Help with Health and off-road vehicle Insurance

[DamageWagon]

We won't have a home, so no renters or owners policy.

If everyone says Geico doesn't cover off road, and everyone says State Farm covers off-road... Well, I'm not going to hire a lawyer to change their minds. Again... I could be a Japanese person in Manzanar and tell the guards it's illegal all day long... But I'd rather just not on that side of the fence in the first place. Not to draw such an extreme example, but it's going to feel that way if I'm out of money and our belongings are all gone and our insurance says "that sucks"


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[2011TXPowerWagon]

I cant remember exactly who, but could have sworn i read a couple threads involving damage and insurance. I think one was a bent axle and one was hydrolocking the engine. Both were covered i thought. I may be wrong.

[MSCH2112]

i knew a few guys who would race their Porches on the track. they knew once they entered the track their insurance was void for that period.

most insurance companies cover off road accidents. my 97' ram 1500 sport was shot with a .270 silver tipped bullet. bullet went through the floor board, through the ductwork valve, through the tranny, and cracked the engine block around midnight offroad long time ago. insurance shelled out 14k to fix it. no, it wasn't me who did it, it was a friend....mr ex marine, who wanted to make sure his action was clear by dry firing his weapon in my truck after hunting....after hitting the town bar.

nice part about the above incident was i got a new 360 engine, and new tranny. truck had about 100k miles.

and yes i remember a guy on this forum who had a rear bent axle and insurance covered the entire replacement. and i believe he 4wheeled hard.

mike

[TJ02Gopher]

I believe that as long as you are not competing in an race or organized competition, you should be covered. I help to run / organize an off road event in Southern Nevada Hump & Bump) every year, and the few vehicles that have rolled over have all been covered by their insurance companies. The one company that did put up a fight for the owner of a rolled vehicle(State Farm) we provided the owner a letter stating that it was a guided trail ride type event and not a competition event. Last I heard he was still fighting the issue with them. Too be fair to the insurance company, the owner did the same thing two years earlier( rolled his SEMA show Jeep at the event and they covered it then).

[DamageWagon]

I'll talk with Geico again then. Maybe they are more inclined to give a better answer now. I will need to get it in writing to trust them though.


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[OffroadTreks]

When it comes to insurance, being too forthright will only do you harm. You need to reframe your thinking. You tell them off-road and they're going to think of that in the same way as someone who takes their Corvette to the drag strip.

Chances are they do in fact cover you. But you're asking a NO question anyways. Like I said reframe.

"Yeah I bent my axle and smashed my door doing some off roading on Metal Masher in Moab. Came down on big rock the wrong way, do you cover that?" NO

"My wife and I were on vacation in Moab, taking in the sights when we bent our axle, do you cover that?" YES

Make sense?

[Mule]

^^ Exactly.

Don't lie to them, but they don't need to know all the details either.

[Reloaderguy]

I'll talk with Geico again then. Maybe they are more inclined to give a better answer now. I will need to get it in writing to trust them though.


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You're thinking is fundamentally backwards. Ask them what is excluded and don't create hypothetical scenarios. Auto insurance covers everything unless specifically excluded.

[DamageWagon]

Mike, Mule, Reloader. Thanks guys. That's what I needed. Reloader you've got a solid point, thank you. Mike that's a great way of thinking about it haha.

Do you guys know if driving damage is normally covered, like driving down the highway and the front driveshaft lets go?

I'll look for exclusions and see if I can find anything regarding off pavement or trails.


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[Reloaderguy]

Fair wear and tear is generally excluded. You would need to show the failure was caused by sudden and unexpected damage (while you own the vehicle). This could come down to the adjuster on your claim.

[DamageWagon]

Yesterday the girlfriend signed up with Anthem Blue Cross. It was expensive ($200/mo) but she now has urgent care and emergency room coverage. That's it, that's all that $200 gets you now. She also gets 10-15 calls a day from companies trying to sell her medical insurance now that she signed up for the marketplace.

I switched over to State Farm today for truck insurance. They cover off road incidents. They cover everything it seems. Heck I can't think of one thing that didn't blow my mind talking with the agent, with me coming from GEICO. State Farm was cheaper, has better coverage, lower deductibles, covers all aftermarket parts like a truck camper and KING shocks with no extra charge. I was very excited. My insurance is better, my coverages way extended and my prices are a few bucks cheaper.


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[Reloaderguy]

Once you become a resident of another state your policy will change on renewal. Make sure you read your declarations page on the new policy and identify any differences in coverage. California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, etc all have different laws regarding uninsured motorist, no-fault injuries, etc. It get's nuanced but if you're as interested as you sound you'll want to pay close attention.

[DamageWagon]

I really need to read through the entire policy. You live somewhere long enough and kind of pick up how the laws work, but I know nothing about Oregon insurance workings. The laws are a bit different, but judging by how everything sounds I feel better already. The agent I worked with lives in the same area we do and used to live an hour from where I grew up in California, so that was a nice bearing for the conversation.


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[adeluca73]

I really need to read through the entire policy. You live somewhere long enough and kind of pick up how the laws work, but I know nothing about Oregon insurance workings. The laws are a bit different, but judging by how everything sounds I feel better already. The agent I worked with lives in the same area we do and used to live an hour from where I grew up in California, so that was a nice bearing for the conversation.


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Being in the military, owning several homes, renting them out to others and renting homes from others, moving, moving with belongings, staying in temporary quarters, vacationing while moving, I've seen a bit of different insurance scenarios, and the advice I'd offer is a healthy renter's policy is worth it's weight. Through USAA, adding $25K increments of coverage is minimal, maybe $10-$12/mo. Another consideration is your auto deductible. Most state insurance laws are now written such that the choice between collision and comprehensive isn't an option, so you really need to assess your tolerance for mo pymt vs lump out-of-pocket expenses weighed against your vehicle age and overall condition.

[FordyceCreekTrail]

Geico in general does not want to cover trucks or 4x4s. They are into cars, motorcycles, ect. So rates are through the roof anyways. Always has been for trucks. However I have been T boned twice by there drivers and service is great. State Farm likely has the worst service and reputation of any insurance company. NOT your neighbor when things go south. All have there moments. Progressive has been hard to beat lately. Pay in full online and get massive discount.

[DamageWagon]

I feel the opposite about that. I had GEICO and hated them. Service sucked but they were the cheapest that was reputable. State Farm has had an amazing reputation that I have ever heard, I have heard lots of guys name it as the company that covers off road incidents, but it was almost twice the price of geico until we moved. I was treated awesome by AAA when I got hit but I don't know if they cover off road. I had Progressive on my motorcycle and when I was recovering from a broken back and both displaced knees all I got from them was one phone call, and the person was very annoyed that I wanted to speak with an attorney. Screw Progressive.


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