New Member From The UK

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Trinity

Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2006
Posts
12
Hi to all, My name is Ken and my wife?s name is Linda, we live in Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom, We?re coming up to retirement and new to RVing, we are planning to come over the pond to spend two or three years full time RVing around the USA, we?re planning to purchase a 30+ foot outfit, preferably a diesel pusher, any advice, and do?s and don?ts would be much appreciated
 
Well, welcome to the RVForum.  Advice and tips is what we do.  That is beside trip logs, war stories, and bad jokes.  ;D

I have holidayed in Cambridge a few years back and we have friends in the town.  Lovely spot.  When you come to the USA, do plan on visiting out here in the West.  We have landscapes and venues unlike anything you have in the UK or Europe.
 
Hi Carl and RV Roamer
Thanks for the encouragement, visiting out west will certainly be part of our trip, can?t wait to hit the road, we?ve only ever been to America once before and that was to Boston and Cape Cod, we had a fabulous time, pleased you liked Cambridge Carl, it?s a lovely city.
I?ve got a question if anyone can help, can anyone advise roughly what the annual insurance costs are for a full timer driving a 30+ foot diesel pusher valued at roughly $100,000 to include contents insurance as well, I have a clean insurance record and 45 years driving experience

Many thanks

Ken
 
Ken,

I'll add my welcome to the others.

One caveat re insurance premiuns folks will share with you - most U.S. insurance carriers won't recognize your prior 45 years of clean driving and you'll likely be quoted a higher premium as a result of that. Hopefully, someone will be able to direct you to a carrier that will give you credit for your prior driving record.
 
Hi Ken & Linda,

Welcome to the forum. You have come to the right place for advice. Be sure to ask any questions you might have. As mentioned there are quite a few members from the UK. Some of whom have been here and experienced what this country has to offer. Hope you'll become regular participants.
 
If you can find an insurance carrier that doe sbusiness in the UK as well as th eUSA, you may get creidt for your excellent driving record, but don't count on it. Look for a company that recognises international driving licenses, if you can find one.

Rv insurance varies with the state in which the policy is written (which will be the same state the motorhome is titled and registered in) as well as driving record. For a US resident, we are talking in the $800-1000 range, but I have no idea of what rates they mght quote a foreign national. Some companies won't insure them at all, as a Canadian transplant recently discovered.  Hopefully some of out UK memebrs will contribute their experiences on this question.
 
Trinity said:
Hi Carl and RV Roamer
Thanks for the encouragement, visiting out west will certainly be part of our trip, can?t wait to hit the road, we?ve only ever been to America once before and that was to Boston and Cape Cod, we had a fabulous time, pleased you liked Cambridge Carl, it?s a lovely city.
I?ve got a question if anyone can help, can anyone advise roughly what the annual insurance costs are for a full timer driving a 30+ foot diesel pusher valued at roughly $100,000 to include contents insurance as well, I have a clean insurance record and 45 years driving experience

Many thanks

Ken

Oddly enough we have a run down on insurance for foreign RVers in the USA in our library.? ? ?Click HERE  Howabout dat.  ;D
 
Ken,

In addition to what we've already said, please realize that the answer to your question is a bit like 'how long is a piece of string'. For any given RV and insurance carrier, there are different levels of coverage such as collision (used to be called "third party insurance" in the UK) and comprehensive (UK used to call it "full comprehensive"), liability, property damage, medical payments, bodily injury, uninsured other driver and a number of other coverages. Additionally, the premium can be higher or lower depending on the "deductible" - this is the amount you agree to pay out of your pocket before the insurance company pays out.

There will be large differences in premium between insurance companies and everyone believes they have the "right" or the "best" deal. Unlike most others here, I don't shop for the cheapest quote. Rather, I insure our coach with the same company that has insured our house, cars and lives for the last 26 years - a company something like the Prudential used to be in the UK. I learned this lesson the hard way from some low cost carriers when I lived in the UK.

I pay $2,400/year for a coach that cost over $200,000. This premium is discounted by approx $3,200 for driving record, no claims and "loyalty". So, with this company, I'd be paying $5,600 without the discounts. I carry low deductibles and high liabilty coverage, both of which increase my premium significantly. Others have different priorities for these coverages and there's no "right" universal answer.

