insurance? who are you guys using?

Well said Denise, I used the wrong word...it is agreed and not stated...very important!

 

I've been with Grundy for a few years now...no problems and no claims...hope both continue

 

I used to work in insurance before I got tired of working for organized crime. Anyways....If my car wasn't a daily driver and I qualified for a classic policy I'd use:

http://www.classiccollectors.com/ Lots and lots of useful benefits and very inexpensive.

 

Hagerty all the way. After having the policy on my Starliner for about a year ($60), I put in a claim for a blown out rear window (about $700). No questions or hassles and a nearly instant check.

Back before I knew there was such a thing as classic car insurance, Farmers "lost" the paperwork on my (OT) '68 Torino. When it got stolen, I lost the whole thing To add insult to injury, the cops found the Torino at the bottom of a lake about a year later. I had to pay for them towing it out.

 

Hagerty, Grundy and just about everyone else uses an independent adjuster like me. Some are car guys and some are not. I know most of these companies prefer to use car guys. Some IA companies are larger outfits that just sent out the closest person. Also keep in mind that just about any IA that has started in this business since 1985 have only been trained in computer software and have no idea how to write an older car. In many ways, it's 'old school'.

As for the value of the policy, this is up to the owner. I've seen the $10K '32 Ford roadster. The value of the policy isn't negotiable AFTER the accident. I usually recommend having the car appraised for it's value after the purchase. Keep in mind if you over insure a vehicle means I still might be able to fix a total. Insure a '90 Mustang (OT) for $45K and I could probably build one from scratch.

Who's $10K estimate? I see a lot of padded estimates. See above about who looks at a given car. Also keep in mind that how a car is handled is based on who comes out to see the car. If you have a problem with the IA, ask to have someone else come out for a second opinion. Both Hagerty & Grundy want happy customers. They'll usually bend over backwards to make sure that happens. But like every insurance company, they need justification on what they write a check for. This is why they send people out.

Sometimes you have to take a salesman with a grain of salt. I have yet to see a car taken to work, NAPA or any other place have the claim denied. Both companies want you to enjoy your car. BUT, these are not daily driver policies. Put 30K on the car in a year and not have a valid excuse, and they probably won't renew the policy. At the same time, I have had a Hagerty insured put 27K in his first year with them. He drove the car back in forth between Tampa and Miami ('68 Camaro conv.). There is no mileage limit. I was asked by the company about the condition of the car. The interior was nice, no stone chips on the car so they considered it no big deal.

Hagerty and Grundy both have towing, but I'm not sure if you have to pay extra. You might with Hagerty.

I will say this; I have had one claim denied because a guy was using his Infiniti Collecter Car policy as a daily driver policy. The customer insured his ratty '87 Corvette and rolled the car thru a grave yard in Pontiac, MI in early March (while it was snowing). Infinity denied his entire claim and cancelled his policy. He had 17K on it in 9 months.

Every collector car policy I'm aware of requires secured storage. This is part of what the IA looks for when inspecting the vehicle. This doesn't effect how I write an estimate, but this is definitely included in the notes to the adjuster. You'd be surprised how many think they can get around this. A claim is made and they have 4 cars insured with a two car garage.

Also keep in mind, the first thing we look at is the serial number for the car. It's the very first thing I look for. I know where the serial numbers are supposed to be on an early Ford. I know what the Serial/VIN numbers usually represent on the plate. I've turned in the guy with the '70 Nova with a V8 title, the painted over VIN plate on the dash, and the 6 cylinder cowl tag that doesn't match. A lot of adjusters probably know more about those numbers than the cops.

I know many of the chrome plates on the firewall isn't OEM. But we also look and usually know what we are looking at. If I'm looking at a '32 Ford with a TCI frame, and a Chevy V8, I'm not looking at starting a pissing match, but it is something I document on the paperwork.

The question is why would the insurance company care? Well, in the case of the Nova, if the car was totaled, and the insurance company is maybe selling the salvage at auction, the buyer could be screaming about fraud that the insurance company misrepresented what they were selling. They don't want to be in that position.

 

Swifster, lots of very good info. I'll say, almost every IA I have ever dealt with was top notch. The trouble I've had in the last year is with an outfit from PA, National Appraisal. They lowball everything, and by a large margin. I've had 'em do it with a 50 year old Caddy and a brand new Civic, usually write it for about 1/3 my estimate. I've been doing this a long time now, and on late models I am almost always within $100 of the other adjusters. Anyway, National is terrible, just terrible...really the only IA I've ever had a problem with. I think they must be giving some real low rates to get into this local market as I had never heard of them before '09. Hagerty uses them and both claims I've dealt with I told the guy in claims that they need to find another adjuster around here.

 

Grundy Grundy GrundyGrundyGrundy


Had a small claim......they were prompt and awesome. If you are with someone else, give them a call.

Have 3 cars with them.

My 2 cents.

 

Bryan, when I decided to get into vintage/specialty cars, I bought every vintage crash book I could lay my hands on. I use these as a base for writing my estimates. Most cars older than 1950 include body repair times in the Chilton manuals of the time. Like I said, most 'younger' adjusters were never taught how to write a manual entry or hand written estimate. And most have no idea where to look for parts.

I never understood what the idea was about shortcutting an estimate. Why make two or three trips if one will do. Obviously I don't write what isn't there and supplements happen. But to intentionally under value the cost of repairs just bites you in the ass. Why drive 70 miles back to the shop for an unnecessary reinspection?

