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Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:53 pm

So I am watching the Barrett Jackson auction, and up comes an ad with a 65 Non Westy camper with a hippie looking dude driving.

The product? Hagerty.

The problem? They won't insure campers. My 64 Camper was rejected by Hagerty last year. Ironically, it has the exact color scheme as the bus in the ad.

Who else is tired of corporations borrowing VW's to wrap their corporate brand around it? Especially when they don't practice what they preach...

I wrote to the marketing department:

Quote: Dear Marketing,

A bunch of us were wondering why you are running a VW Bus Ad (of a knock off camper) when your company will not insure VW campers?

Isn't that just sort of rubbing salt in the wounds of us who actually own the vehicle you are trying to tie your brand to?

I enjoyed some of the other ads, is that Daisy May in the GTO ad?

Just wondering.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:58 pm

The Sage wrote: So I am watching the Barrett Jackson auction, and up comes an ad with a 65 Non Westy camper with a hippie looking dude driving.

The product? Hagerty.

The problem? They won't insure campers. My 64 Camper was rejected by Hagerty last year. Ironically, it has the exact color scheme as the bus in the ad.

Who else is tired of corporations borrowing VW's to wrap their corporate brand around it? Especially when they don't practice what they preach...

I wrote to the marketing department:

Quote: Dear Marketing,

A bunch of us were wondering why you are running a VW Bus Ad (of a knock off camper) when your company will not insure VW campers?

Isn't that just sort of rubbing salt in the wounds of us who actually own the vehicle you are trying to tie your brand to?

I enjoyed some of the other ads, is that Daisy May in the GTO ad?

Just wondering.

Haggerty insures all of my campers that are stored in enclosed locked garages. They initially had some issues with my '55 and my '58 Westies since they had propane stoves but I signed an affadavit stating that these bottles could not be legally filled and that the stoves were for decrative purposes only. I even admitted up front that my '55 will sometimes be used to travel to a VW camping event and camped in both on the way to the show and at the event.

Nowhere in their insurance policy does it state that they will not insure campers or that you are not allowed to sleep in your vehicle.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:58 pm

Here here!

Quote:
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 11:27:40 -0500
From: [email protected]

...we do not consider vehicles that are designed for camping
purposes...

Looks like an SO-42 hardtop Westy to me.

Maybe they've changed their tune? Fat chance, I'm sure.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:02 pm

campingbox wrote:

Haggerty insures all of my campers that are stored in enclosed locked garages.

Interesting. Put me in touch with your rep so I can get my SO-44 covered.

Of course, I'm sure they won't cover it now that it's cut to bits waiting on the rearender damage to get fixed. ;)

..d

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:06 pm

Quote:
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 11:27:40 -0500
From: [email protected]

...we do not consider vehicles that are designed for camping
purposes...

And for what it's worth, Hagerty wasn't alone.

Grundy:
Quote:
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 09:10:47 -0500
From: [email protected]

Thank you for contacting GRUNDY WORLDWIDE's web site. Our underwriting company will not allow us to write
campers. We wish you the best in finding the appropriate coverage for this vehicle.

JC Taylor said the same thing. American Collectors was willing, though. I forget why that didn't work out...

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:08 pm

campingbox wrote: I even admitted up front that my '55 will sometimes be used to travel to a VW camping event and camped in both on the way to the show and at the event.

And what was there response?? How long have you been using them?? I'd like to get them to insure my 67. I hate having to pay premium dollars and knowing if my bus gets wrecked I'm in for a major battle with my ins. company.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:11 pm

David Raistrick wrote: campingbox wrote:

Haggerty insures all of my campers that are stored in enclosed locked garages.

Interesting. Put me in touch with your rep so I can get my SO-44 covered.

Of course, I'm sure they won't cover it now that it's cut to bits waiting on the rearender damage to get fixed. ;)

..d

X2 Greg, they have been nothing but assholes to me when it comes to campers, and I have other cars with them. I even tried to speak with the adjuster, and they simply wouldn't deal with it, complete brush off.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:16 pm

Camper or not, Hagerty wouldn't insure my 13 window if I was going to drive it. Imagine me wanting to actually drive my bus. Did you say the bus in the add was being driven? Must of just been in a parade :?

