The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Insurance for 2 ton

My regular agent says he can't write commercial trucks any more and I started looking online. But all the regular insurance places don't want to touch my 2 ton. Any insurance recommendations?
Thanks

I have state farm in Virginia on a 2 ton fire truck used for parades and local around town short drives. Its about $29 every six months.

Are you taging it Antique/Historic or standard? If antique/historic you should be able to insure with someone like J.C.Taylor or Gulfway. I have two 2-1/2 ton Chevrolet's with JCT.

Mike B.

I insured my C-60 through Progressive,and they didn't even flinch. It didn't cost me any more than it did for my '62 one ton. I told them I didn't use it to haul for anybody,just my own stuff,and then rarely. (truth)
Speed

I had called Progressive and they told me they didn't do commercial vehicles. I even asked them if they knew of a company that did. Nope, nobody, sorry, they said. Ofcourse they forgot to tell me to call their COMMERCIAL division. DUH.....

So, now I have liability insurance for $211 per 6 months from Progressive commercial.

Guys,
My business partner is, among other things, a licensed insurance agent. She has been working on a tech tip for insuring classic vehicles for about 2 months. I SWEAR it is almost done. I asked her to include a segment on the Big Bolts in her research. I am hoping to have it remitted to Peg within a week at the most. I'll post an update once it is online.

$422 per yr is a lot of money, is it because bigger things require more money or what........Fred

Actually when I ran a one ton truck through their online quote it was $295 for 6 months so it is cheaper than that. California is just a bit more expensive than Texas I am sure. But they consider it a commercial vehicle even though I won't use it as such. Most places I called wouldn't even touch it. Speed, how much are you paying?

In California do they consider all "big trucks" to be commercial? or it by the license category.

Around here, $422 isn't really alot for insurance, it's darn sure better than getting sued should something happen, and I bet in California it's a steal! I wish we had it as easy as you guys in Texas... my little brother moved down there a year ago... maybe I should follow

Jay

But he only has liability. It sounds like a lot to me unless he drives it daily.

I can't beleive a "personal" truck has to be catagorized as a "commercial" truck for insurance. My Farmers agent just listed my two 1 1/2 tons as my personal "special limitted use" trucks under a rider policy from a full coverage policy from a different vehicle. I set my dollar amount for the pay-off and have uninsured/liability for $20 every 6 months each. I must admit, I have a really cool agent too,
Scott

Be very cautious about dealing with 'Snake Farm Insurance' (their "descriptive pet name" in the auto salvage business). Lots of people have had bad experiences with them, most recently in hurricane-devastated areas.

One thing you may check is your state Farm Bureau Insurance. I can get a 2-ton insured with them for a pretty reasonable rate. Check your phone book for "(state name) Farm Bureau". They aren't a state entity, of course!

If you drive your trucks up to 2 ton rarely with a load check with your state DMV and find out what the least amount of weight you can have without getting commercial of farm plates. In Oregon if you truck weighs less than 8000lbs you can register it like a pickup truck with regular plates. Then you should be able to get antique insurance. I pay $6.38 a month for liability on 2 of my 2 ton trucks. I haul something occasionaly but what I save in Insurance I can make up for a weight ticket.

On the registration it says my truck is over 8,000 lbs. I will look for an old scale receipt and see if that is right.
BTW. When I was shopping for a policy I called this agent I found on the internet that specializes in truck insurance. He emailed me my quote yesterday. Over $2,800 a year for liability only. I just emailed him back that he must have made a mistake. That I meant to insure one truck and not 10.
Oh yeah, in CA even pickup trucks are registered as commercial. You can only get around that if you have a permanently installed campershell.

I just received the renewal policy for my '55/1st 4400 truck last night. $250.00 a year with Gulfway. No restrictions, drive as you would your family car. I'm quite happy.


Stuart.

The registration weight and the truck weight are 2 different things. If you can drive your truck over a scale and get the actual weight you should be able to use that. You can register the weight for whatever you are going to haul. That's where you really pay. It doesn't matter what the registration weight was on the title, you can register it for what you want. If the truck weighs less than 8ooolbs you register it for less than 8000lbs and have no weight fee. Find out how folks in your state register their antique pickups. You should be able to do the same thing.

I am paying ~$160 annual for my bobbed M35 at 8k lbs GVW. I tried but couldn't get regular plates without a pickup box. Never mind that lots of pickups have flatbeds. The price is the same at 8k plates but regular plates are easier to insure.

Tony M,

Did you call JC Taylor? I have two trucks both 2-1/2 ton rated with them and I have "fixed value" and liability for about $100 per year each.

I live in Maryland and here they remove all GVW ratings from the title and registration card as soon as you register it as "Historic". Any vehicle 25 years old or older is eligable. I have friends with big Macks, Peterbilt's, KW's etc and none of then have GVW ratings. The box on the card just reads "n/a". If I pull onto the scale the DOT guys just wave me through as soon as the see the "Historic" tag.

Mike B

Man i've heard some horror stories about people pulling onto those scales with their personal trucks.. getting picked over with a fine tooth comb and ending up having to have their trucks trailored away with a pocket full of fines.

I only use my '46 2 ton around the yard, since untill I get a new box on the back she's really not cool to be driving around on public roads.. but even once I get the bed put on, i'll probably limit her "public" use to those times when what I need to haul back from the lumber yard or auction just won't fit in the 1/2 ton.

Using it local, you know where the scales are ,take an alternate route. You've got better things to do than discuss your truck and whats legal with folks who job it is to generate revenue for the state

Tony;
I'm paying about $46.00 a month for the basic plan.
Speed

Is that full coverage? Or just liability?
On some old dumpscale receipts the truck shows as just under 8,000 lbs. Mine is registered at just over 8,000 lbs. It looks like if I have that changed the yearly will go down from $359 to just over $300.-
I did find some info on their website about trying to get it declared a historical vehicle. But short of that there is not much I can do to save money. Another thing that worries me a little is that I registered it to only operate at 10,001 lbs gross. If I want to register it for 10,001 to 15,000 it will be an additional $435 per year. If I don't and I get stopped heavy they could fine me up to $2,000.- It says they can send me to a scale if it is within two miles or they can use portable scales.
Geez.

FYI, J.C. Taylor will only insure it if it is completely restored. They rejected my 4100 today cause "the paint was faded". BTW I'm still looking for insurance myself. I guess I'm just a cheap SOB cause I refuse to pay regular rates for a vehicle I drive less than 500 miles a year. Been looking almost 4 months now! :mad:

Martin,


Gulfway, in FLA....


Stuart.

Stuart, I looked at their website a while back and didn't think my truck would qualify. I'll check again, Thanks

Martin,

Look in the Gallery at my truck...If that thing will qualify then yours certainly should. I of course don't understand the "black magic" of insurance underwriting, but they sure seem comparable (the two trucks).

Stuart.