Registration and insurance?

[Toddr]

Buying and building a step van like ups type truck 1990 Grumman
Should I just go with regular insurance and registration or change to RV?
I am going to have thousands of dollars invested in this like solar setup plumbing electrical ect.

 

[John61CT]

It will be very difficult if not impossible to get an Agreed Value policy that covers a DIY buildout.

Many just do liability and market-replacement on the base vehicle, and keep receipts for "contents" to claim under a homeowner's rider.

 

[Toddr]

What's a home owners rider?
Not going to have a home going full time rv

 

[Almost There]

What it's registered as and who will insure it is a situation that is very, very specific to your state/province of residency.

Each jurisdiction has it's own requirements as to what constitutes an RV and each jurisdictions' insurance companies make their own rules.

I'm Canadian so I'll give you an example - when I lived in Ontario I could have had my van re-titled as an RV because it met the criteria. BUT I wouldn't have been able to find any insurance company to bind coverage on it. I ended up leaving the van titled as a passenger vehicle and found an insurance company that specialized in antique and specialty vehicles. I covered the vehicle for 'stated value' so that in case of a total write-off I would be able to claim up to that limit. There was no way in Ontario to cover my personal possessions except under a home-owners policy. Since I didn't have a home that needed insurance I technically had to 'self-insure' my personal contents.

When I moved to British Columbia I was able to re-titled the van as an RV AND get insurance on it as an RV - again because I had done the conversion myself I had to put a stated value on it. There is no Blue Book that would tell the insurance company what it was worth so stated value was the only way to go.

I will caution you to figure out both sides of the situation BEFORE you get in too deep with the conversion. I also advise shopping around with brokers other than your current one for the insurance side. I ran into major problems because my broker told my insurance company what I was planning on doing - the insurance company immediately wanted off liability. They gave me 2 weeks to the end of the month to find other insurance - it was nerve wracking to say the least. If you talk to other brokers instead of your own, at least that can't happen to you.

 

[Toddr]

Good advice! Thanks

 

[Riverman]

I will only own an RV which can be easily insured without all this hope-I-can-get-it-insured stuff.

No telling how much you will have to pay for coverage on a special vehicle.

RV insurance is cheap... a couple hundred a year where I live.

Best wishes....

 

[Almost There]

Riverman - that's all well and good for some people. I chose to do my own conversion so that I get the vehicle I like with the layout I want, not what some manufacturer thinks the public wants. I have only the parts that I need and want and none of the other stuff.

Once one has the insurance and title figured out, life goes on without any bumps! In some cases it's easy peasy, others not so much. Getting full-time RV insurance is just about as problematic, depending on which insurance company you ask.

Stated value insurance is not prohibitive in cost - you pay for what you want and need to insure the vehicle. Here my RV coverage is about 40% cheaper than it would have been to leave the vehicle titled and insured as a passenger vehicle. AND the vehicle is insured for enough to cover all the work done on it and all the parts I put in it - no questions asked except to chalk it all up. I've seen nightmare situations with insurance companies when there's damage to an RV, the same with cars.

All insurance costs vary by jurisdiction and by location of the 'home' address of the vehicle. Having a vehicle titled in a major metropolitan area will cost more than the same vehicle insurance in a outlying area.

 

[Riverman]

Good luck

 

[John61CT]

Homeowners or renters policies.

Can have a rider (tacked on sub-policy) to cover other issues.

Sounds like not an option.

Again, agreed-value for a DIY build out is almost unheard of. Do not bother calling insurance companies directly.

Keep all your receipts, document your build meticulously, and search for a cooperative and knowledgeable **agent** that covers the state where you want to register and insure.

Maybe first find the agent and ask them what state to register in.

 

[highdesertranger]

the RV insurance that's cheap is for people that use it as a RV, a couple of weeks a year. tell them you are full time and it's a whole other ball game. highdesertranger

 

[Riverman]

I'm not full time, but there are plans for those that do.

 

[spence_maribeth]

If I understand things right though some vehicles if not registered as an RV will require a special licence to drive it. Am I right on that? I mean I was looking at some buses that said the were already titled as RV's or something like that so anyone who has a license can drive it, but if it wasn't registered as an RV if I got it and until I did get registered as an RV i'd have to have like a CDL licence to drive it i think. That would maybe be an issue with some conversions for some people I'd think. I know it would be the draw back for me...that an I'd just be to chicken to drive a huge bus.

 

[John61CT]

Yes depends on the state.

Fed DOT rules may also apply, I believe those who've converted semi tractors to RVs have mentioned that, even though most of them are also OTR licenced.