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:28 pm

Hagerty insures my 65 EZ camper. They did however tell me that they technically did not insure it to be "camped" in. So I guess if anything ever happens while camping I will forget to mention I was camping.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:41 pm

abuspilot wrote: campingbox wrote: I even admitted up front that my '55 will sometimes be used to travel to a VW camping event and camped in both on the way to the show and at the event.

And what was there response?? How long have you been using them?? I'd like to get them to insure my 67. I hate having to pay premium dollars and knowing if my bus gets wrecked I'm in for a major battle with my ins. company.

I started using them in July of this year. Initially they had some reservations but after discussing my collection and my needs they decided to insure me.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:45 pm

wanta23 wrote: Camper or not, Hagerty wouldn't insure my 13 window if I was going to drive it. Imagine me wanting to actually drive my bus. Did you say the bus in the add was being driven? Must of just been in a parade :?

They insure pleasure use vehicles and their policy has lots of limitations and mileage restrictions. They don't insure daily drivers. To & from car shows, to & from "the shop" (repairs, mantinence, etc), occassional drives (they understand it's bad for vehicels to sit), to club functions, etc..

You also have to have a fairly modern car which is insured through another carrier.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:46 pm

How many camper owners here are burned out hippies? Fucking Stereotypes. I wonder if the ads with the muscle cars have guys with mullets and lambchops...

Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:18 pm

Haggerty insures my '63 1/2 Sundial camper. I sent plenty of pictures, but never specifically discussed "camper", just "microbus". About $130/year, $10,000 agreed value, I can drive it 10,000 miles a year. I am required to have a registered and insured daily driver (the beater singlecab) and keep the bus in the garage when I'm not using it. I haven't had to make a claim yet, but so far I am well pleased.

Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:26 pm

I called Hagerty this past summer, and was told flat out "no campers" IIRC Grundy told me no "vans"!?

Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:38 pm

i have grundy...on all my vehicles.something to consider

what are you trying to insure them for?the cost of a camper interior?why not call it a deluxe?to them they just know agreed value.tell them nothing about a camper and call it what they know to understan as a bus.

maybe that will work.grundy is the easiest thing next to ramen noodles

Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:06 pm

Yep!

I'm with Grundy (American Collectors before that) and both my '59 Double- Door Panel and my '67 Westfalia Campmobile are insured with Grundy for at least 6 years now, no problems whatsoever. I also have my Ghia and '55 Beetle with them. No mileage restrictions and agreed value coverage.

Bill

Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:32 am

I've had all my cars insured with Haggerty for years now with no problems, Even sent in a claim for my 3 hour old safari's when it got a ding. They were a bit hesitant with insuring "project" cars but after a lil discussing they went ahead and covered them to.

Wed Jan 16, 2008 5:41 am

I have had my bug covered for about 4 years with Hagerty and my bus covered almost a year. No problems, but no claims.

They did tell me they won't insure anything I sleep in. They also told me there is limited mileage, but they don't check it. It would only be a problem if there are 2 claims and the miles between claims are awfully high in a short period of time.

Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:39 am

Seems alot a folks here are only half insured?? Based on the statements. My problem is, I use my 67 westy to camp in at least 5-8 times a yr, mostly over the holiday wknds which are the heavy traffic ones of course. It's not the camping part that scares me, it's getting to my destination and back home. How could I explain pictures of a fully loaded ready to camp in bus?? I doubt their attorneys are dumb, so to say I was driving in the bus not sleeping in it won't work.

I'll call them sometime this wk and report back what they say. If I was betting on it, they will say sorry charlie, no. Wonder what the current blue book value is on a bus these days..

Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:16 am

The threat of not disclosing your camper, is that the door is left open to exclude you if a claim should arise...

I spoke with a manager today about this issue, as it has been frustrating me for a number of years. The final word from someone in the organization is this (a much nicer person than I have dealt with in the past BTW):

"If you sleep in it, then we can not insure it"

When I asked about people who are insured with Hagerty and are using the camping feature even at shows only, the answer is still no.

When I asked about people who "forget" to or don't disclose that they are using it as a camper, the answer was "we trust our customers to tell us the truth"

So definitively the answer is no, the woman I spoke with pointed out that the person in the ad is driving the camper NOT camping in it. :roll: Kind of like trailering a boat, not fishing in it...

Perhaps using a different model to display would have been a wiser choice, but they continue to frustrate me, and I believe they should provide a solution...

I have no had issues with my current carrier with agreed value, and the rates were comparable, but I am not as confident as to their agreed value pay outs.