For reference, when we first came to California in 1980, the same company charged us 100% above the "normal" rate to insure our cars because of the lack of a driving history in the U.S. They reduced the rate to the "normal" level after a year of claim-free driving here.
 
Ken
I'm an ex-Brit (Worcestershire)  now a U.S. Citizen and living in CA for the past 25 years.  I am also relatively new to RVing (Class C - Dutchman Express, 29'), but have camped and travelled all over CA, Nevada, Arizona and British Columbia.  I hate to throw a spanner in the works but I'm not sure you would be able to spend as much time in the U.S. as you would like on the Tourist Visa you may need.  Though visa's for UK residents aren't specifically necessary for vacations - the INS only permit vacations for (I think) three to six months.  In view of the latest immigration controls, you should check with the US Immigration service as to how long you would be permitted to stay (as a Tourist) .  Like many other ex-pats, have jumped through all kinds of immigration hoops and somewhat familiar with immigration law and application.

I think a 'stay' anything over 12 months (maybe 18 mos) in the U.S. and certainly the purchase of a motor home may well put you into a category outside of the normal tourist, and may well require an application by you for some other type of Visa, which would allow for a longer stay.  However, those visas - job-related work permits, permanent residency, student etc. take a long time to be issued (five or more years in some cases) and carry strict requirements and restrictions.  Of course you could do what so many others do - unfortunately - and simply stay beyond the extent of the original 'issued' visa and become 'illegal'.  However, you then run the risk of Federal incarceration and deportation, should the INS catch up with you.  If I were you I would consider shortening the 'stay' and rent a MH, having the lessor provide necessary insurance.  Insurance carriers do that all the time for foreign visitors, with rental cars etc.  I doubt a MH would be any different.  I'm sure there are companies willing and able to provide a very nice coach for six months for considerably less than the $100K you are considering spending.  That way you have no depreciation when you come to 'sell'  at the end of your trip and simply turn it back over to the owner(s).  A further advantage to having a shortened trip is that you can do it again, repeatedly, with limited restrictions, having returned to the UK in the meantime.....and who knows, a few months may well be long enough to satisfy the urge. On the otherhand...you may really want a longer time to escape the 'old Bill'....

Good luck with your endeavors 
 
:) Hi Trinity. Welcome to RV Froum. We have been over to the USA and spent a while touring. There are several other's over there at the present time touring before shipping their RV back to the UK. If your intention is to Ship your RV back to the UK? There are certain things you will need to learn. If you search around this Forum you will find ALL the answers. Happy Retirement and RV'ing.  :)


 
Hi Tom, Carl, RV Roamer
Thanks for the welcome and information regarding insurance, I know it?s one of those ?How long is a piece of string questions? but at least it?ll give me some idea as to the costs involved, also
thanks for a great forum, it's full of so much information

Best wishes

Ken
 
Hi Jim

Thanks for the welcome; I?m sure I?ll be making good use of the forum.

Thanks again and best wishes

Ken


 
Hi Buddy
Thanks for the information, at present I?m trying to get some clarification from the US Embassy with regards to getting an extended Visa to stay for more than six months, it may be possible but it certainly looks like we?ll have to prove that we have sufficient financial stability to support ourselves for the extended period applied for, if not then we will probably cross over into Canada for a further few months, then re apply for a further six months Visa, then after that period expires export the outfit back to the UK so as we can then tour Europe for as long as we want

Thanks again and best wishes
 
Hi John and Sandy

Thanks for the welcome, we're certantly planning on bringing the outfit back to the UK, We're hoping to get an extended Visa of more than six month but if not then it's "Europe here we come"

Thanks again and best wishes

Ken
 
Hi Patty

Thanks for the welcome, if we don?t get an extended Visa then we?ll cross over into Canada, which we were planning on doing anyway, and then re apply to come back into the US, we?ll have to wait and see

Best wishes

Ken
 
Trinity said:
Hi Jim

Thanks for the welcome; I?m sure I?ll be making good use of the forum.

Thanks again and best wishes

Ken

Ken,

Be sure to let us know when you arrive. I'm sure many of the forum members would love to meet you somewhere.
 

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