Legal address after Escapees signup

[EdAk]

I'm a little confused on signing up for escapees and becoming a member.  I need a "legal" street address in Texas in order to move forward with purchasing insurance.  My question is after signup would I be assigned a legal address?  I do not need any of the mail services - forwarding, reviewing.. etc.  The difference in cost is about 110 bucks.  I don't want to buy something i won't use.

thanx.

ed.

[Kirk W]

The mail service is the only way to get an address. By legal definition an address is where you receive mail and other services. 

[Head Out - HOP]

Hi Ed,

This is Lisa Koca (HOP director) and I have sent your concern to Jim Koca, the Advocacy director for Escapees. He will get back to you soon. Thank you!

 

[EdAk]

Lisa, thank you for passing on my request.  I look forward to hearing from them.  If by chance I do rec'v mail, i would make arrangements to pick it up.

Ed.

Edited August 1 by EdAk

[Kirk W]

16 minutes ago, EdAk said:

I look forward to hearing from them.  If by chance I do rec'v mail, i would make arrangements to pick it up.

What type of insurance are you seeking? I will be very interested to see what Jim has to say about this one. 

Edited August 1 by Kirk W

[Head Out - HOP]

Hi Ed,

I'm following up to see if you've received an answer from Jim regarding your inquiry. Historically, Escapees went to court and won a case to establish itself as a legal address, which was a significant milestone for the organization. While I'm not sure of the exact year, (Kirk might know) it's also documented in the timeline on www.escapees.com.

Escapees mail service is one of the largest in the United States, second only to the postal service. Jim and I have been using Escapees email service for over 12 years without any issues.

If you have any more questions, please email clubbusiness@escapees.com and they will be glad to help you.

Best regards,

Lisa Koca

HOP Director

[2gypsies]

Here's a good timeline of Escapees defending the rights of RVers:

https://escapees.com/about-escapees/rv-advocacy/escapees-advocacy-timeline/

[EdAk]

22 hours ago, Kirk W said:

What type of insurance are you seeking? I will be very interested to see what Jim has to say about this one. 

I need commercial insurance for my business - Northstar RV Inspections.  The recommended carrier cannot write a policy in the state where the business is registered, however, can cover clients that do business there - Alaska.  You may be thinking to simply get a policy from another carrier.  Well, I've contacted about six others and because this is a niche service they will not write a policy.  In discussions with the recommended carrier, they are suggesting I get a "legal" address in a state where they can write a policy.  They tell me that there is no risk to the owner of the legal address; to them, its just an address.  So, I was hoping I could get a legal address from Escapees to obtain a "legal" address.  The cost is 50 bucks vs 160.

Thanx for any help you can give me.

Ed.

[Kirk W]

12 minutes ago, EdAk said:

In discussions with the recommended carrier, they are suggesting I get a "legal" address in a state where they can write a policy.

And if that includes TX, it is as easy as, 1) join the Escapees RV Club, and 2) sign up for mail service to be assigned an address. Since this is for a business and business insurance, how could you have an address without mail service? If you really only need and address but do not need mail forwarding, then why do you not just rent a box at a convenient US Post Office? You can get a new PO Box at a Post Office facility for as low as $4.83 per month, depending on your location. Reserve a box with your existing or new USPS.com account. That way you can have a legal address that doesn't forward mail. 

Edited August 2 by Kirk W
add a link

[EdAk]

new POBx? Yea, I could do that however, the carrier needs a "street" address... ie, 123 Main st, anytown....

it appears that escapees cannot help me in this case.  I appreciate your attention to this.

thank you

Ed.

[LindaH]

Why do you say the Escapees can't help you? You get a legal street address with the Escapees. Unless the insurance company won't accept a mail forwarding address?

[Kirk W]

10 minutes ago, EdAk said:

Yea, I could do that however, the carrier needs a "street" address.

Are you trying to trick the system by claiming to be somewhere that you are not?

[EdAk]

8 minutes ago, LindaH said:

Why do you say the Escapees can't help you? You get a legal street address with the Escapees. Unless the insurance company won't accept a mail forwarding address?

