Join Early Retirement Today
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-05-2006, 10:31 PM   #1
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

I just moved into a home in a county in Florida where the auto insurance is very expensive.* I keep an RV on a site in another county where I rent a space all year. When I lived in the RV while my house was being built, my auto insurance was much cheaper. My home is insured with State Farm and my insurance agent says if I were to claim the truck that pulls my RV (much less my sedan) were based in the county where the insurance is cheaper, their underwriters would assume I am NOT occupying my house and drop my policy.* Insurance on a house in Florida is VERY hard to get these days, so that is a messy problem.

However, my agent also says that keeping my auto insurance with State Farm is not a necessary condition for retaining my home insurance.* So, it seems like I should consider finding another insurer for the vehicles (and hopefully save about 40%) giving up the discount for multiline coverage (both home and auto, which is 12% of auto cost).

It seems like I should be able to park the truck (at least) at the RV (it doesn't fit in my garage and has little use except to pull the RV), claim the RV as my residence (as I did while my house was being built), use that address (I have mail service at the RV park), and get the lower rate.* I use the RV as a second home when it is parked, spending many (>60) days there.* I could even put the vehicles in my wife's name and have her keep her official address and voting records there.

Now, my questions: from whom can I get an unbiased answer about the wisdom of this?* Is it likely that insurance companies would take the time to match addresses of husband and wife and see that we each claim a different address as home?* And if they did find the discrepancy, would they care?* It seems like only if a claim is made would we likely to be questioned about this.* Does anyone see how they could wiggle out of paying?

Does it seem to risky to ask a State Farm agent in another county?* Does it seem likely I'll get an unbiased answer from an agent from another company who doesn't know SF policies and hopes to get my business?

Thanks for any clues.

Poocher
poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-05-2006, 10:51 PM   #2
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
youbet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Chicago
Posts: 13,151
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

Poocher,

If you are saying that the cars will actually be at your home in the higher rate area and you are using the RV address as a "scam" to fool the insurance company into giving you a lower rate, you're asking for trouble. Assume this will all come to light at the most inopportune time, such as when someone is suing you for big bux after an accident, and imagine what will happen. If all the actual facts about where the cars are domiciled are clearly understood and don't match what you told the insurance company, what will the judge say?

I don't buy insurance so that I can lay awake nights worrying if I'll get caught over lies the day I really need the insurance.
__________________
"I wasn't born blue blood. I was born blue-collar." John Wort Hannam
youbet is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-05-2006, 11:51 PM   #3
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

To clarify the point about where the vehicles would reside: the truck is too large to fit in the garage at the house and has little purpose (other than as a very fuel inefficient second "car"), so it spends most, but not all, of it's time parked next to the RV.* The car spends more time at the house, but is at the RV site whenever we use the RV as our second home (>60 days/year) and when the RV is on the road---we drive over to the RV in the car and drive off in the truck and RV---90 days per year).*

We could change our habits and keep the car and truck more at one site or the other---if it helps the insurance situation.* So, it's not a scam, it's where we choose to park each vehicle (in some situations, at a slight inconvenience in order to gain a financial advantage).
poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 06:51 AM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
Martha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: minnesota
Posts: 13,228
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

But isn't the problem where you maintain your residence? Not where you park the RV and truck?

If you or your spouse have to claim the county where the RV is parked as your residence to get the lower rates, I would be uncomfortable doing so. Because it is not your residence and insurance fraud issue could arise for both the RV and the truck. Also, is the RV parked in a storage lot or someplace where you actually can live in it? People don't live in RV storage lots and an adjuster would see where the RV is kept if the RV was damaged.
__________________
.


No more lawyer stuff, no more political stuff, so no more CYA

Martha is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 07:51 AM   #5
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

No, this is not a storage lot; it is a lot with power, water, cable, and a permanently connected phone. And its next to other inhabited RVs. And it is exactly where we live when we use it as our second home.

Among other arguments, one could argue that my wife and I claim separate locations as our primary residence. That is not actually true, but it would be hard to prove elsewise....there are a lot >1,000,000 who live fulltime in an RV and hold a primary residence in a city they have NEVER even visited. Primary residence is not always an intuitive thing.
Poocher
poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 09:50 AM   #6
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
lazygood4nothinbum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,895
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

on declaration of residency, don't let any neighbor know who might rat you out to the county property appraiser. even here in sunny bubble land, our prices will still be going up and with that, taxes. you wouldn't want to lose your "save our homes" benefit of homesteaded property.

not so sure i'd worry about statefarm insurance on your house as a factor for decision. they'll likely drop you within a few years anyway and you'll be stuck paying the outrageous rates of citizens, the provider of last resorts, with the rest of us.

my little two seater costs $1500/year to insure. it's actually come down quite a bit. guess those tickets finally came off. i just shrug and pay it. thank god for terrorists, budget cuts and homeland security issues. less cops on the road to catch me weaving around those slow moving suv's & rv's and other various v's.
__________________
"off with their heads"~~dr. joseph-ignace guillotin

"life should begin with age and its privileges and accumulations, and end with youth and its capacity to splendidly enjoy such advantages."~~mark twain - letter to edward kimmitt 1901
lazygood4nothinbum is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 10:04 AM   #7
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