 

Grundy.

 

In Manitoba can you get classic insurance? Just wondering because you have provincial run insurance. I'm in Alberta and I use Custom Wheel for modified vehicles, no classic plate required, you do have to get an appraisal though. Which was a pain in the ass for me cause the appraiser was a muscle car dude and actually was a bit of a dick while doing the apraisal making very derogatory remarks. He was told to finish the apraisal and shut the fuck up or he'd be lookin' at his own teeth without a mirror! He ended up apraising it for 2 grand, fuck head's the only one doing apraisals here. I ended up getting a local collector to do the appraisal and arguing with the insurance company to allow it on the grounds that their guy here is useless and clueless asshole. They quit recomending him. In the end I got it insured for a value that we could agree on. I'd suggest you ask the appraiser what types of cars he mostly apraises.

 

I worked for Farmer & other smaller carriers. You need to go with a specialty carrier like Grundy or Hagerty, I even Hear Barrett Jackson was getting into the Insurance game. Most of the Nations top Ins. Co. are not set up for vehicles over 10 Years old. They have ACV Actual Cash Value policies. The put your car in a data base just as if it was a two year old Honda and what ever comes up in your zip code becomes your Comparative vehicles. All the Boneyard shells etc. I had to take StateFarm to court and in the end I got more the Twice their original offer. So Pay for what you need. This is not something to Cheap out on. But most of all Stay away from the large top carriers, Your Adjuster will be younger then the gas in your tank and their frist car would be a Honda.

 

i went with grundy

 

I have Hagerty and am happy with them. Their customer service is great. When I applied their rate was better than Grundy....and they were a lot nicer on the phone. Hagerty even insures cars under construction. Call all of them to get a vibe of what you think. I would stick with Insurance company's that specialize in classic car insurance.

 

I've been with Grundy for years, very reasonable prices, but never had any claims, good to hear they play well when claims are made.

 

Hagerty 19 years. Have had a couple claims,great service,rate just went down a little this year !

 

I have Grundy, my car was recently destroyed. I had a check in 72 hours for the full amount. I'm a customer for life.

 

i just did the online quote on hagerty insurance it and was $770! is this a year? i sure hope so. then its not that bad at all $64 a month for garanteed value of 40,000$

 

Hagerty, for over ten years. Damn near went with Grundy this time around, just because of the condescending, snooty bitch on the phone at Hagerty I was talking to concerning my renewal.

Hagerty (and all the others, too), you need to remember that the way YOUR person on the other end of the line treats a customer MEANS SOMETHING! Once you lose a customer, very seldom do they come back. And they will advertise for you for free...in a negative way, of course.

 

i use state farm, $58.93 for 6 mo. $21,000 apraised value that's reasonable. you have to get a apraisel and have a agent who's a car nut and that helps. it's a classic car policy.
i asked how i could insure this at that price and my other daily driver are higher? he said i bet i won't see this on the streets in january with a ft of snow on the ground. i gess he right.
thats my 2 cents.

 

wow. just did grundy qoute and its only $21 a month $254 a yr with same values. wow. i think i found my insurer.

 

It would be nice to see a comparison of the requirements (mileage or otherwise) and costs of the different insurance companies. Several of the collector car insurance companies that I've talked to, only charge you once for liability insurance for all of your cars; which if you are insured with the major (Farmers, State Farm or others) they charge you liability on each car.

 

This is true to a point. I know some Hondas that are 20 years old. some states use 'book value' for 'regular' insurance. Others use comparative vehicles. The adjusters that don't know what they are doing is a real fear.

I ran into this about 6 years ago with GMAC in Detroit. New adjuster thought she knew it all after 6 months. The insurance company appraiser was lazy, and the little old lady with the 14 year old Buick Regal with 41K on it was lowballed at $2350. I was helping a friend of mine (his mother's car) and ended up with $4350 after making an acturate case on the car.

 

If we had private roads, we wouldn't need insurance!

 

Ok so i'm getting a vibe that Hagerty and Grundy seem not to be daily driver friendly.. I am re-thinking insurance with my 59 since it's my daily driver so I don't wanna worry about mileage restrictions, but I wanna protect it for what it is so what are my options? I have farmers now do I just need to modify my coverage with them? they've been really good to me and I really don't wanna jump ship on them.

 

Standard auto insurers are not collector car friendly. You need to justify what you think your truck is worth BEFORE a loss. If a storm drops a tree on your truck and they want to give you $500, will you be happy? Get your truck appraised and document before anything happens to it, because I can almost guarantee you'll have a fight on your hands.

 

I used to use State Farm on my old cars as my agent was really good about stated values.... I have my Model A Coupe right now with Grundy. Very reasonable prices but they are a little sticky on mileage. Have never filed a claim on any of the old ones so I am no help there.

 

Hagerty and Classic Car aka American Modern Ins

 

I have State Farm, I have them for everything. I have filed claims before and they are hastle free. I had to file one when my old vintage Airstream was cought in a Tornado, they gave me no headaches with the claim, or any claim.

 

GRUNDY, GRUNDY, GRUNDY, GRUNDY...........................................................................

Long Story short.

VR&C.

 

I use Grundy. Easy to deal with, agreed value, low rates. As I trailered my newest project home (a body and rolling chassis only) I called, on the road, to get coverage, just in case. Asked to insure it for xxxxx, and it was added to my current policy. Done. Simple.