What about insurance?

[fmrcaptevil]

I finally got to do my Donald Trump impersonation last year, when I told Camping World (GMAC), "You're Fired", after they almost DOUBLED the price, when I traded a 2011 28' Flying Cloud for a 2012 30' Int'l. (Incidently, I've never had to file a claim).

After checking around, I went with Progressive; reasonable rates for everything, and you can manage your accounts online, as opposed to GMAC, where everything seemed slow, difficult (old-school), and eventually, outrageously expensive. Time will tell.

[Landshark]

As a former mgr of a small ins agency (sales) and claim adjuster and claim office supervisor (claims) covering three major insurers, and a methods analyst in the home office of a major insurer, what I learned is that sales agents will tell you what they think is correct or will sell the policy, but there is often a HUGE gap between what the agent says (knows) and what the eventual claim adjuster will say. And that's assuming the agent is honestly trying.

The agent really doesn't know (or care, usually) what details of claims will get you in trouble. Adjusters are reluctant to answer hypothetical questions. So the loss of your A/S can sort of fall between those two stools. But for sure, even with a stated value policy, you will not get that stated amount of $$ in the event of loss or damage unless you have documentation out the wazoo: appraisals, photos, receipts (and yes, your labor is worthless, oops: uncompensated).

The adjuster's purpose in life is to pay as little as possible, so the value of a vintage trailer is zero until you prove otherwise, even on a stated value policy. In the parlance of insurance, even a completely restored trailer that they agreed was worth $20,000 ten yrs ago on completion of resto will depreciate a certain % per year, so 10 yrs later at 10-15% depreciation/yr, how much do you think they will pay out? So as in real estate (location, location, location), for vintage folks it is documentation, documentation, documentation, with the added twist of CURRENT photos detailing condition at time of loss/damage. Can't overemphasize that: current condition. Then, you might have a chance of wringing out close to the stated value from them.

Sorry for the cynicism, but that's how insurance companies stay in the black.