Who Offers HDT Insurance for Truck While Not Towing Trailer?

[Jim Gell]

Our 2001 Volvo is titled as a Motorhome.  Progressive, who we are currently insured with, said they would only cover the truck in combination with the policy on the trailer. They also said it was not covered when driving bobtail except for taking it for repairs or fueling locally.

I know some HDT'rs have taken their trucks bobtail on excursions such as to parks their full rig would not fit, etc.   

What insurance companies is anyone using that does not require the trailer be attached when traveling?

Has anyone insured their trucks without a trailer on the same policy? 

TIA

Jim 

[rickeieio]

How timely. I just got off the phone with another forum member who's also shopping for insurance on his truck and new fiver.

You say you're with Progressive, but which agent?  I'm with Progressive through Lazy Days Insurance in Florida, and have no such restrictions.  When I called Miller Insurance, they had the restrictions you mention.

And just so you know, there's only a few agents in the country who can write these policies.  My local agent, who handles all our other policies, could not do it, even though he's a Progressive agent.

[ddm502001]

Our 2005 Kenworth is Insured thru our general Auto Home and Farm carrier Missouri Farm Bureau.  Can be mad but a One Year FULL coverage Policy based on Limited use per year and licensed as Truck not MH is less than $300.  Our 1999 Ford F250SD same coverage is $278 every six months.  Does NOT care if pull RV or Equipment trailers or if leaves state for extended periods.

HOWEVER, did ask both the State and the Insurer of Licensing RV.  In MO, RVs cannot EVER be used for a materials or farm goods hauler, cannot connect to a general purpose trailer and haul even our own goods, $500 fine first citation, moves to $5000 second and loss of RV license.  Secondly once Titled as RV cannot within MO retitle as a Work vehicle or even a Personal Use general truck again.

License sounded prohibitive as to be adequate had to get 48,000 Beyond Local license, not Commercial but as such is over $560 per year and we are required to have a Federal DOT inspection annually.  For the Insurer, to Insure Strictly as a RV or MH was over $3000 per year where they also will NOT cover if used as a General Purpose Truck, so we made a correct choice.  Bobtail as reach a Site was questioned, we would have still been covered.

[Danfreda1]

We have nationwide with agent in rapid city. It’s covered towing or bobtail. Another thing I just found out about yesterday is safelite glass doesn’t do hdt sand I think motor homes. We had an appointment for today and the guy called yesterday and said he doesn’t know how the appointment got made. February 1 they started phasing out the inventory. We just have to go to another company to get it done. Safelite does the glass coverage for nationwide so just some info. 

[SuiteSuccess]

Interesting Jim.  I just changed to Progressive from National General through Miller Insurance.  My contact was Roxanne Sutton.  I specifically asked her about bob tail coverage and was told there were no restrictions.  They did have to cover the trailer also but it is a separate policy.  Wonder why a difference?  I did also speak with Grace Street at Lazy Days in Florida (same company Rick is using) and she was quoting me a Progressive policy but it was the same rate and coverage Miller quoted so I stayed where I had been for the past 14 years.

Edited March 28, 2024 by SuiteSuccess

[Steve from SoCal]

I am in Kansas and the state you are domiciled in matters.    That said, I have Shelter Insurance on my truck Peterbit 387 registered as an RV in Kansas with no restrictions, I tow a 48' Kentucky drop frame van in addition to my Teton.    My policy has been rather consistant fot the last 5 years with modest rate hikes, about 1200 a year full coverage 1000.00 deductable.     

[sandsys]

3 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

 I specifically asked her about bob tail coverage and was told there were no restrictions.

Please, read the policy as soon as it arrives. We were told our Class C was covered even though it was the only vehicle we owned. The policy itself said NOT covered if it was the only vehicle. We quickly cancelled that policy and got all our money back. It pays to read the actual wording of the policy.

Linda Sand

[ThelazyFarmer]

With State Farm I can bobtail or pull other trailers as long as I'm not getting paid.

[Av8r3400]

I'm with Auto Owners and they have no issue with bob-tail operation.

I live in in Wisconsin.

[Jim Gell]

Thanks to everyone who responded.  Apparently, I was wrong about Progressive not letting us use the truck bobtail.  I was told today that I can.  So one of the following three people were wrong.  1) The Progressive agent I spoke to last time I asked. 2) The Progressive agent I spoke to today.  Or more likely, it was myself.  Maybe it was National General Insurance (?) that we had previously that didn't want us bobtailing.  

