<VV> Insurance

RKHenry robert.henry@earthlink.net
Sat, 13 Nov 2004 18:19:06 -0500


Hello all,



I've been lurking this list for some time. Now it's time for me to ask a
question, or two.



I have a 1965 Corsa Convertible with 180 HP engine. I inherited it. My dad
drove as a daily driver for years, then I took it over and restored it
myself. Now it's mine. The restoration isn't as perfect as I'd like, but
it's still good enough to draw compliments. Any Corvair in proper working
order ought to be able to deliver at least 15 smiles per mile as you cruise
along. It's not just a car, it's a Corvair-sation piece.



The car has been insured with regular car insurance for years. They said
that a car so old shouldn't be carrying comprehensive or collision insurance
so they've only insured it for liability. So essentially, I've been going
bare. Now the insurance company has delivered a shocking increase and I've
been shopping around on the online insurance companies. They'll insure my
daily driver but not my Corvair-too old. I've considered selling it. It
costs too much to keep for the miniscule amount of driving it gets. It's
been fun but these days I don't have the time, or the money. It needs new
tires, new shocks, maybe other suspension work, and a new top, and I don't
have time to play with it. So it spends most of its time locked in the
garage with the cat sleeping on it.



Then I started checking online classic car insurance establishments. One
that I hit was Hagerty Insurance. I submitted an online request, they
called, and they're sending an application. Not knowing what the car might
be worth, I initially submitted a value of $5,000 but they looked it up in
their book and we decided it's probably worth about $8,000. Quite a far cry
from what my other insurer said it was worth. And for that they'll insure it
for $126 per year, for everything!. About a quarter of what I've been paying
and about 10% of what my current insurer wants for both my cars, and now the
car is covered against damage. All I have to do is restrict my driving to
2500 miles per year. As I told the guy, I'd be THRILLED to be able to drive
it that much.



So it looks like I can KEEP my Corvair. All I have to do now is find someone
to insure my Saturn. That doesn't look like it's going to be a problem
finding significant savings there too. Life is good.



So if anyone has bothered wading through this narrative, are there any
comments? Does anyone have any other classic insurers to suggest? Or other
courses of action?



Robert Henry

'65 Corsa Convertible