HELP: Decomm. Ambulance Insurance in California...ANYONE?

[badfysh]

So I am trying to purchase a 2001 Ford E350 7.3L Type III decommissioned ambulance. No (red/blue) lights, sirens medical equipment and van is already completely black. Here's the issue,

I can't find a single insurance carrier to insure this thing short of $10,000/year as a commercial ambulance.

Does anyone have a decommissioned ambulance, Type I or Type III that is insured in California? If so, can you help me? I need to use your agent etc. assuming its a legitimate policy ie: you didn't lie to get it insured about type of vehicle. I realize that sounds bad but what I mean is, you didn't tell them its a "van" and not show pictures and only get liability. I want full coverage and as soon as they see the pics, the decline coverage.

I am supposed to go buy the van on Friday and am ready to order Ujoint stuff but of course can;t do any of it if I cant insure the car in my home state at my address etc. I do have abusiness and can do commercial auto under my business but the rates are crazy due to the whole "ambulance" thing.

Thanks.

 

[tgreening]

If its like most leech...I mean insurance companies, it won't matter what you tell them. They run the vin # and that tells them what the vehicle is. In my case an ambulance converted to a camper didnt fly because the vin says it was an ambulance, therefor commercial, and they would only consider the camper angle if it was converted by a legitimate conversion company. They would only insure it as a commercial vehicle. The good news is the commercial policy wasn't all that much. I think around $400/change for a year. Progressive. Since you reside in California Progressives rules may differ there, but may be a place to start.

 

[badfysh]

If its like most leech...I mean insurance companies, it won't matter what you tell them. They run the vin # and that tells them what the vehicle is. In my case an ambulance converted to a camper didnt fly because the vin says it was an ambulance, therefor commercial, and they would only consider the camper angle if it was converted by a legitimate conversion company. They would only insure it as a commercial vehicle. The good news is the commercial policy wasn't all that much. I think around $400/change for a year. Progressive. Since you reside in California Progressives rules may differ there, but may be a place to start.

Progressive rejected it. They even have a little picture of a Type III ambulance when doing the quote that says "unacceptable" and wont go further in the quote process. So I called with VIN. Still no. They also told me they wont insure it AT ALL and even if I fully converted they won't insure "habitable" vehicles, whatever that means.

$400/yr would be fine if I could find a carrier that would insure it. I can't get past the first part fo insuring an ambulance.

Ive tried:

1. Personal carriers
2. Commercial non-business use
3. Commercial **catch here is they deem it as an ambulance hence the $10k/yr rate
4. Still waiting to hear back on straight commercial under my business (sole proprietorship) but have already been told likely to fall under category three. But still hopeful.

This is after 5 days of working several brokers and agents, MANY MANY phone calls of my own. And nothing so far, ALL rejected.

There must be some other ambulance (Type I or Type III) here in kookyfornia that have full insurance on a customized rig.

 

[badfysh]

VIN shows E350 Cutaway Passenger Van. No reference to ambulance that I can find. But they may have further detail in their fancy insurance systems. Also, the dash VIN and door VIN are a match so no way to use chassis/vehicle VIN over conversion VIN. They are the same.

1FDWE35F31HB51276

 

[badfysh]

Well, lets see if it lasts, but I just got en email from a broker that couldn't insure it but they recommended Geico. I went through the entire process online, with the VIN and everything was accepted. So, at least for today, it appears to be insured.

 

[huskyhauler]

That's really strange. Washington is like California "light" when it comes to stupid rules. I had no problem insuring my Type-III. USAA almost insured it but the GVW was over it's threshold so they directed me to Progressive, which they have some sort of partnership with.

Mine is registered as an Ambulance, per the title, and rolls in around $400 a year (started at $600, been steadily dropping every year since). I do know of another ambulance that had it's title rebranded as an RV by gutting an old truck camper and mounting the internals in the box of the ambulance. Nothing was hooked up or working in regards to the stove, microwave, or sink, but State Patrol passed it. He now has it insured as a motor home.

With that said you do not want to lie about what the vehicle is. If you are in an accident and the insurance company deems that you lied about the vehicle when it was insured they may not pay out the claim and drop your coverage entirely. This will make it very expensive, if not impossible, to get it insured again through a different company.

If push comes to shove, you should look into the requirements necessary to have the title rebranded as a "California house car" or RV.

 

[badfysh]

Well, lets see if it lasts, but I just got en email from a broker that couldn't insure it but they recommended Geico. I went through the entire process online, with the VIN and everything was accepted. So, at least for today, it appears to be insured.

So, I don't think this will work. Although it's insured, it's listed as an Econoline and not a Super Duty. Still waiting on some replies from a commercial carrier.

I just don't understand. Every single person I talk with our that goes to senior underwriting, denies the coverage due to being an ambulance. Even though it's no longer an ambulance.

 

[badfysh]

So, I don't think this will work. Although it's insured, it's listed as an Econoline and not a Super Duty. Still waiting on some replies from a commercial carrier.

I just don't understand. Every single person I talk with our that goes to senior underwriting, denies the coverage due to being an ambulance. Even though it's no longer an ambulance.

Insured... $924/yr . . . . what a PITA!!! and not to mention about 50% more than I expected to pay.

 

[tgreening]

I don't know if this relates to what you did, but you can't go through Progressives online process, it won't work. That won't do commercial coverage. I had to call direct d tell them I needed their commercial division. After that it was just a matter of details. Progressive doesn't actually do the coverage themselves even. They use some separate entity, but any dealing is through Progressive. Anyway, once I got to the right people it was fairly simple, and the cost was not much different if they'd been insuring just a standard E-series.

 

[badfysh]

I don't know if this relates to what you did, but you can't go through Progressives online process, it won't work. That won't do commercial coverage. I had to call direct d tell them I needed their commercial division. After that it was just a matter of details. Progressive doesn't actually do the coverage themselves even. They use some separate entity, but any dealing is through Progressive. Anyway, once I got to the right people it was fairly simple, and the cost was not much different if they'd been insuring just a standard E-series.

Its through progressive, but a broker. That might be why the price difference. But it wasn't easy. Seriously, he has spent several days back and forth with them and others. Progressive had all kinds of questions and ultimately i had to inure under my business as a commercial vehicle for commercial use, which its not. So, now I have to use some times during business.

I dont care. Its covered and ill pick it up, get it here, start the work and figure out a new/better policy later.

 

[peneumbra]

Just pick up and move to AZ or WY or NV. Life will be much easier...

 

[Abitibi]

Congrats on a great looking ambo!!!

 

[badfysh]

Congrats on a great looking ambo!!!

Thanks! Looking forward to the project. It's not even here yet and I've already got the front axle swap lined up....but you already know about that .

Thanks David for all your help.

 

[badfysh]

UGH, so sad to say, did not purchase the van. Flying home instead of driving home. Very disappointed.

 

[tgreening]

UGH, so sad to say, did not purchase the van. Flying home instead of driving home. Very disappointed.

Well?