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Motorhome Full-Timer's Insurance for Unmarried Couples
Total Views: 2692 - Total Replies: 7
Jun 24 2011, 11:01 pm - By Technomadia


Ok.. first the big news.  We just bought a 1961 GM 4106 Vintage Bus RV Conversion!!  We're super excited and love our new-to-us 35' motorhome. 

We have a post up with a video tour at: Introducing: Our New Vintage Bus!

However, when we called our insurance agent get set up insurance, she warned us that on motorhomes ALL insurance companies penalize unmarried couples by 50% on premium. She said the reason is because when you have multiple people on the title, they anticipate that this is an un-related group sharing a RV and it will thus be utilized more than if owned by one family/individual/couple. 

This makes no sense for a full-timers policy if you ask us.. as the rate should already be anticipating full time use. Not to mention it's family configuration discrimination. 

Anyway.. curious if any one else has come up against this? Any advice for getting around it? Any company's that write full-timers policies without this penalty for unmarried domestic partnerships?

And of course, we're limited as some company's just don't write policies for bus conversions. 

Thanks all!

 - Cherie
Cherie and Chris / Technomads / www.technomadia.com
1961 GM 4106 - Vintage Bus
On the road since 2006 


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Jun 24 2011, 11:08 pm - Replied by: SL1966


Congrats on the new rig, it's mad sweet inside out! So when is the wedding?











I kid!
Jun 25 2011, 4:09 pm - Replied by: Technomadia


There will be no legal marriage - we're ethically opposed to whole institution and assumptions that come along with marriage.  And we refuse to use the convenience of just happening to be opposite biological gender to get hitched to save a few bucks when our gay, lesbian, trans and bi peers don't yet fully have that option everywhere (go NY!!!).   

We have however already had our life commitment ceremony (at Burning Man, of course). All of our legal ties and entanglements and obligations have been handled with very conscious intent.  We're SD residents in part because they do not recognize common law marriage, so that we don't run the risk of being 'married' without choosing it. 

(I apologize if you were joking about that..  it's just an issue we take very deeply and personally.)
Cherie and Chris / Technomads / www.technomadia.com
1961 GM 4106 - Vintage Bus
On the road since 2006 

Jun 25 2011, 4:45 pm - Replied by: SL1966


No need to explain or apologize Cherie/Chris. In case you missed it, I threw in the "I kid!" at the bottom of my post. Sorry and hope it didn't upset you if it did. I've got friends and a family member who can't marry for said reason. Personally speaking I also feel all who wish to marry should be able to (within legal age and sound mind of course). Semi-jokingly, everyone should learn what it is to lose half their stuff in divorce too. Gotta take the good with the bad, right. :-P
Jun 27 2011, 6:22 pm - Replied by: KevsKnight


Another congrats on your killer new home!! Your persistence paid off!

I wish I had even a good suggestion for your situation. A 50% hit for an assumption is extortion. But, the insurance companies play by their own rules, so it is not totally surprising.

We solved the issue for ourselves with something that falls outside of your guidelines, but it has worked out well so far. I hope that you find a reasonable answer for this, and let us know what that ends up being. Seems like a lot of NuRVers are in similar situations :)


kev
I have washboard abs. They are just hidden under 50#s of laundry.
Jul 03 2011, 8:36 pm - Replied by: hitek_homeless


Yay! Congrats.

Any chance only one of your names could be on the title and the insurance be in that person's name with the other as a household member/driver?


Grrr typed you're.. silly fingers.
A couple of 30-sometings on an ultimate adventure.
Jul 05 2011, 7:51 am - Replied by: Technomadia


Yes... of course that is an option.  But that would undesirable, as we're both owners and will be making investments in it.  It would require other legal documents to make sure that ownership rightfully passes on in the event of a split or death.  Not impossible of course, just not the most ideal way to deal with it when titling it in both our names IS the proper way to handle it.  

At this time, our agent has gotten Progressive to waive the multi-family surcharge, but they may require us to purchase a second vehicle to keep the policy. Apparently they don't want motorhome owners using them to run errands.  Which is why we keep a non-owners policy as we plan to rent vehicles when we need them until we get comfy enough with the bus to tow something.   

Grr.. insurance. 
Cherie and Chris / Technomads / www.technomadia.com
1961 GM 4106 - Vintage Bus
On the road since 2006 

Jul 12 2011, 9:55 pm - Replied by: Technomadia


So.. here's our (now successful) insurance update!

Progressive:  Progressive has told us they are canceling us on July 27, unless we purchase & insure another vehicle/scooter. They will not accept that we each carry a 'non-owners' liability policy with intentions of renting/borrowing vehicles when stopped for running local errands. Our agent was able to get them to drop the 50% 'multi family' premium increase for us being unmarried. In addition, Progressive will only cover our personal possessions up to $1000/each for a maximum of $13,000 (which doesn't help us much with our high end electronics, like laptops). And of course, Progressive only covers 'actual cash value' for older conversions. 

GMAC: After much prodding from our agent, they have agreed to cover our bus for full-coverage (GMAC will typically only do liability for non-professional bus conversions), as we were able to provide them with our video tour and plenty of blog posts/photos showing the bus is a quality conversion. GMAC does not have penalties for non-married ownership, nor any requirements for owning a second vehicle.  So this gives us more time to get comfortable driving the bus before rushing into buying something else. They'll also cover our personal possession for whatever level we wish to purchase at replacement cost, and coverage for the bus itself will be for market value inclusive of all the upgrades we add (solar, etc.).  

*whew*  

Solution found, and we're super super happy with our agency and the extra work they went to find us a solution - http://www.epic-ins.com . 

 - Cherie
Cherie and Chris / Technomads / www.technomadia.com
1961 GM 4106 - Vintage Bus
On the road since 2006 

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