party bus insurance

[shawna]

hello im new to the biz.. i just bought a party bus off of ebay and called like 10 differnt insurance companys and no one wants to help me! can anyone recommend me some in pittsburgh?
thanks

[J.Scott]

Phil Brun AkA Limousine Insurance KING.

He can make it happen, 502-893-2020

[Blue Diamond]

Good luck finding it. It will be very expensive!! The companies also look at the fact that your clients "can stand up" during your ride and with alcohol... that says BIG LIABILITY!! Plus, you'll pay more if you don't have prior "Commercial Insurance" experience with a zero on the loss run reports (ie. No Claims).

I've also noticed that people tend to power drink or drink excessively while on buses. More people, more problems, more chances of claims for injuries.

You can get the insurance (5 million dollar policy), but get ready to drop jaw on the price!

[Dean Schuler]

As a start-up you raise a ton of RED FLAGS when you buy a RETAIL EXPRESS VEHICLE. Showing the insurance company that you have highly trained chauffeurs will help over time. If the agent asks you what the tables in the bus are for please do not answer : " For the clients controlled substances ". Emphasize that the unit is multi-use and party is only part of the work it will do.
Originally posted by shawna:
hello im new to the biz.. i just bought a party bus off of ebay and called like 10 differnt insurance companys and no one wants to help me! can anyone recommend me some in pittsburgh?
thanks

[Limo Insurance King]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dean Schuler:
If the agent asks you what the tables in the bus are for please do not answer : " For the clients controlled substances ". [QUOTE]

recreational substance abuse is the purpose of the tables

[Dean Schuler]

In your proposal to the insurance companies emphasize that you have researched your market and found a need for your minibus to do Lunch/Limo charters for corporations, Dine-A-Arounds for visiting groups and conventions, transportation for the opera, the plays, etc. Do not discuss the partying public. Think of all the high-end, good paying niches and put them in your proposal. Industrial tours are good too.

[A FUBAR PARTY BUS]

Originally posted by shawna:
hello im new to the biz.. i just bought a party bus off of ebay and called like 10 differnt insurance companys and no one wants to help me! can anyone recommend me some in pittsburgh?
thanks I'M IN DES MOINES, IOWA AND WAS WONDERING IF YOU FOUND INSURANCE FOR YOUR BUS?

[Jon Lovell]

I'm an agent in West Des Moines. I have party bus operators currently insured, and I have markets. If I can help you, please give me a call.
Jon
515-401-0237

[vipentertainment]

call phil brun, he makes things happen. he is originally from ottumwa i think. he is curently sown south. look up limo insurance king on here

[Limo Insurance King]

Moulton, IA, south of Ottumwa, near Bloomfield.

[Ostrich]

Im going with Phil. He's getting me a quote as we speak. He will make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you start business.

[greasebus]

Good luck finding it. It will be very expensive!! The companies also look at the fact that your clients "can stand up" during your ride and with alcohol... that says BIG LIABILITY!! Plus, you'll pay more if you don't have prior "Commercial Insurance" experience with a zero on the loss run reports (ie. No Claims).

I've also noticed that people tend to power drink or drink excessively while on buses. More people, more problems, more chances of claims for injuries.

You can get the insurance (5 million dollar policy), but get ready to drop jaw on the price!

look if you did it that means someone else can too. the fact that your basically telling this newbie that he's in the wrong business is somewhat offensive. I can't stand this type of crap. remember the term if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all? outside of an art critique i would rather not hear about the zit on my neck.

[Earl Metcalf]

What is offensive about that. It is the truth. It will probably cost a lot of money for insurance and it is very high risk.

Back in the day when I was in the business, the Lady who owns the Bridal shop bought a Trolley that she would offer to the people who bought from her. Great idea untill she found out that her insurance would run in excess of ten thousand a year. The last I knew the trolley is still sitting in a trucking company Garage down the road from me.

[First Class Limos]

Isnt that typical buy a limo before you have even checked if you can get insurance for it? lol

[Digger]

It still cracks me up that people think having a bus will be easy money.... not the case at all.

Not slamming on this person for purchasing a bus, it's just SO different from running a limo.

[Earl Metcalf]

And it is going to get worse when CSA 2010 takes full effect.

[Limo Insurance King]

Isnt that typical buy a limo before you have even checked if you can get insurance for it? lol

It happens a lot more than it should.

[Lexingtons Best Limos]

Call T.I.P.S Insurance in Upper Darby, PA 1-877-742-8477. They have saved me a ton of money over the last five years. I pay approx $2,200.00 per vehicle on average for full coverage. You will only need liability if your bus is inexpensive. Don't waste your money with comp./collision on a vehicle worth less then 20K. I was a customer of Phil Brun's agency Kiley Hines in 2004. The first year the premiums were great. The second year the premiums almost doubled without any losses in my 5 year history. Contacted TIPS and got a good rate and rates have dropped every year since.

