Other Options Besides "Classic" Insurance?

[Modelprisoner]

Looking for advice from the pros and anyone , really.

I am an avid car hobbyist and do practically all my own wrenching.

The wife and I daily drive "classics", but none of them is particularly valuable.

She drives an '85 Mercedes 380SL and I rotate between a '91 VW Jetta diesel and an '82 VW Rabbit diesel pickup (long commute). These cars are on a normal liability (Progressive) policy. No issues there.

I also have a number of Triumphs and Mercedes diesels that are not nearly in show condition. Some of these are garaged, all are under cover, but in a carport. They run, more or less, but it's not like I can jump in any one of them and get it going.

I have Classic insurance for some, but my insurance company is giving me trouble about adding additional vehicles, wanting photos of the new car, it, inside the garage etc.
I really am only looking for liability insurance on most of the "fleet". Are there any other options for "limited use" vehicles? I feel like the cars I have as "classics" really aren't. I don't want to spend the money or time making them pretty as much as making them roadworthy at this point.

 

[djs]

For just liability, can you add them to your progressive policy? You only need 'classic' car insurance if the car has value, with only liability, that is a non-issue.

Any classic car insurance will want photos, if not a complete appraisal, just the way it works. And yes, it doesn't have to be a great photo, just one that shows any existing major damage. I usually recommend at least 4, one from each corner of the car.

Dan

 

[Modelprisoner]

If I insure them under Progressive they will want ~$300/ea/yr. I have ~10 cars- That's $3K.

7 of them haven't left the property in years.

At the same time, none of them is really worth more than $3-5K. I wouldn't care to be compensated if I were to take any of them out for a drive and wreck it. Likewise, if a tree fell on one on my property. I really can't afford to garage all of them as the classic car ins want (though they are under cover and safe, considering what they are worth).

I, of course, would be foolish to drive them untagged and uninsured, though I have considered it. I have assets that need protection.

I have been considering giving the State a financial statement and assuming the liability, and just drive them at 6AM Sunday mornings. But even that gives me the willies.

As my handle indicates , I think I am a "model prisoner" of the insurance industry.

I have been driving for 40 years without a claim ,accident or moving violation. My wife has only been driving for 12 years, but she is also accident and violation free.

I enjoy having cars, but I can't seem to have them without paying the insurance piper, even if I barely drive them.

It's simply not possible for me to drive them all at the same time- why does the industry charge me as if that's what I am doing?

 

[BlockO]

I really am only looking for liability insurance on most of the "fleet"..

perfect solution for you.... (MAYBE): broadform named driver policy

Pros:

• will give you liability coverage on any vehicle you drive.
• can select high levels of liability to protect your assets.
• policies are cheap.

Cons:

• you will have to buy two policies, one for you and one for your wife. broadform polices only cover the driver named on the policy.
• no coverage whatsoever if anyone else borrows any of your vehicles.

Problems/concerns

• not all states have broadform named driver policies. I have no idea if Florida has it or not.
• these are a rare type of policy, even if your state has it, finding an agent who sells them can be challenging (many agents won't even be familiar with these policies, let alone sell them).
• do not confuse this policy with a named operator policy. They are very similar, except that named operator policies don't cover owned vehicles (at least none that I'm aware of), and thus won't help you.
• most but not all broadform policies cover owned vehicles, so you'll need to make damn sure your policy does.

 

[djs]

Broad form is a great solution to your situation. Bravo to Blocko for suggesting it.

Make sure it covers OWNED vehicles. Many of the broadform policies are geared for cars you drive regularly, but do not own, i.e., you are allowed personal use of a company car.

My suggestion is to have the agent show you in the policy where it says the car is covered for liability. Read the exclusions. Know how the policy works.

Dan

 

[BlockO]

thanks DJS. but as Lee Corso would say... "not so fast my friend"!

if Florida doesn't have those policies, my advice was useless as tits on a boar hog.

My guess is that there are more states that do not have broadform than those that do. Some states had it in the past (Oregon for example) but did away with it due to all the lawsuits it created (named driver loans his car out to someone .... you know the rest of the story).

I tried to do a couple quick google searches, but I couldn't find anything that says yea or nay specifically to Florida.

We need a Florida agent to get on here and set us straight.

 

[Modelprisoner]

Thanks Dans-

I will give that a try- thanks for the potential insurance makeover. My wife doesn't need to be on that policy anyway since she just drives the one car, maybe.

If any other cognoscenti has an idea, let me know.

More ideas, please...


ah..Lee Corso.

Yes, I am a Floridian, but happen to have an MBA from IU back when Corso was head football coach

 

[VolAgent]

Thanks Dans-

I will give that a try- thanks for the potential insurance makeover. My wife doesn't need to be on that policy anyway since she just drives the one car, maybe.

If any other cognoscenti has an idea, let me know.

More ideas, please...

With this type of policy, you should get one for her anyway. She just might decide to drive one and you'd be up a creek without a paddle if anything happened.

 

[BlockO]

agree with Vols. If Fla does have broadform policies, they're cheap enough to where you want to play it safe. If you can afford 10 classic cars, you can afford this.

"More ideas, please..."

this is about your only option that will fit your situation. If Fla doesn't have it, I'm afraid you're SOL.

 

[Modelprisoner]

With this type of policy, you should get one for her anyway. She just might decide to drive one and you'd be up a creek without a paddle if anything happened.

I wish she would. They are all sticks and she won't (says she can't, but it's really won't) drive one of them.

OK- I'll call around. Thanks again.

Or, if there's a Florida agent listening who wants my business , I am here....
I can be a pretty good client.