I have not read the policy yet, but Erika Neil of McGriff Insurance, who I spoke to today, seemed to know what she was talking about. 

Thanks again,

Jim

[jeffw]

On 3/28/2024 at 8:15 PM, Av8r3400 said:

I'm with Auto Owners and they have no issue with bob-tail operation.

I live in in Wisconsin.

Could you share your agent contact info? Thanks!

[hatrack]

State Farm in TN allow bobtail. It a regular private vehicle policy

 

Ken....

[Av8r3400]

3 hours ago, jeffw said:

Could you share your agent contact info? Thanks!

PM Sent.

[jeffw]

Thanks!

[aknavy]

I have State Farm in Florida, and they allow bobtail.  If you're going with Progressive, read the policy.  I had them and National General before, and I had to be hooked to the trailer or getting maintenance or fuel.  If I needed to drive the truck, I just got some fuel and kept the receipt when I was with them.

[rickeieio]

It seems the companies and agents are inconsistent.  When we got our Kenworth, I first got denied at Lazy Days in Florida, who was our agent for Progressive with on our Volvo.  So, I reached out to Miller Insurance, and was told no bob-tail, with Progressive as the carrier.  I then got hold of someone at Lazy Days who knew her stuff, and got insured through Progressive with no bob-tail restrictions.

Your state of registration will likely affect your outcome, as will the agent.  I had multiple unpleasant conversations with one woman at Lazy Days before I found that a couple of them know their stuff.

[Jim Gell]

rickeieio,   In March when I started this thread I was going to leave Progressive because I thought I wasn't covered when bobtail.  Recently was told by Progressive that I was covered even when not towing the trailer.  I can't say for sure if I heard wrong before or was I told wrong by a different person.  

I apologize for not getting back on this forum, and this thread in particular to comment, for so long. We stopped RVing and were dealing with health issues and settling into bricks and sticks.  

If anyone reads this and wonders what we are doing with our truck and smart, we rushed out a quick sale flyer for the ECR last spring after Cathy's diagnosis.  There were several interested parties and I made a commitment to hold them for the first who called us.  The truck was in northwest Ohio and we were in eastern PA dealing with her cancer and my heart issues so we had to delay the sale.  When I was finally able to get to Ohio to make the transaction in October, the buyers, who had been amazingly patient, finally decided they no longer wanted an HDT.  I never should have advertised it until I knew for sure when I was going to be able to actually get there to sell it.  I won't do that again.  My wife is recovering well and my 3rd heart ablation appears to have finally stopped my afib.  That said, we won't full time RV again.  I will probably try selling the truck, smart and possibly the trailer next spring.  At that time, I will email anyone who had previously expressed interest and then post the sale on this forum. 

[rickeieio]

Jim,

Thanks for stopping back to clarify, and I hope all ends well for you and your wife.

My take away from all this, is that many "agents" are woefully ill prepared to deal with our units.  My experience with Lazy Days bears this out.  I, unfortunately, got stuck dealing with someone who knew nothing about hdt's, and even when I asked her to read a line from the Progressive policy, proving I was correct, stammered and refused to read it out loud.  Thank heavens her supervisor knew what shew was dealing with, and even commented that I was in the minority, with a KW.

[dmk]

So sorry about your situation, our health is truly our greatest asset! 

As far as the insurance goes, until one has an incident where you need it, [or are an attorney who specializes in and can fully understand how policies are written] that's when you find out how well your Insurance company and Agent has your back.  I have heard it both ways from my agent as well. In our particular case the only time I bobtail is when taking the truck in for service. We tow another vehicle to drive around in. Otherwise our HDT is in use mainly to pull the house around. Hopefully I never have to find out just how good or bad our Insurance is....

[Tina-Jim]

On 3/28/2024 at 7:15 PM, Av8r3400 said:

I'm with Auto Owners and they have no issue with bob-tail operation.

I live in in Wisconsin.

Auto-Owners wouldn't add our truck to our existing policy (In Iowa).   However, our truck is NOT licensed as a RV, yet.

Interesting.  Current coverage is through PROGRESSIVE, but will have to contact that Gal in Fla when time to renew...

[lappir]

4 hours ago, Tina-Jim said:

Current coverage is through PROGRESSIVE, but will have to contact that Gal in Fla when time to renew...

Hope you have better luck getting in contact than I have. Sure was responsive when buying, but have called and sent emails that have not been answered. Trying to pause my second truck since I'm no where near it to drive. Radio silence. 

 

Rod

yes I could do it on an app or by calling Progressive directly, but just haven't. 

 

[Tina-Jim]

👍