Non resident insurance for an RV

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

taraanddave

Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2010
Posts
13
Location
Portsmouth, England
Hello...

We have just arrived in LA from the UK to start our 8 month tour in an RV on a B2 visa...we managed to get a visa for 8 months which was good news...
We are now the proud owners of a 22 foot Tioga Montara class c which we pick up next week..but I am slightly confused about the insurance quotes I have got and was looking for some advice...

Progressive have quoted a "standard" package for $360 - our van is valued at $15000 and we are both non residents...this includes recovery...

Does this sound right to you?  Is this how much RV insurance costs in the US?  I have read others paying over $1000 so am concerned - sometimes if something seems too good to be true - it usually is!

Your thoughts would be appreciated..

Tara Williams
 
Hi Tara and welcome to the USA. Also, congratulations on the Tioga.

Progressive have quoted a "standard" package for $360 ...

You need to know what's included in that "standard package". Normally, the coverage should be spelled out something like this:

  • Liability, including bodily injury and property damage, each with their own specified $ limits.
  • Medical payments, with a specified $ limit.
  • Comprehensive.
  • Collision.
  • Deductible (amount you pay in the event of a claim before insurance pays).
  • Vehicle rental and travel expense, with a $ per day limit and a maximum.
  • Uninsured motor vehicle - bodily injury and property damage, each with $ limits.
Yours may not include all of the above (or may have additional coverages) and/or may have low limits or a high deductible. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium for the same coverage limits. Without knowing what these numbers are, it's impossible to comment on the quote.

BTW was that quote for 6 months or for a year?

[quote author=taraanddave].... on a B2 visa...we managed to get a visa for 8 months ...[/quote]

Be sure to carefully check any dates on the I-94 form they put in your passport at the airport in addition to any stamps they put in the passport. The length of stay is at the descretion of the agent at the port of entry, but normally, the agent isn't allowed to grant you more than 6 months, irrespective how long the visa is good for. If you got 8 months, that might mean they changed the rules.
 
I have progressive and the rate seems about par with mine. Tom is right make sure you have all the standards you can go online and play with the numbers it won't let you go below state minimums but that going to depend on the state as well. Make sure you get the emergency road side plan it has some good benifets.
 
Thanks for that - looking forward to collecting the van and getting going....

I checked the detail on the quote from Progessive...

$250,000 person/?500,000 accident/$100,000 property
Uninsured - $100,000 person/$300,000 accident
Medical payments $1000
$500 deductibles
breakdown cover
personal items $1000
Does that sound like it is sufficient - I am used to "comprehensive" covering all...

As for the visa - we had a 10 year B2 visa issued at the London Embassy...on arrival at LAX I asked if it was possible to have 8 months instead of 6 as we wanted to stay until the end of the year...they gave us until 2 January 2012 - the date they put in our passport - which was exactly 8 months (we arrived May 2)...they said that a Supervisor has the discretion to extend the visa to last over 6 months in certain circumstances...we sat and waited in an secondary interview area whilst the supervisor scanned our paperwork and then agreed it...its great as we don't have to apply for an extension....

Tara
 
... they said that a Supervisor has the discretion to extend the visa to last over 6 months in certain circumstances...

That's good to know Tara, thanks. It might help others in the future. Previously, it was a hard and fast rule, and was spelled out that way on the old INS web site. I scoured the new web sites today, and couldn't find a statement of the max time they'd give you, only that it was at the discretion of the agent at the border.

You're blazing the trail!
 
$360 sounds pretty good for that amount of coverage.  I'm paying a lot more on a car of slightly greater value.  I'd say you did ok. I was afraid that for $360 it might not include collision and comprehensive, but that's what deductibles apply to, so I guess you have them.

I would increase the personal effects coverage - you probably a lot of stuff and things like computers and cameras add up fast. $1000 to cover everything  that is not physically part of the van is not a lot of coverage. The extra premium for another $1000 or two isn't much.
 
Thanks for that - good to know...I will do what you suggest increasing the cover and book it!

As for the Visa - if you don't ask you don't get...! They asked the same questions as we were asked at the embassy - wanted to know we would leave really!  They were very helpful!
We are now looking forward to getting going - and looking at this website for some ideas!

Thanks again
Tara
 
I'm in a 1994 Class C Tioga Montara, 28 foot, no idea what year yours is, but mine was made in a very good year, I've had great luck with it too.  It's held up well, I live in mine fulltime, so I hope you have very good luck too.  ;D

My insurance is with Progressive and only a little bit more than yours, for covering everything for one year.
 
Sounds good - our Montara is 1995 so lets hope they had 2 good years!  She is in good shape  and we are looking forward to collecting her and getting going!

 
taraanddave said:
We are now the proud owners of a 22 foot Tioga Montara class c which we pick up next week..

HI Tara,

We (My wife and I) are from Australia and are doing the same thing, except for 12 months. Unfortunately our RV shopping does not seem to have gone as smoothly as yours has. We've actually traveled from LA where we landed two weeks ago (in a rental car), right over to Texas looking for a small class c (21 to 23 ft), but have not yet found something suitable.

Where / how did you find / purchase your RV, it sounds like the exact same thing we are looking for. The smaller ones seem harder to find especially without work needed such as leaks around the cab over bed. Was it purchased privately or through an RV dealer? What year was it and  how many miles did it have on it? We have approximately the same budget as you (15k) and we are trying to work out what we can get for our money.


Thanks,

Brad


 
You may find that many of the personal items should be covered on your travel insurance and you may not need more personal insurance on your vehicle insurance. There is no point in double cover.
 
Hello Comsense...

We got our RV from a dealer called Bears RV in Mission Hills, LA...it is immaculate inside and has 23K on the clock and was $16000 including taxes and registration...they are also sorting out all small defects including rebuilding the seat area so my very tall husband has a more comfortable seat in the drivers area!
They also had a Fleetwood Jamboree which was 26' which was in good nick, one owner and 75K on the clock at $16K - but all negotiable..

The other van we almost bought was a Coachman Catalina - 23' long - 45K on the clock - at Metro RV in Burbank, LA - old (looked a bit tired outside - this did not worry us) but clean inside and drove well...sofa, booth, kitchen and bathroom with bed over cab...awning and generator....we would have bought it had we not found the other one at Bears...we spoke to Alfonso at Metro - but all the staff were helpful...it was $17K but as they said all is negotiable....you would get it for your budget if not less....

We spent 5 days solid looking at vans around LA and test drove a few but eventually found what we wanted...

Good luck...hope you find a decent van soon...
Tara
 
Thanks for the reply Tara,

We actually looked at that RV when we first got to California but were planning to buy in Nevada until we found out you could still register an rv in California without a CA drivers license. What did you do for an address for the registration in CA?

We are currently considering  a 98 Gulfstream Conquest with 35K on the clock from National Auto and RV in Norco, CA. Seems good. Will make the call tomorrow!

Brad
 
Hello...

My brother lives in LA so we used his address...but every dealer I spoke to were happy to use their address if we did not have an address to register and then forward the tags when they come through in a month or so to where ever you are...

Good luck with the van...
Tara

 
Back
Top Bottom