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Old 02-13-2011, 01:58 AM   #1
bigd
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Semi for tow vehicle insurance

I have been looking at a semi for my tow vehicle, I have a 2005 f350 and it works well but I would like to have a lot better stoping power which a semi would have. I also piggy back a 15 ft. ATV trailer and looking at adding a flatbed to the semi and drop the back trailer. My insurance (American Family) has told me they will not insure the semi? What are you guys with semi's using for insurance?
 
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Old 02-13-2011, 02:11 AM   #2
ole dude
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Progressive Ins. Have my truck registered as a motor home.
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Old 02-13-2011, 02:34 AM   #3
bigd
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Thanks, I think it is time to look around for a different insurance company. I have been with American Family over 30 years I think it is time for a change. Can I ask how bad is it for a payment per year.
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Old 02-13-2011, 02:45 AM   #4
RickW
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I am using Progressive thru RV America. I also hear BlueSky is very HDT friendly when insuring.

The HDT Resource Guide is a great source current information. They have a whole section just on insurance.
http://hhrvresource.com/InsuranceForHDTConversions.htm
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Old 02-13-2011, 03:15 AM   #5
bigd
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Rickw you have the setup which I have been looking at. It looks like I will be contacting Progressive for a price.HDT recource guide is very helpful I need to start my homework and start looking for a new hauler. When registered as a motor home did you have to install a bathroom, cooking equipment, heat/air and so on to title it to a motor home.
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Old 02-13-2011, 03:50 AM   #6
nailbender
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A lot of information for HDT here.

http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?s...7&showforum=32
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Old 02-13-2011, 06:09 AM   #7
firetrucker
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We use National for our Volvo, have for the last 5 years. Started with GMAC, soon switched to Progressive, for one year, then National.

Bob
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Old 02-13-2011, 02:01 PM   #8
wingerphil
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Ours is with Allied Insurance purchased through Farm and City http://www.fcisinsurance.com/

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Old 02-13-2011, 02:39 PM   #9
ole dude
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I think how you register as a motor home and what all you may need is what your state will require. I have a sink, microwave, ref, bed, potapotty, heating/cooling, as required by Tx when I did mine. Ins is around $575.00 per yr. Reguarding ins, ask lots of questions.
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Old 02-14-2011, 12:02 AM   #10
bigd
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Thank you for all the information on insurances for covering the semi tow vehicle. I see the cost is not much more than what Iam paying for on my f350. Did all of you semi owners start with a 1ton? What is the biggest improvement that you have seen when you went to a semi? I would think the braking and power?
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Old 02-14-2011, 05:45 AM   #11
RickW
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I would suggest using a agent who is use to writing policies for a HDT in a RV application instead of trying to contact somebody like Progressive directly. There just seems to be more complications using a agent who is not use to writing these type of policies. They either do not know how to write the policy or they can not get "commercial" out of their head.

Registration and licensing requirements are going to very depending on your state of domicile. Some are more HDT friendly than others. I reside in Texas and Texas is very HDT friendly. I can register the truck as a Motor Home or as a Non-Commercial Truck. I am registered currently as a non-commercial truck. That is no different than a pick-up truck except for the weights allowed by the truck. I am registered for a GVW of 40k. Far more than I need.

I don't know what your time frame is for making a change in tow vehicles but if you have the time I would suggest going to the National HDT rally in Hutchinson, KS in October. It is the single most informative rallies for using a HDT in a RV application. Several HDT are there each year, plus wanna-bees and even used-to-bees. It gives you a chance to see all different types of trucks, models and setups at one time. Classes cover a wide range of HDT related & RV related items. The ladies even provide driving classes to the other ladies. There are many pros & cons to using a HDT. This rally gives you access to lots of people with lots of information.

Pickups today are more capable than pickups of a decade ago but trailers are also bigger and heavier. Before building my HDT it weighed 18k#. So it already exceeded the gross weight of my 3400. I have no issues with the tail wagging the dog. That was a big issue for me with my Ford. I did have a break controller issue. With my break controller not working I was able to stop the Monty safely and only learned of the problem with the break controller when I looked down and saw that it was not applying correctly. The jake/engine brake is more effective than the Banks exhaust brake I had on my Ford. I averaged 9.5mpg with my Ford. I average 8.5mpg with the Volvo (8 on a bad day or if I have my foot in it).

The Volvo is very comfortable to travel in. It is actually quieter inside the cab when going down the road than my 01 Ford. My wife is even very comfortable driving the setup down the road. She was not comfortable pulling with the Ford.

Downside is I am 11' longer than I was with a pickup. So sometimes I have to park the truck in a overflow area in smaller campgrounds. I have to use truck friendly places to fuel up (but with 250/gal of fuel I don't fuel up as often).

The real selling point for us was the ability to carry the Jeep. The Jeep gives us a smaller vehicle for use when we get to our destination. For example in San Francisco this past summer it would have been far more difficult to find parking for a CrewCab vs the Jeep. The Jeeps fits anywhere and gives us more freedom that a dually pickup would give us.

We also know that if we upgrade to a bigger/heavier trailer that we don't have to worry if we have enough truck. The HDT works well for us and our needs as well as what we anticipate our needs will be in the future.
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Old 02-14-2011, 06:30 AM   #12
bigd
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Thanks RickW, The Volvo is #1 on my list then a Peterbilt 2nd, I thought the same on fuel use they are about the same as my F350 I average 9-11 on a good day. We are in no hurry to buy but if I find a good deal this might change. I really enjoy this site so keep it up IT is cold in MN and I need something to do.
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Old 02-14-2011, 09:42 AM   #13
wingerphil
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We bought ours so we could haul the bike on the back of the truck. A big plus is the extra braking and the power over an MDT or LDT.

Our Freightliner isn't as fancy as some but it works well for us.
I really like the Jake brake, makes towing in the mountains a breeze.

We get in the neighborhood of 9 mpg and rarely drive the truck when it's not hooked to the 5er.
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Old 02-14-2011, 10:48 AM   #14
bigd
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We are into ATVING and most of the time the truck sits and we drive them around the area. I will also stop hauling the ATV trailer behind the camper and put them on the semi like you guys are doing. We are at 72 feet long with the ATV trailer on back so length will probally be the same with the semi and trailer.A fancy semi would be nice but I would just like to have a semi that will do the job. I don't want to put all my money in a truck unless I win the lottery. Thanks for all the information.
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Old 02-14-2011, 11:50 AM   #15
Hooker
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Anybody considering Progressive, should bing or google "Peter Lewis" he is the Chairman of the Board, then make your decision.
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