Insurance for Ram 45/5500

[DieselBurps]

Wondering how folks with the larger pick up trucks are insuring. The plan is for a flatbed with my slide in pick up camper. Trying to consider cost to insure a 45/5500 vs a 3500 cab and chassis. Called progressive and they won't do it. Will make some more calls tomorrow but tired of being on the phone to get a quote. I guess the larger trucks are considered commercial even though it won't be used for commercial purposes. Has anyone else priced the insurance cost difference between a 3500 and 4500?

Thanks.

[Bedlam]

State Farm insured my F250 before buying my 5500. I was able to convert the existing policy over to the new truck for the first year with only a slight bump up in premium but then had to go to a commercial policy due to having a GVWR over 14k lbs. This would have increased my rates by about 75% from what I was paying. I ended up with Progressive Commercial at about 25% more than I had paid before for a truck that is twice as expensive and carries twice as much as my 10 year old F250.

Reclassifying my 5500 with camper as an RV is not easy in my state and would remove some of the advantages of having a truck camper. I can consider this in the future, but then I could have just bought a Super C...

[tinner12002]

I have State Farm Ins on my 3500...I called them and they said they could and have insured those. They get all your info as well as truck info and then she said they send it to a special underwriter with info explaining that truck is not being used commercially. She said premiums usually aren't too much diff than the ins for a 3500.
I have a clean MVR and I've NEVER been able to get any decent quotes from progressive!!

[hitchup]

Years ago, I tried to get an F350 insurance through Progressive. They sent me to the Commercial division and it was way too high. So I went to GEICO.

Fast forward to working as Fulltimers. Eventually, went back to Progressive through a broker AIS (formerly Poliseek). They list our F450 as an RV (approx. $1100) and the Lance Camper (about $500) was added onto the FT 5thW coverage.

[TexasRangerRzR]

My F-450 is on a separate (from my other vehicles) commercial policy through Erie, but didn't really have any impact on the premium cost as compared to the initial estimate of putting it on my existing auto policy.

[carringb]

DieselBurps wrote:
Thanks Bryan, I will explore that option. Not sure How I could say or prove it's "permanently" mounted though.

Probably won't need anything more than a letter for the insurance company, but the state DMV may want to do an inspection. Bolting it down should be "permanent" enough. That's how nearly all box truck bodies are attached.

[Jim-Linda]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
There is a reason the F450 and RAM 3500 Dually's are no more than 14K GVWR. Any higher they become "Commercial" and your tabs and insurance can be MUCH higher!

Very strange, I have a FL60 Freightliner that has been insured as a standard truck (also inspected) for 20 years, NOT commercial. I use National Interstate for the truck and trailer.

Jim

[Cummins12V98]

There is a reason the F450 and RAM 3500 Dually's are no more than 14K GVWR. Any higher they become "Commercial" and your tabs and insurance can be MUCH higher!

[davidaf]

I had bluesky with my 450 and RV. they won't insure normal passenger vehicles. When I bought the 3500 I had to go back to progressive. Rate went up a bunch over bluesky.

[DieselBurps]

Progressive will do it, but only went as far as a commercial vehicle. I never asked about registering it as an RV.

[jmtandem]

Called progressive and they won't do it.

Interesting! When I was looking at purchasing a 4500 Progressive was the best rate. I had to send them a pic of the camper on the truck (flat bed) and sign some stuff that the truck would not be used commercially especially as a tow truck.

[lawnspecialties]

Call a local insurance broker. I suspect lesser known but quality insurance companies would do it; especially if the vehicle is titled in your name. You just may have to switch over everything to them.

But then again, if my insurance wouldn't do it for me, I'd take my other vehicles and house policies somewhere else anyway.

[DieselBurps]

Thanks Bryan, I will explore that option. Not sure How I could say or prove it's "permanently" mounted though.

[carringb]

It's a big difference, mainly because commercial insurance requires $1,000,000 liability coverage.

Can you "permanently" mount the camper? If yes, then you can register and insure it as an RV.