Agreed Value Insurance with Trailer coverage, anyone?

[jage]

Farmer's has been my insurance company for years and they'll cover my trailer and anything that's on it (a single car open trailer) which often includes friend's vehicles (usually broken) and salvage as well as my own Jeeps and whatever else I need to cart around for personal use.

The rub is that when I bought the Sportsmobile the insurance agent I had at the time had teenagers as interns and the policy got screwed up- in the end none of them understood what a Sportsmobile is so the best I could do was depreciating chassis insurance on the E350 and a seperate amount for the "conversion" cost which did not add up to what I'd just put into the purchase.

I then switched to Progressive about a month ago as they were higly reviewed on rv.net and offered agreed value coverage of the Sportsmobile. After switching the SMB, I'd intended to switch my F250, the trailer and my Jeep over as well as purchasing renter's insurance for my new residence in Colorado as the timing of the policies coincided with the move very neatly.

However, nothing is ever so easy. The problem I discovered today is Progressive doesn't really recognize a trailer. Their coverage for the trailer is a $500 maximum and it does not cover anything that is on the trailer. If I had an ATV or Snowmobile I could cover that specific item and include the value of the trailer, but it would only count when the ATV or snowmobile was actually in/on the trailer. Since my toys consist of full size Jeeps and often parts or wrecks even that didn't help.

So it's Saturday and all of my other policies expire Monday and I need to find an insurance company who will cover the trailer, regardless of which vehicle I drag it behind, and the contents, regardless of who owns them, but also has "agreed value" coverage for the Sportsmobile which Farmer's doesn't seem to offer.

Any suggestions would be welcome so I can line up my top choices and use my time Monday wisely.

Thanks!

[BroncoHauler]

I only have their roadside assistance program, but I plan on checking into Good Sam insurance coverage sometime soon. Sorry I don't anything more to offer than their name at this point.

I have all my insurance at AAA right now, and I never thought to ask about what I was carrying on the trailer since I typically only carry my own, insured, vehicles on it.


Herb

[mikestead]

My SMB insurance is through AAA, which is really Progressive. I have agreed-upon value coverage for the SMB. Trailer coverage (when used with motorhome) is the lesser of actual cash value less deductible, or $2,500. This coverage was included in the base premium. I didn't ask about additional coverage for a trailer.

My Progressive quote through AAA was MUCH less in premium than dealing with Progressive directly.

Mike

[scatter]

I think this has been discussed in another topic, but I just had to drop my Progressive insurance after reading the fine print and calling up and double checking with the company. Progressive will not insure a Sportsmobile unless it has a permanent stove, heater, A/C, toilet, shower, water system, and shore AC power and water. Seeing as how we use a portable stove and only carried a porta potti (still in the box) so I could say I had a toilet, I did not meet their criteria. Bummer, cause other then that the price was good and there is full coverage in Mexico - 'cept for liability.

[myriadmyriad]

I wonder how many of us know what the coverage really is.(fine print)
I have seven vehicles with Farmers. My SMB is covered for 100000.00 I think. I tow a trailer or flat tow my cj5. I'am going to look a little more closely at my policy....



Jeff

[mikestead]

Scatter,

I read the fine print of my Progressive motor home policy. Per policy:

"A vehicle means a land motor vehicle, including its permanently attached equipment, that:

A) has built-in: (i) cooking, refrigeration, sleeping, and bathroom facilities; and (ii) self-contained: (a) heating and/or air-conditioning; (b) drinking water supply system; and (c) 110-125 volt electrical power system; or

(B) is shown on the Declarations Page and customarily used with a fifth-wheel trailer: (i) owned by you and insured under our Travel Trailer Insurance program; and (ii) containing living quarters.

'Vehicle' does not include any type of mobile home, manufactured housing, or any other wheeled device not designed for regular use on public roads."

I would argue that my porta potti is a toilet that sits inside a special cabinet built specifically for it. Hence it's a built-in toilet.

Otherwise, I would argue that no Class B RV has a built-in sleeping facility that is used exclusively as a sleeping facility and not used for anything else (like a dinette or sofa or goucho). That would be a lot of lost business for Progressive.

There have been too many SMBs with too few flush toilets over too many years that have had too many accidents for which Progressive has paid the claim.

Did Progressive specifically state your SMB did not meet their criteria? Did you get that in writing from them? If an RV insurance company turns you down for coverage, they are required by law to send you a letter as to why, if you request it.

Mike

[scatter]

Mike - I didn't get anything from Progressive in writing, though I didn't request it. I just noticed what I thot was the discrepancy in the policy and gave them a call about it. I asked to be connected to a supervisor and once again explained my concern, went over with her what my SMB was, what it contained, and that there were thousands of class B RVs out there that had similar setups. She then told me she would have to get with an "officer" and discuss. When I was called back, I was told that they did not insure an RV that didn't meet all the requirements of a permanetly built in toilet, stove, etc. and that a porta potti and portable stove did not meet those requirements. I went over the whole thing again, to no avail. I just thought it was better to part company and I went with another insurer. My new coverage is basically the same, just costs a little more.
I agree with what you said Mike, But since I brought it up with them and they knew who I was at that point, I bailed rather then fight or get cancelled.
I would like to go back with Progressive and if anyone can break the barrier, I'm in. Maybe an SMB club, group policy thing? Money talks....

[mikestead]

Thanks for the info, Scatter.

You're right that, technically, the phrase "built-in" in Progressive's definition of motor home means not detachable (Webster's Dictionary). So a porta potti wouldn't meet the definition of built-in. And Progressive could technically use it as an out-clause if I had a high-dollar claim, though they would have to explain in court why they've covered claims of other SMBs, the majority of which have no built-in toilets.

Who do you have your motor home insurance with? What is their definition of motor home in the policy? How much did it increase your premium over Progressive?

Like you, I've spent too much time building my sizeable nest egg to see it go down the detachable toilet!

Mike

[jage]

Wound up going with Progressive. The quote for both the other vehicle combined and plus renters insurance was less than the quote for the Jeep Wrangler alone under Farmers, never mind the F250 and the renters insurance.

Plus you can't beat $8 for unlimited roadside assistance including tire changes, towing and fuel. The only catch is they'll only tow to the nearest station, which is fine because my biggest concern is being out of a coverage area, so if the nearest place is 300 miles it's still covered, as long as the van is on a legitimate road at pickup.

[scatter]

I ended up going with National Interstate Ins. Co. My premium is about $100/yr. more then with Progressive. Their defination for a motor home: "means a self propelled motor vehicle, including its permanently attached equipment, which has built in facilities for at least cooking and sleeping and is designed for recreational use."
When I asked about the use of a portable stove rather then a built in unit they asked what type of RV conversion I had. When I mentioned Sportsmobile, the guy called his supervisor who got on the phone and I was told that there is no problem insuring an SMB as they are high quality, well built rigs. Their reason for requiring built-ins is to keep a beat up van with an air matress and portable stove from qualifing for RV insurance.
If anyone is interested in details, I can scan in a few pages from my policy. Basicly, I have $96k coverage for $800.