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Old 10-02-2020, 03:29 PM   #1
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Talking Going Full Time! Insurance Questions

Hey gang,

So this is it, I'm closing in 17 days on Oct 20th - selling my house, selling everything I own, quitting my job and living out of the van for the next 12 - 16 months to travel across North America. As I'm looking at the next 17 days before close I'm trying to dial in how new life will be as an unemployed and homeless rubber tramp vagabond.



I'm going to be staying here in Pittsburgh for a couple months working and doing some finishing touches on the van while living in the van, but will be quitting and hitting the road by January or February.


I've done a good bit of reading on here regarding insurance for these vans but did want to see if anyone had any input on the following:

Property Insurance:
It seems like if I can actually get RV insurance for my van that might be able to cover my possessions in the event of breakin / theft, but right now I don't have RV insurance (I just have regular car insurance with a stated value of customization which would be covered). I'm not thrilled with this level of vehicle coverage and plan on changing it in the near future. Seems like explicitly mentioning the 4x4 aspect of the vehicle is also important for insurance purposes, I guess some plans would not cover claims for incidences not occurring on pavement?



Any recommendations for insurance? I've heard good things about progressive, but I also most likely can't get class B status because I don't have a shower or plumbed toilet in my van.


I've heard one thing people do for their stuff in the van (not the van itself) is sign a lease with a friend for $5/month rental and use that lease as a mailing address and get renters insurance at that address which would then cover things in the van - is this a viable route or does it bend the rules too much? Anyone on here actually do this?

Personal Health Insurance:
I've heard from some people they just straight up don't have health or life insurance and just roll the dice and bank on ER's accepting them in the event of an accident. This seems reckless to me and I want a decent type of coverage for medical and life as I'm an outdoor enthusiast and do things where there are definitely risks of injury / death (knock on wood, haven't had a single ER visit in 12+ years of doing this).

One option I'm considering is just going on my partners insurance, she works full time and said she could potentially add me to her plan. That could be a good option for regular healthcare, I need to check the details on if it provides coverage all over the country.

Other thing I'm considering is just 12 months of travelers insurance - I need to price it out, but it might be competitive compared to the healthcare marketplace and almost certainly more flexible in terms of location.

Mailing Address
All of the above requires a mailing address / residency. Since I'm selling my home I'm debating doing the friend rental/lease thing or a UPS mail box. Any other mailing address options people use?




Any pointers or experiences people can share on these topics is appreciated thanks!

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Old 10-02-2020, 04:41 PM   #2
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Subscribing Mr.Anderson ...(Not in the same situation anytime soon) simply because you bring up some great questions and site several creative alternatives which I haven't come across before. The responses could prove very interesting & educational.
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Old 10-02-2020, 05:46 PM   #3
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For mailing/address, Good Sam has a service. I use American Home Base in Pensacola FL, about 10 years. You get a PO box for mailing and a different physical address. They will forward mail however you want. Used to be Good Sam’s provider before it went in house.
https://www.amhomebase.com

For insurance, can’t offer suggestions because we are active military and retired military/disabled vet.
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Old 10-02-2020, 07:36 PM   #4
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Ya, can’t provide too much more info, we went with a local P.O. Box, with a friend forwarding mail to us at certain locations when we know we’ll be somewhere, friends house or many established campground/RV parks accept packages. As mentioned, some of the companies like good Sam or Baja bound provide mail services.
Lots have gone with P.O. Boxes in states that have lower or no sales tax to register their RV’s- I think S. Dakota and Montana are a few that come to mind. Ran into more than a few people with those plates on their rigs down in Baja.
We’ve been on the road full time now for almost a year and a half, traveling the backroads, less populated national parks, national monuments, national forests and BLM land. The current state of things has certainly changed things a bit, and I never would have imagined that we’d find MORE people than ever out on the road during a global pandemic, but what else are we all to do?!? Have fun and stay safe!
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Old 10-03-2020, 11:01 AM   #5
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I'd be very reluctant to stretch the rules or tell fibs at all regarding vehicle and property insurance, as that might be grounds to deny a big claim if you ever have one. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of insurance.

For health insurance, if going on your partner's policy is an option, that's often the simplest and cheapest route, and would be my first choice. But of course it depends on what your research turns up. The most relevant variables are probably out-of-network benefits, since it's unlikely you'll be near a favored facility when bad luck hits.

Do you really need life insurance? Unless you have dependents unable to support themselves, I've never seen the point.
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Old 10-11-2020, 10:32 AM   #6
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From Sportsmobile Site:
What’s required to be classed as an RV – Class B motorhome or travel Van? Need 4
Stove or microwave
Refrigerator
Fresh water supply, sink
Propane or 110V system
Porta Potti or marine toilet
Heating or A/C (110V)
We use Progressive for insurance--have not had a claim.
Good Luck
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Old 10-11-2020, 02:23 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Rivers View Post
From Sportsmobile Site:
What’s required to be classed as an RV – Class B motorhome or travel Van? Need 4
Stove or microwave
Refrigerator
Fresh water supply, sink
Propane or 110V system
Porta Potti or marine toilet
Heating or A/C (110V)
We use Progressive for insurance--have not had a claim.
Good Luck

Good to know, thanks!
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Old 10-11-2020, 02:32 PM   #8
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Mr. Anderson: congratulations on your new journey! Re health insurance: don’t go without some, even if it’s just “catastrophic” level (i.e., cheaper plan). One unfortunate car wreck or other type of accident and you’ll find yourself in bankruptcy really quick. It’s not like the hospitals and healthcare providers just write off your bill. They’ll hound you forever, send you to collections, and go after every dollar they can... even your van, if it’s not wrecked.

If your partner has insurance to offer, that’s usually the cheapest route. And almost every plan has some kind of provision for out-of-area emergency treatment. If that’s a no-go, find a cheap plan and pay for it. Don’t roll the dice on this one.
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Old 10-11-2020, 04:50 PM   #9
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Following this thread. I have the same questions except that I will be traveling out of the country. Traditional health care including Medicare is useless. Regarding RV insurance I understand there are two kinds. One is just an auto policy with no special consideration of the living space and it's additional risk/value. The other type actually insures the RV (I have a truck camper so it's even weirder).
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