No PERMANENT ADDRESS. Tips for Insurance and voting.

The definition of a banker is: “They give you an umbrella when the sun is shining, and take it away when it begins to rain.”  I think this also may describe insurance.  I have no permanent address and 3 vehicles.  A 2005 Jeep Cherokee registered in Washington, D.C.  My former permanent address.  A 2010 Toyota Prius purchased in Florida.   Scout, my 2008 Airstream purchased on EBay in Texas.  The Prius is in New York, the Jeep and Airstream are in California.

Since I don’t live in any of those states, talking to insurance representatives, you would have thought this was a unique situation.  I got the distinct feeling of the umbrella being jerked from my hand, when I was explaining this to GEICO.  

In June, I registered the Airstream in North Carolina using my sister Becky’s address, but I can’t register the Jeep until it arrives in NC in October, because NC requires a vehicle inspection.  I got a NC driver’s license, and register to vote, while I was registering Scout.  I registered the Prius in New York, and got a New York driver’s license so I could get a Suffolk County Resident’s Green Key Card, for golf discounts at the county course.  Why not registered to vote since I was here?  I suspect I am still registered to vote in D.C. where lived until June 2016.  I was in Florida for the 2016 election and voted for Hilary, because I was living there temporarily, housesitting.

Yes Donald, it is very easy to register to vote in multiple states as a U.S.citizen.  Like your family and Advisor Bannon. However, I have no intention of voting in all of them.  Lots of people have multiple houses and addresses – winter and summer homes.  But what happens when you have no permanent address?   Thank goodness for my family and friends who are forwarding my mail and letting me use their addresses.

Many full-time RVers register their rigs in South Dakota, apparently, it is “really” easy to register vehicles there.  Also, there is a mailboxes outfit in SD or Good Sam many RVers use to forward mail.  The US Postal Service charges $20 a week, but that service won’t work for RVers like me, because we are moving from place to place.  While I love the U.S. Postal Service, I am thankful for electronic banking and bill pay.

As for insurance, I saved (or will save) a bunch of money registering in NC, but not with GEICO.  Florida, TX or NY are expensive insurance states.  The rates are super cheap in NC.  By switching my Airstream policy to NC the premiums are paid in full until December and they even refunded me some money.  However, to get the full value of the Airstream, if it were to get wrecked, I need a full replacement value RV policy, which GEICO doesn’t offer. 

What is a 2008 Airstream worth?  I wasn’t going to leave it to any insurance company to determine value, so based on the bill of sale, I will get what I paid for Scout.  Goodbye GEICO and hello Progressive.  Unlike those box type travel trailers, Airstreams retain their value.  Why Airstreams costs more up-front, but you are more likely to get your money back when you sell.  Just look at EBay and what used Airstreams go for, compared to other RVs.

As for registering to vote in multiple states, my friend John Lindback (recently retired) helped create ERIC, Electronic Registration Information Center.  ERIC offers state election officials cross matching of voter records to stop duplicate voter registration and other errors such as death of the voter using modern database matching.  GOP Florida Governor Rick Scott refuses to pay the $100,000 to participate, so stay tune for more FL voter problems.   The GOP is the party always screaming about voter fraud, so why won’t GOP Governor Scott enroll Florida?  Maybe he wants to be able to dispute any future election results?  Or, allow Trump advisor Bannon to vote twice?  Two good reasons to not live or vote in Florida, I am certain there are many more.