-
Insurance question – Coaches vs Class a pushers
I’m not sure this is the right place to ask this particular question, so feel free to move it if you need to.
In our research of potential motorhomes for retirement time, it occurred to me that I should check into the cost of insurance on coaches. I don’t expect such insurance to be cheap, but I wonder about this. If I were to find two 40′ coaches (I’ll call them both coaches) with similar features, similar drivetrain, similar mileage, similar construction, and similar age, but one of them was built on a Prevost platform and the other was classified more as an RV built on a Spartan or other similar chassis, would the same insurance coverage on each of them be close to the same price? Or would the Prevost be more expensive? The best potential example that I can think of would be a comparison between say, a 1999 Country Coach Magna and a 1999 Country Coach Prevost.
If anyone has experience with this scenario, I would be curious to hear your input.
Thanks.
-
12 Replies
-
Depends on state and stated value. I have mine insured for $75,000. with towing and road side assistance. for 49$ a month. $1,000 deductible 1M Laib… I also have coach net as a back up in case I have a major break down. Have never used either. Bob
-
It’s based on value and the Prevost is going to cost more. The Magna might be 50K while the Prevost would be more like 175K. Just an example, these numbers mean nothing.
-
Thank you for the quick reply. That’s not a bad premium. If anyone else has experience with the comparison, I’d be interested in hearing that also.
-
If a person were to find two deals where the Magna and the Prevost were both available for approximately the same price, then do you think the premiums would be similar?
Thanks
-
That also depends on who you get the insurance with. I have had State Farm for 40 years and had my Eagle conversion with them at a stated value and all was well. When I bought the Prevost, because it was a professional conversion from a new shell and 20 years old, they had to insure it at the value when new and not the current value?? My agent was mad at the underwriter but could do nothing. I moved the Prevost to an Independent Agent and went with Progressive at the current value.
-
Have 1991 Prevost professionly converted bus insured through State Farm for $85,000, $500 deductible for about $400 a year.
-
I wonder why an insurance company would insist on covering a 20 year old coach at the cost of the coach when it was new? That number would reflect neither the cost of replacing it with a brand new one nor the purchase price of the coach at its current age.
Nevertheless, it seems from the replies I’ve read that insurance is not as expensive as I thought it would be for a coach in the $100,000 and down range.
-
Be afraid. Very afraid………….Make sure the insurance company knows your RV is a bus and not a sticks and staples. Make sure your insurance company recognizes that the cost to repair damage to your coach, regardless of age is exactly the same as the cost to repair a new one.
The only difference in premium should be related to the current replacement cost should the worst happen. You can save a ton of money by understating its replacement cost or allowing the insurance company to place the value on the coach. But if you end up with a semi-serious damage claim that equals or exceeds that understated value you end up with a check and the insurance company ends up with your coach, likely at a bargain price.
Make sure your insurance company knows that unlike an RV your coach repairs may need to be made by Prevost or one of its qualified experts and / or the converter. I think the last place you want to see your pride and joy is in a reapir facility with nothing but little white RVs and the expertise that goes along with fixing them.
-
“Make sure your
insurance company recognizes that the cost to repair damage to your
coach, regardless of age is exactly the same as the cost to repair a new
one… the last place you
want to see your pride and joy is in a reapir facility with nothing but
little white RVs and the expertise that goes along with fixing them.“
Jon,
Two very good points that I hadn’t thought about in that way.
-
My 91 Prevost is insured though State Farm as previously stated. They wanted original invoice which I had (finished in 1992 for $495,000) Pictures inside and out for perspective and that was it. I have it insured for $85,000, which is over what I paid for it.
-
One of the things my State Farm agent said was that the underwriter told him was that replacements parts would be so expensive because they probably could not find used parts and would have to buy new. Therefore they wanted to insure it as a new coach. I agree with Jon, just be careful and know what you are getting.
-
Simple rule of thumb when inquiring about insurance………If you tell the agent you want to insure a Prevost conversion and they ask what that is, your response needs to be “Never mind. Sorry I called.”
Log in to reply.