Bloody insurance

[GoFast88]

As the snow comes, I store the Fiero and revive the suburan diesel 4x4. I figure all is well as no more emmisions and hassles with "the man". I go to my insurance agent and she tells me that the vehicle is now 20 years old and it can't be insured with my regular company. I have had no claims EVER in 30 years. She finds the best rate. Now get this. $1229 for 6 months. I tell her the insurance company's, by gouging, just lost my cash and as I use the bus back and forth to work. They loose. Now I have to see how much it is going to cost me for the Fiero next year.   

[GoFast88]

BTW: Anyone want to buy a slightly used Suburban? A 350 diesel would be "very interesting" in a fiero. Think of the fuel mileage.

[fiero308]

wow.
Brian, you gotta shop that one around; I can't believe that is right.  Even if you have full coverage.  Do you have a lot of extra items incl in that?  Is it worth having collision on an older vehicle (if you do...?)
Seem VERY high.
There have got to be better places; LOADS of them are advertising for your business on the radio all the time.
Keep us posted.
..........
I had that topic raised to me by a local hot rod guy.  It is becoming an issue with everyone who has a 'custom' car......I guess that will include mine when it is done AND......engine swap cars?
If you give them an excuse they will bow out of any claim you might have.  Something to think about for everyone.

[FieroBUZZ]

Drop your insurance for the winter, and if you're lucky you can start out next spring as a brand new driver.

Brian:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Brian:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Brian:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Brian:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Brian:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Brian:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

LMAO !!!!!!!

[fiero308]

OK.
I CAN"T resist.  Something about a guy (but.... which ONE? LOL) with a fiero with a S/C 3800 who is putting it on the road (for the first time?) and trying to get insurance.

might go something like this:

Gary:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800 s/c"
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Gary:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a 3800...."
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Gary:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero with a....."
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Gary:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero ...."
Ins Co: "click"
.......

Gary:  "Hi I need a quote for a Fiero ...."
Ins Co: "we heard about you!"
.......

Gary:  "(dialing)"
Ins Co: "(busy signal)"
.......

LMAO !!!!!!!
and THAT comes from the "People who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones" department!!!
LMAO (till I try the same thing..... )

[dguy]

BTW: Anyone want to buy a slightly used Suburban? A 350 diesel would be "very interesting" in a fiero. Think of the fuel mileage.

Does the trailer hitch still have that special security feature? 

...and I second Graeme's opinion.  Shop around before giving up, 'cause that price sounds way out of line.


Note to Kitten:  you do not see the words "350 diesel" above.  I repeat, you do not see the words "350 diesel" above. 

[Kitten]

Note to Kitten:  you do not see the words "350 diesel" above.  I repeat, you do not see the words "350 diesel" above. 

Bite me :p


Brian... definitely shop around, that quote is ridiculous... it's a freaking truck, not a motorcycle... geesh. ::rollingeyes::

[aaron88]

Once the vehicle is 20 years old it becomes a classic.  This calls for classic car insurance, the problem with that is there are some driving restrictions, including not driving it to work or on errands.  But it is much cheaper, like $300 per year kind of cheaper.

Some regular insurance companies such as State Farm are now insuring classics.  They may not come right out and tell you about it because if you don’t know about it they don’t want to give you the better rate.

Call around about Classic car insurance and you’ll find what you are looking for.

As for those with engine conversions, you have two choices, lie or get hot rod insurance that comes with driving restrictions.

I wrote something here about insurance some time ago.  Lets see if I can find it.


I can’t find it, but I did find this post I made at capitalneons.ca;



Hears a little something that I found out about the insurance industry. It might be of some use to you or it might be something that you choose to ignore.

Also when I use the term ‘modified’ I mean a performance modification like turbo. Not exhaust or a premium filter or something like a spoiler. However; non factory shox or springs will likely also classify you as modified.

