Insurance Sticker Shock

[Paulette]

Speaking of insurance...

I recently got my renewal in the mail from progressive. I don't full time, but the coverage, while very good, was just too much...over $1200 a year. So I contacted Allstate, who has been my car and house and rental property insurer for many many years! They do now insure rv's but baby, let me tell you!!! They wanted $5000 for a year of coverage! And did I say I don't full time? So, I contacted an insurance agency and was able to get the same coverage for around $700 a year with Safeco.

I've not had a ticket in a lot of years, no accidents either, knock on wood.

My suggestion would be to perhaps contact an insurance agency, and also to check on some of the club provided insurers.

[bluepinecones]

Before picking up Magic last month, I got quotes from Travelers, Good Sams and AARP/Hartford. Was shocked at the big difference in cost among them. AARP/Hartford was by far the cheapest. You do not have to be a member of AARP to get the quote but you do have to join to get the insurance; even adding that it was a bargain. Good to know they came thru for Liz on her recent accident.

[cpatinjones]

Hello,

I have GMAC insurance from Good Sam for Truck and RV (5th wheel) and their Road Service. I get a better rate for having multi vehicles insured. I have never had to use either and hope and pray I never have to!. I am not a full-timer.

[JudyJB]

I ended up getting the Good Sam policy for both my current minivan and the new motorhome. I was satisfied with the coverage and the price, and I just was too busy today at work to check AARP Hartford, but I will definitely keep them in mind for the future. I needed proof of insurance so I could sign the lien paperwork tomorrow at the credit union so I could pick up the vehicle on Saturday.

Besides the sticker shock of the ridiculously high State Farm quote, AAA this year doubled my minivan insurance because I scraped a pole last year and turned in a claim. Apparently in Michigan any such accident is considered equal to any other accident where you are at fault, whether the repair was $500 or $50,000!! Had i known it would cause such a huge increase in my policy, I would never have turned in it. What is insurance for anyway?? I have not had a collision claim other than that one since 1980, so I have been paying all of those years.

So, I ended up getting much better coverage on both vehicles than I currently had for the one, and the total for the two was less than what AAA wanted to charge me when my current policy ran out April 23! Amazing. And the motorhome policy is full replacement with a new vehicle and true full-timers insurance!!

Thanks for all of your good advice!!

[longdog2]

Just to make sure you know, GMAC RV insurance (Good Sam) is not the same as Good Sam Roadside assistance. You may want to have both. I have seen the roadside assistance in an ad from Good Sam today for $79/yr.

[JudyJB]

Thanks. I do have a year through Fleetwood, but checking out some additional coverage is my next step. I may try CoachNet or stick to Good Sam. I probably won't use their membership for campground discounts, however.

Whew, glad to have made a decision.

[mitch5252]

I just talked to my agent today about Canada coverage. My Canada insurance card is only good for 30 days at a time.

I pay about $300 a year for my little travel trailer.
But I have $200,000+ contents coverage each for both the van and the trailer!!!
I just wonder how many gold bars the van can haul, from a weight standpoint!!

[kelpie]

I have state farm for all my vehicles and my house.My full coverage on the MH only runs about $40/month and I get GREAT service. Last year my muffler blew and I needed to have the rig towed to a dealer on a holiday weekend. Didn't know what the problem was at the time. Anyway, my agent wrote me a check on the spot for the towing BEFORE I left on my trip 4 days later. It may be because I've been insured by them for 30+ years too. Every time I've even tried to get a quote from anyone else, no one even came close.

[Bethers]

I just talked to my agent today about Canada coverage. My Canada insurance card is only good for 30 days at a time.

I pay about $300 a year for my little travel trailer.
But I have $200,000+ contents coverage each for both the van and the trailer!!!
I just wonder how many gold bars the van can haul, from a weight standpoint!!

Weird on the Canada card - mine is good for the term of my policy. Can they send you a new one every month necessary via email? You'll probably never need to show it - but I'd hate to need it and not have it.

[JudyJB]

Will need to remember to check on coverage for traveling through Canada. I want to go through Ontario next spring to see where my grandparents (all of them) grew up and their parents. Also, have found some distant cousins who have offered to show my some family places.

I had State Farm for 30 years and was very satisfied with their prices, but I changed to AAA two years ago, and have regretted it ever since. Maybe if you leave and come back they treat your differently??

[mitch5252]

I just talked to my agent today about Canada coverage. My Canada insurance card is only good for 30 days at a time.

I pay about $300 a year for my little travel trailer.
But I have $200,000+ contents coverage each for both the van and the trailer!!!
I just wonder how many gold bars the van can haul, from a weight standpoint!!

Weird on the Canada card - mine is good for the term of my policy. Can they send you a new one every month necessary via email? You'll probably never need to show it - but I'd hate to need it and not have it.

My agent will email me one when I request it from him. I think it's weird, too, that it's only good for 30 days.

[sharon]

You'll need the Canadian card to get into Canada on your way up and then again on your way back down. Progressive sent me one that was good til the end of the policy. You'll also need an out of country paper for The Beast, available from your vet. Most vets don't have them in the office, but they can download one if you tell them ahead of time you need it.

[Bethers]

You'll need the Canadian card to get into Canada on your way up and then again on your way back down. Progressive sent me one that was good til the end of the policy. You'll also need an out of country paper for The Beast, available from your vet. Most vets don't have them in the office, but they can download one if you tell them ahead of time you need it.

I didn't need an "out-of-country" paper - only current vaccination records - and the only one they cared about was rabies.

The Canada card from your insurance company should be free - just a matter of getting it. As my policy will need to renew while in Alaska, I'll have to get a new card sent at that time. Have the currrent one on my computer - just need to print it. Love how easy things are with computers

[mitch5252]

Last two times I went to Canada with The Beast, all I needed was proof of rabies vaccination.
Too bad I had it. Maybe otherwise, they would have confiscated her.

..

[jthistle]

I have had Statefarm for years. They cover my minivan and my husband's pickup. He also has a life insurance policy through them. When we recently added the RV, our service was excellent! I was able to do it completely by email with my agent, even though he is only a 10 minute drive away. For full coverage, I only pay about $65 per month. I am aware that the coverage probably isn't what I could get through a special RV insurance, but I needed it quick for loan purposes. Right now, we are not full-timing and from my research, if you settle for Statefarm or one of the other "name-brand" auto insurance companies, you never tell them that you are full-timing because they do not cover that. When we do full-time we will most likely switch to a specialized RV insurance company.

Also, for the person that said getting Statefarm to pay is a hassle: I had an accident several years ago where I hit black ice and rolled my car. Even though my car was really not that damaged, they totaled it and I received a check in probably about two weeks. They hardly asked any questions and I never had to meet with my agent or jump through any hoops. Everything was done by phone as well. It was a piece of cake.

There is also a study done regularly regarding insurance companies where they ask auto repair and body shops about the speed of receiving payment and how much they have to fight with the insurance company to receive the claim payment. Statefarm always rates the highest for ease and speed. Plus, I can honestly say that my insurance rates were always way higher with any other company. Statefarm is great for my family, but I can't say that they would be best for everyone. I would say it is definitely always a good idea to comparison shop!

Jessica