Big Vehicle Insurance Problem

Van Living Forum

Help Support Van Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Firebuild

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 17, 2018
Messages
346
Reaction score
6
I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I didn't see an insurance thread. 

Here is my dilemma: I was just informed that I am being dropped by Progressive in 2 weeks, not for the reason I would have thought (I have a school bus conversion) but because I don't have PROOF OF RESIDENCE.  My bus is registered to this address, but I still have my CA driver's license. You'd think getting the license changed to MA would qualify, but it doesn't, because with a driver's license you are STILL required to come up with these other forms of proof. I'm in MA.  

Apparently, I am required (by Progressive) to have a utility bill in my name, a paystub with this address on it, or a 1099 form. I am living in my mother's house; I dropped out of my life in CA to come here and care for her 6 months ago, since she is in the early stages of dementia and my Dad has passed away.  I haven't had a conventional paycheck job in 20 years, nor an independent contractor job in 10. I was running my own business in CA, so I have no no w-2s, paystubs, or 1099's. Any tax documents addressed to me have my CA address on them. In fact, the only mail I get here at the house is actually FROM Progressive, since I receive everything else ("everything else" being the occasional package from Amazon, and notices from the AARP) at the UPS store where I have a mailbox. There isn't a single document on the list of acceptable items that I can provide, and I certainly can't obtain them within 2 weeks. 

I recently watched Bob's series of videos on where to set up residence and where to register vehicles, and I remember him saying his address is Nevada but his vehicle is garaged in Arizona. I'm wondering if there is an easier place to register, where insurance might be easier to get. But unless it's in the Northeast I'd have to do some sort of absentee registration anyway, so that probably wouldn't work. Unless someone knows of a state where that's allowed? Then of course I'd have to figure out what the rules in MA are for driving out of state vehicles.  Does anyone have any ideas for me? Driving uninsured is NOT an option. If I got insurance in another state, would it automatically cover me in MA anyway? 

The fact that I drive a skoolie further complicates things, as it's not an easy vehicle to get insurance for.  I told the Progressive rep on the phone exactly what it was, but he said all they care about is what's on the VIN. That's probably not true, but it did get me the policy, though I'd hate to see what happened if I actually had an accident.
 
Well, MA requires in state registration. I just switched my health care over to MassHealth from Medi-Cal, too, so I guess I would have to give that up. I'm afraid if Progressive drops me, no one else is going to pick me up, and the skoolie issue many arise as well.
 
You might consider giving the Escapees a call. They have a relationship with insurance companies that deal exclusively with RVs and have some unique solutions. Google Escapees RV Club. They also have attorneys who can advise on domicile issues.

Yes, MA does enforce their state registration, so if you're going to be there longer than whatever their limit is, you have to register there. So you will need your insurance to be based on your zip code there.

I'm sorry to hear of your hassle. Hard enough to have to relocate to care for a parent, without also having to deal with vehicle red tape! Hope it gets resolved easily.

The Dire Wolfess
 
i feel for you, and this brings concerns for my self. i also have a skoolie conversion and progressive was all i could find to get insured once the title was changed to a motor home, this in Oregon.

the challenge of insuring a schoolie conversion is not lost on me. though i would still check with escapees just incase. i wouldnt expect much from them. the reason for trhat is all the escapees groups i have run across have been much more mainstream as far as rigs.

i would join and post up over on the skoolie.net forums. there are many threads over there talking about the challenges of insurance.

one possible solution to your situation may be to have your mom add you to the utility bill. i was added to my mothers account for many years and it was an easy matter to get me added. if your utility company would do that it may be a simple fix. if you go that path, i would suggest the "reason" you provide to the utility company be along the lines of that since you are the care taker you need to be on the account so you can deal with any billing issues without her having to do it.

good luck, let me know what you figure out, only a matter of time before i get the boot from progressive...
 