[Limo Insurance King]

Joe, you have never been a client of mine, so I would really appreciate it if you would edit your last post. My first day in the insurance industry was July 5th, 2005 which does not jive with your claim of 2004.

Secondly, your web-site claims that you carry $1.5mm and $5mm limits which is impossible considering you have filings and only one limit of insurance is accepted. Your premiums suggest just what the FMCSA has on file which is that while you are required to maintain $5mm limits yet only carry $1.5mm.

Also, your advice to people to not insure vehicles for physical damage if they are not valued at more than $20,000 is stupid on a few different levels--what if the operation has a loan on the vehicle? Are you suggesting that the forced-placed insurance that the bank is going to put on it and charge you a lot more than what phys dam coverage would cost you directly is more cost effective? What if the operation doesn't have the cash reserves to replace a vehicle after it was totalled by another at-fault driver who didn't have any insurance? Or they only carried a low limit and was not enough to replace/repair the damaged vehicle?

Thank you.

[Lexingtons Best Limos]

I was a customer of Keily hines 10/4/04 thru 10/4/05. James Bohn was my rep. to begin with but, Your name sounded familiar as I spoke to several people reguarding my account. Most of which had no answers to why an account with no losses would double in 1 year. I apoligize if you were not one of those agents. However, its the same company so I would still stay clear of your agency.

We have more then the required coverage for the vehicles we operate and the locations we serve. Our website is 2 years old and has some outdated info. Our DOT reveiws/audits have been satisfactory, so I think they would let us know if they had a problem with our coverage.

You must carry comp./collision on vehicles with loans as far as I know. I got the feeling this guy bought an inexpensive party bus for cash on ebay, probably less then 10K. I just wanted him to know you only need liability to satisfy ins. requirements. No point in spending 3-4 K per year extra to protect a 5-10K bus ( atleast for most). Also, it would have to be a total loss for it to be financially beneficial. Thats highly unlikely unless the driver falls asleep and plunges off a bridge. If that happens, your finished anyway.

You are correct that not everyone can sustain a loss of 20K and continue business as usual. I think those people know who they are and will protect themselves accordingly.

[Limo Insurance King]

Your web-site states a copyright of 2009 and Safersys states otherwise in regards to limits: http://li-public.fmcsa.dot.gov/LIVIEW/pkg_carrquery.prc_activeinsurance?pv_apcant_id=552 915&pv_legal_name=JOSEPH^BUSENHART&pv_pref_docket=MC636290&pv_usdot_no=1485942&pv_vpath=LIVIEW

As I asked previously, please remove my name from your post as you have never been a client of mine and I am not an insurance broker for operations like yours.

[Lexingtons Best Limos]

If by "operations like mine" you mean successful companies that do not take any garbage from competitors and venders, I believe you. I already edited my post to indicate it was the agency you work for that I'm not fond of, and apologized if you were not part of the poor customer service I received from Keily Hines. However, you do work for them and you are promoting the agency with your posts. You do not ask people to leave your name out when the opinion reflects on your company in a positive light, but you want it removed if someone has a negitive opinion. If you want to promote your agency, thats the risk you take. Good with the bad. I was very unhappy with the 'service' I paid for when with Keily Hines so I have a right to express my opinion about it. You have never used my service and know nothing about it, yet you want to express an opinion anyway. I don't know anything about being improperly insured, and you can bet that the US DOT and the KY DOT would be crawling up my back if I was. We just renewed all of our certificates for 2010 in frankfort and no one mentioned any problems. Oh, and the 2009 copyright is for the splash/landing page (built by different company) before you enter the old site. Don't worry, the new site is in production and we will make sure all info is updated.

[Lexingtons Best Limos]

Just checked the fmcsa website and found no alerts that we are operating improperly. Again, you know nothing about our business and you are speaking as if you have some inside dirt on our company. I'll warn you not to insinuate anything that you cannot prove. As a matter of fact, I would like you to edit your posts describing us as improperly insured. Lets not get into a pissing contest because I posted my opinion of the agency you work for. Thank you.

[HeavenOnWheels]

Too bad we can't give negative rep anymore....

[Limo Insurance King]

I never requested that you to remove my firms name, I just asked you to remove my name as I have never been your insurance broker in any capacity. In regards to your operation and insurance, just as of Friday February 19th, 2010 your personal facebook page has you listing a number of vehicles all with seating capacities in excess of 15 and that you just bought "Lexingtons Only 35 passenger limo bus"; I have received your posts of you taking charters over to the casinos in these vehicles; you yourself state that you pay premiums that I can honestly say I know for a fact are not representative of the limits of liability required of your operation by the FMCSA for operations that own and operate vehicles with total seating capacities in excess of 15; the FMCSA does not list a limit of $5mm on file but only $1.5mm. I never, at anytime said that you were insured improperly, I just called you out for saying one thing yet practicing another and acting like an operator is nothing unless they have $20,000 laying around. If you could explain the discrepancies that I pointed out I would be happy to edit anything you like.

