Like The Tittle Engine that could I am approaching the long hill climb to the RMV. Round Two: Preparing for the upcoming season I am now in the process of re-registering the trailer. Two things have happened , well three really. (1) I lost the license plate. It probably fell off 5 minutes after I left Rome. I'm not really sure if it matters, since (2) all trailer registrations have to be renewed annually in MA. I knew this going in, and thought it absurd since most auto registrations are good for two years*. Finally (3) I changed insurance from Progressive to Allstate.
Allstate does not have a physical presence in MA. Which begs the question: How do I get their stamp on the RMV form? Perhaps there's a new device or system of interconnected communication that could help? But alas this is Massachusetts, and we are talking about and the RMV. Form One must have a stamp!
A call to Allstate hooks me up with a lovely lady in Mumbai who at first tells me that Allstate does not insure campers in MA. (So did Progressive if you recall.) I, now an expert at this, informed her that all I needed was an endorsement proving insurance-just like for my car. This seemed to work. However the nice lady in Mumbai can't do it and has to transfer me to another department which at the moment is not answering their phones. She promised she would send them a message and that they will call me.... we'll see how that goes.
* Seriously? One year registrations for trailers? If Massachusetts didn't change the director of the RMV more often than most people change underwear they may be able to address this and other absurdities and anachronisms. E.G. The MA RMV does not notify you that the trailer registration has expired, so I guess there's no automatic renewal, no on-line option for trailers. The most egregious offense, they stopped notifying people that your driver's license is about to expire!
24 hours later and no call from Allstate. Once more into the breach, I call and start the process all over. Ask the nice man from Mumbai if he can look up what if anything was done yesterday. "I see you added a Scamp to your account." "Well, not yet", I replied, "I haven't received a call or email" ... Mere minutes later i am transferred to the correct forms department. "Yes, I see ...hmnnn...I, when did you purchase the 1987 Scamp?" So I told her, and she said OK that's all we need we'll overnight the forms. I remain hopeful.
ReplyDeleteThey actually came overnight! Off to the RMV where I have to admit losing last year's plate and get a new one for this year. Easy enough unless you get the one RMV customer support rep who a. doesn't have a trailer plate, b. doesn't know how to report a lost plate on an expired registration, and c and d wants to charge me for first getting a new plate on the lost expired registration and then charge me for this year's registration.
ReplyDeleteInteresting note. While Progressive simply added a note to my insurance Allstate added $20.00 to my bill for the convenience of adding the camper to my insurance.
ReplyDeleteOMG! The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Motor Vehicles actually sent me a renewal form for my camper registration. Not only that, they sent it three months in advance. I may just plotz.
ReplyDelete