Escapees can help me if I want to spend an additional 110 bucks beyond the membership; i don't necessarily want to spend an additional 110 bucks.

ed.

[EdAk]

Just now, Kirk W said:

Are you trying to trick the system by claiming to be somewhere that you are not?

Absolutely not!  The carrier cannot write a policy in eight different states.  The carrier is recommending i get a "legal" address in one of the other 42 that they can write a policy in.  It sounds shady i know, but, this is what is being recommended to me.  If I suspected that this was some scheme to "trick" the system, I would go elsewhere to find a carrier.  I would not jeopardize my business' integrity or honesty - that would be very stupid on my part.

Ed.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, EdAk said:

The carrier is recommending i get a "legal" address in one of the other 42 that they can write a policy in.  It sounds shady i know, but, this is what is being recommended to me.

What I was getting at is that it seems that you want to have an address that doesn't receive mail and one that you are never at and don't have anything at. How can an address be your legal address if you have no presence there? I really don't understand what it is that you are looking for.

Edited August 2 by Kirk W

[EdAk]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

What I was getting at is that it seems that you want to have an address that doesn't receive mail and one that you are never at and don't have anything at. How can an address be your legal address if you have no presence there? I really don't understand what it is that you are looking for.

it does seem to be a little odd - i agree.  but, evidently the RV Inspection business is a niche industry and carriers do not understand how it works and most feel that its "too risky" or they try to put you under policies (ie, home inspection) that don't cover adequately.  but, the recommended carrier for the association (NRVIA) does understand; they simply cannot write a policy in 8 states - Alaska is one of them.  so, they suggest getting an address to use in any of the other 42 states.  There, they can write the policy that can be used in any state. this being an odd duck is understatement.  i've called at least ten carriers and either they do not return my calls (once explained) or they try to sell me a policy that won't work.  There is no risk to the legal address that is used - in so far as this insurance is concern.  I realize that 160 bucks breaks down to ~15 bucks a month - but, its 110 i'd rather not spend.  my wife and i snowbird each year and perhaps our needs will change - wrap this around - have our mail forward from our home address to an escapees address who will in turn, forward it to wherever we are. 

appreciate you allowing me to bend your ear.

Ed.

[Kirk W]

So you summer in AK? Why not set up something where you winter if you go to the same area each year?

[Jaydrvr]

1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

So you summer in AK? Why not set up something where you winter if you go to the same area each year?

"they simply cannot write a policy in 8 states - Alaska is one of them."

[Blues]

5 hours ago, Kirk W said:

What I was getting at is that it seems that you want to have an address that doesn't receive mail and one that you are never at and don't have anything at. How can an address be your legal address if you have no presence there?

This actually sounds not that different from the Escapees scheme where you have your mail service in Texas, but have a second address in Florida or South Dakota that is used only for vehicle registration, driver's license, and voting.   

Yes, the Florida or South Dakota address receives mail, but for every piece you get there, you pay a surcharge of $1 and it automatically gets forwarded to your Texas address.  Packages are returned to sender.  So "receiving mail" is really a technicality.

Escapees even advises:  "State specific mail includes driver licenses, vehicle registration, insurance, voter registrations, etc. When using Escapees Services in FL or SD, any items other than 'state specific mail' should be sent directly to your Livingston, TX address."

 

[sandsys]

It seems to me you have two choices. Pay the $110 dollars to get a residential mailing address in Texas or close your business. You decide which is the better deal for you.

Linda Sand

[Steven@146]

I had a business when we had our sticks and bricks. When we went fulltime I closed the business and we sold the S&B and we got an Escapee's address in Livingston. Fast forward a couple years  and Bluebonnet Electric from my old business name and address sent me a refund because of the Bastrop Wildfires using our Escapee's Livingston address.

I wasn't trying to use our Escapee's address for business, but things got a little confused with how Bluebonnet Electric addressed the letter using my old business name and our new Escapee's address..

Anyway, I also received a letter from Escapee's telling me my Escapee's Livingston address is not and can not be used for business. I'm just relating what I experienced.

So that may be an answer to your question.