Help with Insurance

[Ran D. St. Clair]

Hey guys, I need your help.

I am trying to get the Stealth Camper insured and so far no insurance agent wants to touch it. I have been bouncing around this and other forums looking for recommendations. I saw the recommendation from Geofkay for National Interstate, but they just turned me down. They all say the same thing. They can't insure my truck because I built it. If it was commercially built that would be different. I also tried Bancorp South Insurance Services, Inc. out of Livingston, TX with the same results. I've only tried a few thus far, but I figure it might be faster to ask around first.

I am probably further complicating the situation by telling them that I will be wanting to get full timer coverage, contents coverage, and possibly other stuff. Then again, you would think they would be eager to write a more expensive policy.

I am guessing that I might need to work with an agent that is a bit more sympathetic. Perhaps one of you has a more personal contact that might get me somewhere. The generic internet quoting systems seem to be too cookie cutter for what I need.

Any suggestions are appreciated...

[geofkaye]

...CALL MELISSA THUM AT THUM iNSURANACE AGENCY IN MICHIGAN....TALK TO HER SHE WILL FIX YOU UP......TELL HER I SENT YOU HER WAY.....[MIGHT SAVE YOU 50 CENTS ON A CUP OF COFFEE]....AGENCY'S CAN WHEEL AND DEAL WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN NOT....IT IS ALL ABOUT MONEY AND RISK.....GEOFKAYE AND THE RIVERCITY GIRLS

[volvoman]

any phone # for her?

[geofkaye]

TRY MELISSA THUM AT THE THUM AGENCY AT 1-800-866-0777....I'D ONLY TALK TO HER AS THE OTHERS HAVE NO IDEA HOW THIS STUFF WORKS AND SHE DOES....MET HER IN PERSON AT
THE TRAILER MANUFACTURES ASSOCIATION CONVENTION AT LOUISVILLE KY A FEW WEEKS AGO AND INTRODUCED MYSELF ALONG WITH THE GIRLS....MELISSA CAN GET IT DONE AND EXPEDITE THE PAPERWORK......MY OTHER INSURANCE COMPANY-WHICH I HAVE BEEN WITH FOR 30 YEARS COULDN'T GET IT THROUGH THEIR HEADS OF WHAT I WAS DOING.....I HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER SINCE 2003 WITH MY CONVERSION. MELISSA WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO KNEW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT THEN I CALLED ABOUT A POLICY FOR MY PERSONAL RIG.....GEOFKAYE AND THE RIVERCITY GROUPPPP......

[Ran D. St. Clair]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by geofkaye:
TRY MELISSA THUM AT THE THUM AGENCY AT 1-800-866-0777

Gweofkaye, Thank You many times, thank you. I will call her on Monday and let you all know how it goes.

Thanks,

R.D.

[volvoman]

talked with allstate agent. she checked it out and they will insure mine when done.

[Ran D. St. Clair]

Just to close the loop....

I did contact MELISSA THUM AT THE THUM AGENCY AT 1-800-866-0777 and she did fix me up with insurance from Progressive.

Thanks Geofkaye, you da man!

[Bob86ZZ4]

Hahahahahaaha. Spam blasta.

[andyg]

geofkaye. How do you have your RV insured? Agreed value? Actual Cash Value? As we all know, there is no "blue book" on these things and I need to be sure that they will pay out if I have a loss.

[speedyk]

I was curious if there were any answers to Andy's question, as I am having trouble with my insurance on my truck. My truck is an International 4900 with 24ft box. It only has a generator, lights, and beds and couches in it, but no plumbing. The truck was already registered in Michigan as an RV, which is one reason I bought it. I brought it home to Oklahoma, got the title transferred fine as it says RV on it. The insurance company originally quoted me a much lower number and then increased the rate and told me that they have to go off of the International VIN, which gives them a ridiculous MSRP of $84,900.00 that they have to go off of. I told them that the truck is nowhere worth that as it is a 1996 with 268,000 miles, and they said they legally have to go by that number. The truck might be worth $10,000.00 but thats being EXTREMELY generous. I tried asking elsewhere, but they are telling me they can't insure as an RV even though its already titled as one. Any help is greatly appreciated

[Bob86ZZ4]

Did you try that Mellisa? Have you looked around on the hdt section of Escapees forum? There are some threads that deal with insurance. I'm typing this on my phone so I can't figure out how to dd the link tothe Escapees forum. Sorry. Google it?

[hot rod]

I am insured with State Farm. When I bought the cab/chassis I took it to the agent and they took photos with the bare frame and were able to insure it as non commercial since it did not have a bed or 5th wheel. I think the value is around $6k. Then they told me when I finish the conversion, and do the title change, bring it back for more photos and they would write the policy as an rv. We did not really get into the details of an agreed value for complete truck but he was sure that would not be a problem. I was just happy to be able to get a simple policy with no hassles in the meantime. Of course that is in Ohio, and insurance regulations vary by state. But I would give state farm a shot, they had no problem with mine.

I think maybe you or your agent may be confusing msrp with current blue book value. $85k is possibly what the thing cost new depending on the truck, but certainly not what the value is now.

[Bob E]

You might try St Farm, . . . they insd mine with no problems, . . .however, . .I did have all my other cars, pickup trucks, & house with them, . . .this may have helped.

[andyg]

I ended up with Indiana Farm Bureau which does you no good in OK. If your current insurer can't get a clue try State Farm and try a couple of independant insurance companies. Good Luck!

[AKat777]

Originally Posted by Ran D. St. Clair

Just to close the loop....

I did contact MELISSA THUM AT THE THUM AGENCY AT 1-800-866-0777 and she did fix me up with insurance from Progressive.

Thanks Geofkaye, you da man!

I contacted Progressive concerning my project. And they turned down coverage. Not sure how an agency representing Progressive can do it when Progressive itself turned it down?

[Ran D. St. Clair]

AKat777,

It's been a while, and my memory has faded, but I seem to recall having Progressive turn me down when I tried to apply on line as well. Contact Melissa. You have nothing to loose by trying. You may need your project to be farther along before she can help you though. My project was essentially done when I contacted her. It was a fixed value policy and I had to provide pictures and other proof of value. You probably can't do that if your project is still in the design stage.

[Oscarvan]

Originally Posted by Ran D. St. Clair

You probably can't do that if your project is still in the design stage.

Yes, that gets complicated.