Seminole Wind said:
i feel for you, and this brings concerns for my self. i also have a skoolie conversion and progressive was all i could find to get insured once the title was changed to a motor home, this in Oregon.

the challenge of insuring a schoolie conversion is not lost on me. though i would still check with escapees just incase. i wouldnt expect much from them. the reason for trhat is all the escapees groups i have run across have been much more mainstream as far as rigs.

i would join and post up over on the skoolie.net forums. there are many threads over there talking about the challenges of insurance.

one possible solution to your situation may be to have your mom add you to the utility bill. i was added to my mothers account for many years and it was an easy matter to get me added. if your utility company would do that it may be a simple fix. if you go that path, i would suggest the "reason" you provide to the utility company be along the lines of that since you are the care taker you need to be on the account so you can deal with any billing issues without her having to do it.

good luck, let me know what you figure out, only a matter of time before i get the boot from progressive...
[quote pid='432122' dateline='1547037211']

I'm sorry to hear of your hassle.  Hard enough to have to relocate to care for a parent, without also having to deal with vehicle red tape!  Hope it gets resolved easily.

[/quote]

Thank you! In case anyone else needs the info, I discovered that you can register without coming in in person in the State of VT, and it's easy to register a skoolie as an RV there. They don't require residency. I remember seeing a skoolie.net thread about that, I think. 

Unfortunately, MA does require residency. Which means I am stuck.  But I will see if I can get added to the utilities - that makes the most sense and seems to be there straightest path out of this mess.
 
I've been in similar situations. My issue that I usually work as a corporation, and technically, I don't have paystubs, because it's silly to hire a payroll company when I'm the only employee. I can show paid invoices and whatnot, but that's not really the same.

Last time I had to do it, I used these guys: https://www.paystubcreator.net/

I can vouch for the quality of the product.

If they want paystubs, give em a paystub.
That's easy.
 
willingtorelocate said:

That is GENIUS. 

I just got new insurance through Liberty Mutual, cheaper than Progressive! I did it online and they only asked for the VIN, so I am still insured as your basic Econoline 350. So far, they haven't asked me to jump through any hoops to prove  I live here, but it's early yet.
 
currious? have you had the title changed to show as an rv or still just as a truck or bus?

when i changed the title on my bus conversion to rv it now shows in the data base as an rv

in my case farmers had quoted me on insurance when it was still a "truck" per the title as i was buying it. after the quick conversion and getting the title changed i went to get the insurance on it and when they ran the vin they saw it was an rv and refused to insure it
 
I recently watched Bob's series of videos on where to set up residence and where to register vehicles, and I remember him saying his address is Nevada but his vehicle is garaged in Arizona. I'm wondering if there is an easier place to register, where insurance might be easier to get. But unless it's in the Northeast I'd have to do some sort of absentee registration anyway, so that probably wouldn't work. Unless someone knows of a state where that's allowed? Then of course I'd have to figure out what the rules in MA are for driving out of state vehicles. Does anyone have any ideas for me? Driving uninsured is NOT an option. If I got insurance in another state, would it automatically cover me in MA anyway?

Probably this one?


He bought land in AZ which I guess allowed him to register his vehicle there. He has his mail forwarding in NV, and apparently he has residency for health ins., but his vehicle is registered and insured in AZ? Where is his driver's license then? Maybe NV was past and he switched to AZ? I'm confused...

After some searching it looks like you can register a vehicle in a different state than your primary domicile and can claim that it resides there. People who have multiple homes and leave a vehicle at their non-primary residence do this. So I'm guessing AZ is happy to grant this if you just own a plot of land. Drivers license would still be in NV then? That sounds like something that might make cops wonder...

Insurance will cover you anywhere in the US, but I can't say for sure what the company will do if you make a claim and they find out you spend most of your time in a high-premium area compared to your address with them.

No way you could drive to SD or FL? Have you begged Progressive to give you more time?
 
Last edited:

Latest posts

Top