Well, since the county is listed on the tag, any observant neighbor could figure it out. BTW, any idea how many of the residents in the household need to show proof of residency? It seems likely only one would, but since this is a new house, I haven't done it yet.
Poocher
poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 01:50 PM   #8
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
lazygood4nothinbum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,895
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

surprised to hear your tag shows county. that info was removed from cars back when tourists were being targeted by the bad guys. guess it is still on rv's. in that case you should be very nice to your observant neighbors.

one resident ought to work. if you are declaring homestead you ought to do that asap in order to limit tax hikes.
__________________
"off with their heads"~~dr. joseph-ignace guillotin

"life should begin with age and its privileges and accumulations, and end with youth and its capacity to splendidly enjoy such advantages."~~mark twain - letter to edward kimmitt 1901
lazygood4nothinbum is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 05:11 PM   #9
Recycles dryer sheets
bearkeley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 299
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

It is my understanding that the insurance company wants to know where the vehicle is parked most of the time. So just tell them the truth and you should save on the truck insurance. Why don't you register the truck at the trailer then the issue would be resolved.
bearkeley is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-06-2006, 06:39 PM   #10
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

Registering the truck at the RV park (actually, just keeping it registered there: I haven't changed the state registration yet) is half the solution. My State Farm agent can't/won't let me use that address because she says the underwriters will assume either that the house is not my primary residence (and State Farm only wants to insure primary residences, so they might drop me) or that the truck is sitting "abandoned". unguarded, and more succeptible to theft, vandalism, etc.

So, that's why I may need to find another insurance company. But I wonder how thoroughly insurance companies exchange client data. Health insurers have a huge database to check claims, history, previous conditions, etc. I know less about the auto and home insurance industries.
Poocher
poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-07-2006, 05:15 PM   #11
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

to lazy.....
To respond to your question about county names still being on tags, I got the tags in Nov 06 and car, truck, and RV all have them. It was kinda surprising to get consecutive numbers: all had to have slightly different tags in the state I came from. Sure a lot easier to remember!
Poocher
poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-07-2006, 06:46 PM   #12
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
lazygood4nothinbum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,895
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

could be mine has no county because car is leased. not sure. i thought they stopped listing county. live and learn.
__________________
"off with their heads"~~dr. joseph-ignace guillotin

"life should begin with age and its privileges and accumulations, and end with youth and its capacity to splendidly enjoy such advantages."~~mark twain - letter to edward kimmitt 1901
lazygood4nothinbum is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-08-2006, 08:02 AM   #13
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Crownsville
Posts: 3,711
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

I don't know if State Farm would make a distinction, but the insurance company I use for my antique cars asks for, in addition to my address, the address of where the cars are actually parked. This did come into play when I lived in my condo in one county and kept my cars at my Grandmother's place in another county.

In this case it turned out to not make a difference financially, as the antique insurer considered both places to be about equal in risk. I sure wish my regular insurance company did, though! When I ended up moving across the street from my Grandma, that insurance shot up about 30-40%! It's back down now though, because I crept into the next cheaper age bracket since then.

Anyway, State Farm might cut you a little bit of a break if you tell them that you keep your truck primarily at another location. Or another insurer might. You'd just have to explain the situation to them.
Andre1969 is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-08-2006, 09:01 AM   #14
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 17,205
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

Just my opinion... but it seems like a LOT of trouble to save some money...

Ask your agent if there is a difference in rates if you have it listed as a 'pleasure' vehicle... or if it is not used primarily in the high risk county...

But, does Florida have homestead laws? In Texas, you get a break on your property taxes on your homestead... if you list your RV as your homestead, you pay a lot more in property taxes on you 'other' house... it is also not protected in bankruptcy (which might not make a difference to people on this board)..
Texas Proud is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-08-2006, 09:33 AM   #15
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
lazygood4nothinbum's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,895
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

Quote:
Originally Posted by Texas Proud
But, does Florida have homestead laws?* In Texas, you get a break on your property taxes on your homestead... if you list your RV as your homestead, you pay a lot more in property taxes on you 'other' house
correct. in florida you only homestead one primary residence and i believe that has to involve land rights. i don't think an rv would qualify for homestead, nor a boat but i wonder if a dockominium would qualify.
__________________
"off with their heads"~~dr. joseph-ignace guillotin

"life should begin with age and its privileges and accumulations, and end with youth and its capacity to splendidly enjoy such advantages."~~mark twain - letter to edward kimmitt 1901
lazygood4nothinbum is offline   Reply With Quote
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls
Old 05-08-2006, 08:51 PM   #16
Dryer sheet wannabe
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 11
Re: Car insurance saving idea: agent input pls

Right. I would have only one homestead which I would claim for my home without wheels. My wife, who would list the RV address as her residence, would not claim a homestead. The RV lot is a rental lot, not a purchased lot.

To Texas:
Yes, it is a bit of work to figure out, but the work needs to be done once, and the payoff is for a long time. It's the kind of situation I like to analyze carefully.

poocher is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Pricing Health Insurance. Is this a bad idea? RASAP Health and Early Retirement 4 04-23-2007 04:06 PM
HIPAA costs ? macnjus Health and Early Retirement 93 12-21-2006 08:04 AM
The book, The New Health Insurance Solution Martha FIRE and Money 20 05-15-2006 10:16 AM
Car Insurance Time TromboneAl FIRE and Money 33 08-09-2005 11:58 AM
Car Insurance thechoson Other topics 8 04-13-2005 09:09 AM

» Quick Links

 
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:40 AM.
 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.