Jump to content

Another HDT Insurance Woes Story (Long)


RandyA

Recommended Posts

Yes.  Me.  There are no stipulations in my policy requiring that the truck and trailer must be connected to be covered. 

Av8r3400
2012 Volvo VNL 730 D13 iShift & 2021 Grand Design Momentum 397TH

TEq81qV.jpg

I'd rather die trying to live - Than live trying not to die.   -Leonard Perry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

NDH   I currently have the 5er insured thru National General (had a claim a year ago that totaled our 43' 5er) and the Volvo is insured thru State Farm. We live in Va. We have had the truck with State Farm for over 6 years and we were towing a 37' Cardinal that SF also was covering. In 2015 when we got a new 43' Open Range and we went with the General because it offered the better policy. When I totaled it the 8th of July last year (I posted a topic about the issue) they replaced it with a 2017 43' Open Range for the $250 deductible. We still have the General on the new 5er and State Farm on the truck. But everyday I check the mailbox!!      Pat

 

 

The Old Sailor

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks you both.  I bought a new truck for conversion and am struggling to put the puzzle pieces where the insurers want them until my new trailer is completed.

 

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey guys - keep in mind I was sharing MY story of getting insurance to replace the Blue Sky policy. 

What I would like to see and I am sure others would as well is a list of companies that are insuring our HDT's.  My Volvo is titled and registered as a motor home but still has the 4V4 prefix in the VIN that makes an insurance company wary as their system shows the VIN as belonging to a commercial vehicle.  Their attitude is if it walks like a duck and looks like a duck then it must be a duck regardless of what the owner or registration says.  That VIN gets you every time unless it is somehow overlooked.

When I was insurance shopping I found that I was questioned on the length of the HDT and length of the camper and if the motor home conversion was professionally done.  Our size and weight sets off an alarm with at least the major RV insurers.  There are 19 unacceptable uses/conditions specifically listed.  If your use turns out to be one of those unacceptable uses they can deny insurance and possibly a claim.   On my list #14 could be a real deal killer for those of us that are claiming conversion to a motor home: "Non-professionally converted vehicles, or incomplete vehicle conversions."  As I shared, trying to go the motor home route with an agent at Thum kicked me into what they called a Toter Home rather than a Motor Home class and it proved to be something that caused underwriting to say NO.  It left me wondering what the insurer would do if the Volvo were involved in a accident and they determined it was an inappropriately classified vehicle.  To them, how it was registered was insignificant - what mattered was how it was used.   Simply going to an insurance company as a private truck used for recreational purposes only - HDT class 8 for tandem or MDT class 7 for single axle - seems to be the better approach.  IMHO, you should leave out any details about your personal conversion efforts to get  MH or RV registration/tags on your truck.

Now, back to the suggestion of building a single sticky listing insurance companies that are currently known to write insurance for out HDT's.  Such a list would be of significant benefit for insurance shopping.

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i think it will be more a matrix than a list, for all the reasons you've mentioned.  With, w/o trailer, singled, tandem, state, etc.  It's a jungle out there!

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is ONE HUGE discrepancy that NOBODY has said on any of the Insurance threads...

Insurance is regulated by state.  What can be covered in South Dakota is different than North Dakota-Virgina-Michigan-Cali-Texas- Fl- etc.  

Doughtery ins in Sioux Salls SD, and the state of South Dakota consider MY truck to be an MDT because of the single rear axle.  Even though my in door placard still stays front axle, mid axle, rear axle with the weights listed.

I was never asked to "Prove" that the bed or singleing was done by a professional..... 

Who is a profeesional bed singler?   Someone that has been "Certified" by all the companies to touch their trucks?   Yea right....

When we bought our truck, there were a limited number of companies we could be insured with..... Today there still are a limited number of companies we can deal with.  It's part of owning a commercial truck used in a personal endevour.  

Alie & Jim + 8 paws

2017 DRV Memphis 

BART- 1998 Volvo 610

Lil'ole 6cyl Cummins

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/17/2017 at 9:18 AM, NoDirectionHome said:

i think it will be more a matrix than a list, for all the reasons you've mentioned.  With, w/o trailer, singled, tandem, state, etc.  It's a jungle out there!

http://www.hhrvresource.com/node/56

We have a great start of a matrix here. With the ongoing discussion and questions, I would request "someone" expand the existing chart to include more states or more agencies or more individual variations of seat color, CB channel, and preferred driving speed. 

Occasionally I get the impression that the insurance information we are individually given is comparable to the information provided by any DMV on a given day. The accuracy depends on the knowledge/training/mood of the person we are speaking with at that moment.  This will complicate the efforts to update existing info.

Kevin and June

2013 Volvo VNL 730    D13 Eco-Torque @ 425  Ratio 2.47 

2014 DRV 36TKSB3 

Signature.jpegmKgUJbbl.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Sculptor said:

http://www.hhrvresource.com/node/56

We have a great start of a matrix here. With the ongoing discussion and questions, I would request "someone" expand the existing chart to include more states or more agencies or more individual variations of seat color, CB channel, and preferred driving speed. 

Occasionally I get the impression that the insurance information we are individually given is comparable to the information provided by any DMV on a given day. The accuracy depends on the knowledge/training/mood of the person we are speaking with at that moment.  This will complicate the efforts to update existing info.