I recently modified my car in an attempt to create something a little more enjoyable to drive, but when I told my insurance company that I had modified my car, they told me that if I chose to tell them that the car was modified they would have to cancel my policy effective in 30 days. They told me that I had basically three options, and they go as follows;

1. You can opt to not tell the insurance company (they were going to let me do this even though I had already told them unofficially that I had done something major). If you do this nothing changes with the policy, but if something were to happen like you’re car gets stolen and you tell them you had all these things under your hood, they will give you nothing because this is a breach of contract (you should read it). If something else happened, like you got in an accident, you will had to go get you car evaluated (as you always do before you can make a claim) and the evaluator notices that the car has been modified, he may chose (and usually does) to tell your insurance company that the car has been modified. If he does this, you are in breach of your contract and the policy is null and void. That means that you get nothing, and may be held personally responsible for all the damages to any other vehicle or public property, not to mention that you get nothing for your car. Now here is where things get a little tricky, because if you go to court and fight for your policy to stand, you may (if your lawyer is good) end up being covered (depending on the modification). But this cost’s a lot of money (over $10 000 let’s say) and takes a very long time. But if the evaluator decides for some reason not to tell the insurance company (this means a bribe of some significant amount), or doesn’t notice that the car has been modified then you are in the clear.

2. You tell the insurance company that your car has been modified, this gives you 30 days to find some other insurance company to cover you. During this period you will still be covered by your current policy. You will however receive in the mail (by registered mail at that, so they know you got it), a letter from your insurance company telling you that your policy in now null and void, due to your breach of contract, allowing them to execute there agreed upon right to terminate the contract after 30 days of notification. This is the contract that you signed (did you read it?). You now start shopping around for insurance only to find that there are no standard insurance companies that will cover your “modified” vehicle. I mean that none of them will do it. This also forces you to follow through with option 3.

3. Getting special insurance for hot rods and custom vehicles. There is insurance for your modified vehicle but it will come with a whole lot of restrictions, and I mean a lot of them. Most of these restrictions rule the average modified vehicle out automatically. Which means that the majority of people have to go with option 1 (don’t tell the insurance company and hope that all goes well). There are some companies that will tolerate a high use “modified” vehicle, but I don’t really have any information on these companies because, one; I couldn’t find one and two; I didn’t really need one. Some of the restrictions that I can remember, off the top of my head go as follows;
1. You must have a clean driving record
2. you must have a 10 year driving history
3. you must have another vehicle insured with a different company that is your primary driving vehicle
4. you may not run errands with this vehicle, nor use it as a daily driver including taking it to work
5. If going on a trip for more than a week with the vehicle in question the insurance company must be notified
6. the vehicle must be appraised by one of there approved appraisers

What does all of this mean? You can drive your car, as long an it’s for something car related, like you just wanted to go for a drive in it, or you are taking it to a club event or car show. There isn’t a lot of room for options here. But all that being said, I pay about $450 a year for insurance on my “Custom Hot Rod”.

After all of that I opted for options 2 and 3. Mostly because I qualified. I now pay about $450 a year to insure my “Custom Hot Rod”.

Most people can’t go the rout of option 3 because they simply don’t make the requirements. This means that you are going with option 1. That leaves you kind of up shit creak, but what can I say, that’s how it works.

If anyone knows of a better option, please post it so that I can drive my car a little more often.


Aaron

.

[dguy]

Once the vehicle is 20 years old it becomes a classic.  This calls for classic car insurance, the problem with that is there are some driving restrictions, including not driving it to work or on errands.  But it is much cheaper, like $300 per year kind of cheaper.

I know of at least one insurance company which does not require a 20+ year old vehicle to be insured as a "classic."  The useage classification under which Sacha & my vehicles are placed is entirely at our discretion, regardless of the vehicle's age. 

[GoFast88]

Just to clarify. I was flatly denied insurance from Echalon because the suburban was over 20 years old. I was quoted by ?Wawanesa? at the over 1200 price. The Fiero is not 20 years old so, so far --  so good.  BTW: It is still a 6 cylinder. wink wink

[34FieroGT]

One of the Solo1 sponsors appears to have set their own insurance company, or arranged for 'modified' car insurance with an estrablished company.  Check out:

http://racing.kos.net/soloforums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4527

[2ML67]

My insurance company has no problem with my car for two reasons #1 they do not consider mine as modified as its still a 6 cylinder and the super charger is a stock GM one.
#2 it is insured as a second vehicle my van is my primary one.
That is why once my wife gets her liscence the Fiero goes bye bye for a year or so because it will no longer be the secondary vehicle. With her as a primary driver on either my rates would go up over $3,000 per year. Crooked greedy bunch of bastards that they are especially considering I now only pay around $900 a year for both. Dan