If I didn't buy a Ford Pick-up I was going to buy a 2013 E350 passenger Van till my insurance company told they don't cover this type of van. Only cargo vans they would cover. My insurance company is Farm Bureau of Tennessee. The E-350 is alot cheaper in price then a pick-up. To be used to pull a 26 foot travel trailer.


2013 Ford E-350 XLT in Hickory, NC- 10511859 at carmax.com

 

Did you ask them what their beef is? Insurance companies are right up there with bankers and lawyers for me. Call another insurance company and get a quote.

 

Went to Farmers insurance and they said the same thing.

 

its because it is considered a comertial vehical .. im actualy suprised they said this though as the cargo van is the ones most wont insure under personal insurance usualy they tell you to get buisness insurance .. if i were you i would call progressive or some big companie

 

They told me it didn't matter if it is a commercial or not they didn't insure a passenger Van. Cargo vans no problem. I was going to take out all the seats in back and use it for hauling cargo only. Didn't the E-350 have roll over problems?

 

I don't know about the roll over problem, never saw anything on it. I can only guess that they don't want the liability of 10 people in a vehicular accident.

 

That's the craziest thing I've ever heard, and not good news. I hope other companies don't jump on that bandwagon. Sheesh.

 

This sounds crazy, but I also think it's because of a handful of passenger van rollovers when driven by unskilled drivers. There was a lot of press on this a few years ago with church and school vans rolling over when driven by people who did not have the proper respect for the weight of a van loaded with people.

I would think that a larger insurance company should insure you, and in particular, any newer van with stability control (advance trac?--forget what Ford calls it) should present less risk than older vans without.

The deal you point out is similar to prices in the Detroit area...2013 E350's are an absolute steal right now for $20k and I am almost tempted to buy one myself but don't need one.

Good luck,
George

 

Sorry to hear this. I'm with state Farm and have a 7 passenger Chateau.

Those large passenger vans have a bad history with rollover accidents and deaths.

I just googled, "are 13 passenger vans dangerous?"

Lot's or articles, here's the first 2 paragraphs from the story that came up first on that google search;

What do you imagine is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road in terms of rollover? You may be surprised to hear that it's a vehicle commonly used by schools, day care centers, scout troops, churches, and hotels — just to name a few. Scott Pelley reports.

It's the 15-passenger van. As 60 Minutes II first reported last spring, the 15-passenger van is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the road in terms of rollover. Since the report aired, two insurers used by churches and schools say they won't cover any more 15-passenger vans, and several universities will no longer allow their athletes to be transported in the vans.

 

Ive got a 95 15 pass and have been with Farmers for over 10 yrs.No problem. I also have a 2000 and a 2002 e=350 conversion vans with Farmers and no problem with them. maybe its your area. Try another company.

 

I betcha they will insure them, but not at the same premium as a regular 2 or 4 passenger vehicle.

Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup

 

Weird... I just picked up a used 2001 E-350 XLT 12 passenger van and added it to my policy at Geico with no issue. I didn't even talk to anyone... just quoted and added it online.

 

Most of the off-lease vans I've seen are 12-passenger regular length vans whereas the extended length 15 passenger vans seem to be involved in most of the accidents. (All the weight of 4 passengers in the extreme rear has to add to the polar inertia aka swerve tendencies, and move the center of gravity higher.)

I bet the extended length GMC vans have been faring a bit better than Fords or the old Dodges because they run a 155" wheelbase on the extended length models...not that we're talking about GMC vans.

Good luck with the insurance on the 12-passenger off-lease van to the OP. The deals on these, $20k for low-mileage 2013 models, are STUPID GOOD.

George

 

FWIW, Ameriprise through Costco had no problem with our '99 Dodge B3500 14-seater or our '93 E150 Chateau as private/non-commercial vehicles long as they aren't used as school buses.

Maybe Farm Bureau will cover the van as an RV.

Sixto
93 E150 Chateau 5.8 187K miles

 

Metlife (Metropolitan Life) has always covered my vans, several of them, plus a hundred or so other vehicles without a problem.

Here's my take on rollovers of large vans:

Churches, universities and the like buy a van and plant it at the back corner of the parking lot. It sits for months, then they load it up to maximum weight or over and put some young chaperone behind the wheel. No air pressure check, no experience driving a large vehicle. What could go wrong???
This makes no sense to me, and I've seen it firsthand many times.
I've driven extended length vans for work and play for years and don't find them to be at all unsafe, but they do require a little practice as does any vehicle, and of course some maintenance such as at least checking tire pressure! OK, rant over!