange for RV insurance. I used an insurance broker for both, Peter Jahn from Guaranteed Rate, here is his contact info:

Peter.Jahn@rate.com
312-252-2416

If you are in Illinois you can apply for vehicle title & registration at most currency exchanges, They may be less critical of the condition of your bus / RV. For example like if you haven't finished the conversion. I don't know if this applies to other states.

Deep hole you could be digging. Unfinished conversion will be denied coverage in the event of an accident. DMV seems to be easy to pull the wool over their eyes and will register it on your word. The insurance companies and not this foolish and will most likely require documentation that the conversion has been completed.

 

[Mercuric Mind]

Deep hole you could be digging. Unfinished conversion will be denied coverage in the event of an accident. DMV seems to be easy to pull the wool over their eyes and will register it on your word. The insurance companies and not this foolish and will most likely require documentation that the conversion has been completed.

In my case the bus will not be going anywhere until ALL conversion work is completed. This all has been discussed with my ins guy and I trust his advice. My goal is not to "pull the wool over" anyone's eyes, just to be pro active in arranging proper licensing and insurance. You are correct that when it comes down to insurance companies paying out for a claim they try to skate out with any reason valid or not. Sadly, that is the nature of their game.

Cheers

 

[LordRomano76]

Good information

This is good to know definitely going to shoot Peter a email if he's still in the business hopefully can help me out. My bus was already registered as an RV in Indiana, I had it delivered here to me in Chicago Illinois I need to get the registration and plates All done. As The bus sits now it was used to haul around a side-by-side and has a living space and also some SUV seats.

 

[Mercuric Mind]

LR76,
Just to update this thread I'm using All state insurance now.

 

[ThoreaulyCurious]

I’m in Illinois and I just got a policy with Good Sam over the internet like a week ago, it was the easiest thing! Once I had that, the title, bill of sale, insurance print-out, and pictures of the conversion, I was more than prepared to go to the DMV.

It was the smoothest DMV experience I’ve ever had in Chicago. Go to the South Side 95th one and go right when it opens, lol. They even smile.

 

[ThoreaulyCurious]

This is good to know definitely going to shoot Peter a email if he's still in the business hopefully can help me out. My bus was already registered as an RV in Indiana, I had it delivered here to me in Chicago Illinois I need to get the registration and plates All done. As The bus sits now it was used to haul around a side-by-side and has a living space and also some SUV seats.

I’m in Illinois and I just got a policy with Good Sam over the internet like a week ago, it was the easiest thing! Once I had that, the title, bill of sale, insurance print-out, and pictures of the conversion, I was more than prepared to go to the DMV.

It was the smoothest DMV experience I’ve ever had in Chicago. Go to the South Side 95th one and go right when it opens, lol. They even smile.

 

[nikitis]

Deep hole you could be digging. Unfinished conversion will be denied coverage in the event of an accident. DMV seems to be easy to pull the wool over their eyes and will register it on your word. The insurance companies and not this foolish and will most likely require documentation that the conversion has been completed.

State farm has told me originally that the bus be completed. I explained to them it would not be, but I know the total it would need to be insured for at the end of completion, and they agreed when I gave them a final number

 

[Mercuric Mind]

Bringing back an old thread.

I was just informed, 02-24-2026, by my rep that all-state will not be covering any RVs. SO, now I need to look for new insurance. Does anyone have a good contact for ins in Illinois?

 

[TheMaudeLife]

Try Damon Priddy at State Farm Insurance in Springfield. You don't have to be local, just in Illinois or a state that touches Illinois. (217) 787-5400‬. I've been insured through them for 3 years now.

 

[Mercuric Mind]

Try Damon Priddy at State Farm Insurance in Springfield. You don't have to be local, just in Illinois or a state that touches Illinois. (217) 787-5400‬. I've been insured through them for 3 years now.

Thanks I'll check them out.
I have contacted roamly brokers and they said that in a couple of months they will have a new provider for comprehensive RV insurance but in the meantime they only offer liability insurance.