[PTLimoNC]

Never a dull moment around here...

[Lexingtons Best Limos]

Who said an operator is nothing unless they have 20K laying around? What practices do I preach and act another? I operate the same way as ALL my competitors operate. 15 + passenger can travel anywhere in the state with 1.5 mill and smaller limos can cross the river with the same coverage. As for postings on facebook, I do not keep up with that. Thats Patricia posting under my name and fan pages. Its good reading though. People seem to love our service. How many companies in L-ville do you represent that operate 15+ passenger limos and have 5 mill liability coverage? We rarely get a request for a 15+ pass. to go to the casino, but the companies in L-ville send them over the river all the time. Proms, weddings, nights out, casino, you name it.

[City Heat]

It's been my experience both personally and commercially to insure the vehicles we drive for comp and collision because any accidents have been by at fault under-insured or non-insured drivers. The cheapest "little fender bender" to my personal vehicle was $3500+. I haven't been out that much in premiums, so was glad to have the insurance in force, since the driver at fault was not insured. Could I write a check for the $3500??.... sure, but I didn't have to, my personal insurance took great care of my claim. I would never drive a vehicle or be seen in a vehicle that wasn't worth the minimal premium to repair if it were damaged or totaled. (Just my personal standard and "feel good" about what I drive.)

And as far as the limo business, our vehicles have to be insured for min. $5 mil, due to their capacity and they also are insured for comp and collision. The one claim we had was for a side swipe that cost over $15,000, again by a non-insured drunk driver. Why would we want to put our investment out there without insuring it? I've seen vehicles totaled just because of frame damage or the age of the vehicle and replacement parts availability. Even the "big guys" are smart enough to insure their investments, why wouldn't we as a small operator do the same? $10,000 is a lot to lose--not counting all the hard work on outfitting the interior to make it a "party palace on wheels" In today's banking/investment opportunities, I doubt many are happy to kiss off that kind of money. I have friends who could easily not miss ten times that from their checking accounts, but trust me!, they are tighter than I am about their losses. It's quite interesting when we go shopping, how they love the "deal" and "bargan". Me, if I want it, or need it, I buy it! And if there's insurance for it, I buy it. I hope I never need it, but when I have, it's been nice to have. LOL

Just my opinion!
Kathy
City Heat Limousine

[City Heat]

Who said an operator is nothing unless they have 20K laying around? What practices do I preach and act another? I operate the same way as ALL my competitors operate. 15 + passenger can travel anywhere in the state with 1.5 mill and smaller limos can cross the river with the same coverage. As for postings on facebook, I do not keep up with that. Thats Patricia posting under my name and fan pages. Its good reading though. People seem to love our service. How many companies in L-ville do you represent that operate 15+ passenger limos and have 5 mill liability coverage? We rarely get a request for a 15+ pass. to go to the casino, but the companies in L-ville send them over the river all the time. Proms, weddings, nights out, casino, you name it.


Things are sure different on the West Coast! We take people to the local casinos a lot in our 20 & 22 passenger hummer and escalade. We are NOT DOT, so do not go to Reno or Vegas, or out of state. But we do have to have minimum $5 million coverage on each vehicle, even the 12 passenger, because our carrier writes all the coverage the same.

Interesting!!! But to any newbies reading this forum, be sure to check with your own local regulatory agency to be sure of the requirements for your operation in your market place.

Had an interesting comment from our Highway Patrol inspector at the last inspection. When he asked how many passengers our hummer was, we told him 20, then he asked about the escalade, and we told him 22. He said he was surprised we told him those numbers. Some companies tell him their's are only 14 passengers, which makes them under the $5 mill regulation. Interesting!!! I hope they have enough in their checking accounts to pay if there's ever an accident or issue. I bet they'll wish they had paid the insurance premiums. It only takes one idiot to pull out in front of one of those limos filled with people--who do you think will be able to stop faster-- Personally, just not worth the risk in so many ways.

We take pride in NOT operating like some of our competitors--we have a higher standard for our business. Our competition is just that, competition, they don't set the standards for our operation. (other than to excell above some of them)

Again, just my personal opinion.
Kathy
City Heat Limousine

[HeavenOnWheels]

Our competition is just that, competition, they don't set the standards for our operation. (other than to excell above some of them)

Well said!

[partybus2009]

Alright guys I have been in business for five years and my insurance agent is really p-ing me off so I'm looking for a good price out there. I just need 1,000,000 LIABILITY. I will call some of these agents on this site and if there are more please email me.

[TGISpartybus]

It's tough...We've been in biz for 2 years now and our premiums are 17K for 5 mil in coverage for 2 buses. Good luck getting quotes, we had trouble getting very many from the agents on here.

[brandon1]

where are you located?

[RRExcursions]

I'm trying to get started, and am having a little trouble finding insurance as well, so if anyone has any ideas for a good insurance company for party buses in the Des Moines, Ia,area please let me know.