The steps required to insure your school bus conversion with links to insurance companies who offer coverage for school bus conversions.
~ Written By: Laura Scothern from Skoolie Nation ~
You converted a skoolie! All systems check out and you're ready to drive away towards unknown adventures, right? Not quite. Obtaining insurance for your liberation mobile can be nearly as daunting as the build. Hopefully our experience of the process outlined below will make legalizing your dream machine less disheartening.
After calling several insurance companies and receiving many rejections, we discovered AIS (Auto Insurance Specialist). With access to multiple insurance providers, AIS makes finding the best coverage and price possible. The following information is our experience with AIS regarding their policies and procedures.
Companies are ever tightening their requirements for Skoolie insurance so having a few things prepared for your potential insurer before calling will really help.
- Your bus must show living quarters similar to an RV. Stovetop, sleeping quarters, and possibly a bathroom space(but not required).
- You cannot live in it full time.
- Your bus must be in good condition. It cannot appear that it is a makeshift job and should meet professional standards. AIS, among other companies may require the bus to have its decals removed and yellow paint covered.
- The insured driver must be a good driver. Our Sales Representative informed me that a policy was denied because the driver had an accident and a ticket in the last 3 years. More than 1 accident will usually result in a decline.
- There is not a big difference from state to state in regards to insurance, other than each state has their own minimum coverage requirements. In Florida any personal injury claim within any 5 year period will usually result in a decline.
- You must have active personal auto insurance and will be asked for proof. This is because they do not want people driving their bus as a primary vehicle (used for work commute or for personal errands).
- The policies available are usually only liability and uninsured motorist protection. They do not offer comprehensive, collision or any contents coverage.
- Wood stoves or the "appearance" of a wood stove and chimney pipe are not allowed.
The following pictures will be required of the interior:
- cooking area
- sleeping area
- bathroom space
Cooking Area
Sleeping area
Bathroom area
After sending those, they requested the following:
- photo from the back of the bus towards front
- photo from the front of the bus towards the rear
View from back of the bus to the front.
View from the front to the back of the bus.
For the exterior they requested the following pictures:
- Front
- Back
- Both sides
After an entire week of hope and anxiousness, National General became our new insurance provider, freeing us to take our home onward and upward.
There are other insurance companies who will insure bus conversions but will not consider coverage if your bus was previously used for school. If you're in a pinch and need to get insurance quick, Progressive offers insurance online however you will be dropped within two weeks.
AIS also has pre-conversion commercial insurance available. Even if your skoolie is not used commercially, one of these policies may still be possible; however, they are usually slightly more expensive than personal policies. For more information regarding bus conversion insurance, visit the AIS website at:
https://www.aisinsurance.com/products/recreational-vehicle/bus-conversion.aspx
Below is the contact information of the Sale Representative that we worked with at AIS. Please let him know that Laura Scothern of @skoolienation sent you his way.
Auto Insurance Specialists
Phone: 866-570-7335 fax:866-732-6739