Sculptor,

The problem with trying to build a state by state matrix on insurance providers and the intricacies of what they cover, etc. is that the industry is quite liquid in nature and changes with the risk pools and many their factors, such as economy, inflation, loss payouts, etc.

 

As for the DMV, if anyone uses them for information on the legal requirements for vehicle equipment or even registration, you should have and use a players card at several casinos in Las Vegas, because you are a gambler.  The best source for any of that information is not dmv or even calling a law enforcement agency or consulting some online web site, it is going directly to your state's vehicle code book and reading the law for yourself.  When you find the law, read it in it's entirety.

The reason I state that is simple, when you call DMV or even the Highway Patrol, you are asking a question that may or may not be that common of a question and the person you ask may be reading you the answer right out of the book or shooting from the hip and not give you all the. Information that might apply for your circumstance, or just be full of crap...lol

The sources, such as the Heavy Hauler Resource Guide, are not bad as long as you also look up the associated regulation or administrative code to make sure it applies to your situation.  

For whatever that info is worth, which may not be much..lol

John

Southern Nevada

2008 Volvo 780, D13, I-Shift

2017 Keystone Fuzion 420 Toyhauler 

2017 Can-Am Maverick X3-RS

 

ALAKAZARCACODEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMAMNMS
event.png

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sculptor,

 Did you notice that the latest entry is 2011?  With all the changes in the insurance industry along with Randy's point make the cited list worthless.

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NoDirectionHome said:

 Did you notice that the latest entry is 2011?  With all the changes in the insurance industry along with Randy's point make the cited list worthless.

Yes I noticed the dates. I am suggesting that some interested party update and maintain the existing list. The alternatives are, start over from scratch, or keep doing what we are doing now. 

Kevin and June

2013 Volvo VNL 730    D13 Eco-Torque @ 425  Ratio 2.47 

2014 DRV 36TKSB3 

Signature.jpegmKgUJbbl.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  1. National Interstate
  2. Blue Sky
  3. Geico
  4. State Farm
  5. Elephant
  6. Progressive
  7. Allstate
  8. Farmers
  9. National General
  10. Good Sam (underwriter?)
  11. Traveler's
  12. USAA
  13. Liberty Mutual
  14. Nationwide

Others?

In 2017, which major insurance companies listed above will write a liability policy for a Class 8 HDT that is now used by an individual strictly for recreational purposes?  No commercial, not driving to work, not part of a business, not for rent, good driving record of owners - can be either a motor home conversion/registration or private truck.

For those that may be a YES in what state(s)?

Maybe this needs to be a new topic? 

 

300.JPG.c2a50e50210ede7534c4c440c7f9aa80.JPG

Randy, Nancy and Oscar

"The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks.

ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, RandyA said:
  1. Others?

In 2017, which major insurance companies listed above will write a liability policy for a Class 8 HDT that is now used by an individual strictly for recreational purposes?  No commercial, not driving to work, not part of a business, not for rent, good driving record of owners - can be either a motor home conversion/registration or private truck.

For those that may be a YES in what state(s)?

Maybe this needs to be a new topic? 

Keep in mind that coverage by each company is going to very by state.

For example #4 State Farm.  In Texas, State Farm is going to only insure an HDT conversion as a commercial vehicle.  In this case it is a matter of how State Farm's charter is written with the state of Texas.  It is based on weight.  Basically the charter was written so long ago that no non-commercial vehicle was considered capable of carrying the weights our HDT motorhomes can, so it has to be commercial (in their eyes).  Took my agent 3 months to get a straight answer as to why the underwriters would only write the policy as a commercial vehicle.  The market is not large enough to justify the time/expense of updating their charter with the state.

2017 Entegra Anthem 44A

SOLD - 2004 Volvo 780. 465hp and 10sp Auto Shift (from 2010~2017)

SOLD - 2009 Montana 3400RL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in the process (fingers crossed) of inspecting and purchasing an HDT from vanguard in Phoenix Arizona.  I have obtained a quote from Progressive (direct) to insure the Volvo.  They also insure my Fifth Wheel and now the two policies are linked. There is no restriction on driving it without being hooked to the fifth wheel. It is being insured as a toterhome with specific inclusive language (on the binder) that it can be used to pull the fifth wheel camper that is also insured through them.  I live in Connecticut.

I hope this helps.

 

Dave

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The vehicle that I am looking to purchase (pending inspections) and used the VIN for the quote is a  2011 Volvo 780.  It has not been singled as I do not own it yet.  Progressive did not care if it was singled. They wanted to know if it was self contained so that they could classify it as a toterhome. They then wanted confirmation that it would not be used in a commercial capacity whatsoever and that the fifth wheel hitch on it was used only for pulling our style of a fifth wheel camper and not a commercial trailer.   If I end up purchasing the truck, it will be registered in Connecticut.   They also checked with underwriting and will provide me with written confirmation that they will insure it for my drive from phoenix to the converter where the normal fifth wheel hitch and other typical truck stuff will be removed. 

 

That being said, we are still at the inspection process so i have not committed to the truck yet.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Dave, that give a much clearer picture.  I'll add that "self-contained" means different things to different ins. companies.  Some are blck & grey tanks with a permanent toilet, and running water, cooking etc.  Some are just the microwave fridge bunk porta-potty.  Best of luck either way  -Steve

"There are No Experts, Do the Math!"

2014 Freightliner Cascadia DD16 600hp  1850ft-lb  18spd  3.31  260"wb
SpaceCraft S-470
SKP #131740

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...