Which Classic Auto Insurance Co are you insured through, and why?
Looking for a good company with A+ service, knowledge, experience, and timeliness. For me they would have to be certified in Utah (but I don't expect anyone to look that up). So who do you use, and why? What dealing have you had with the company and what was your experience?
I think this is a great question - that's why I pinned it. Many people have asked me, as well as - I've thought about it myself. We'll leave it up here for a while and see if there is any interest!
Great question!
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The greatness of a nation and its moral progress,
can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ~ Gandhi
Hagerty and Heacock, the latter is a sponsor of the MCA.
(I can't help you, my 68 is with Gieco as with the rest of my cars. I was originally with Nationwide. I could switch the 68 over to a true classic company but haven't, I had to be with a regular insurance company originally due to be under 25 years old in 1998 when I bought my 68.
I had looked at Hagerty many years ago when I became elligable and didn't like thier guidlines, although they seem to have changed according to others that have them now. Back then you had to stay by your car all the time (not leave the car unattended), the heck with that, when I'm at a cruise or show I want to go walking around looking at the other cars! The other thing they said is the car would not be covered if it's parked in a public parking lot, that would mean the cruises they had by me at some of the automotive parts stores, the restraurants*, and the Walmart.
Even though my 68 isn't a daily driver, never was or will be, I wasn't happy/comfortable with the restrictions. Even though my car doesn't have the coverage it should have with these companies being a classic car I'll take my chances and if something did happen I'd be fixing the car myself anyhow.
* I put an astrik by restraurant due to an incendent happening at one back in 05 or 06 at a cruise I was at. Part of the parking lot was blocked off to traffic for an organized cruise. A woman came driving into the lot and drove across it into the cruise area going right over the cones and crashed her Kia Spectra into the side (T-boned) a parked Pontiac LeMans at the cruise. When the police showed up the Pontiac's owner found out she had a suspended license, no insurance and the Kia was unregistered! The Pontiac wasn't heavily damaged, definitely fixable, but his insurance would have to pay for it!
So yes, things can happen, and they do.)
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1968 Mustang coupe, Acapulco Blue, 289 2v, C-4, Power Steering.
Hopefully a 1969 convertible or Sportsroof (non Mach or Boss) for next Mustang project
Trying to find my father's 1973 Mustang Grande he bought brand new. 3F04F126773 last known registration and title was in New Jersey, 1982.
Those are some great tips! I can understand why you didn't go with Hagerty. I wouldn't either. What's the point if you can't drive somewhere and enjoy something other than standing by your car (which is nice getting all the compliments, for awhile) but eventually you want to cut the umbilical cord for a bit.
I agree with Jay. I had looked at Hagerty and didn't like some of the restrictions. My '66 fastback is not a daily driver, and I have it with State Farm, as are my wife's Ford 500, my Ranger, and our home. They have what is called "agreed value". My agent came to the house, looked the car over, took pictures, and we came to a mutial decsion on the value. I can put up to 7500 miles on it each year, and if somthing does happen, I can pick the shop that does the work. Since I have all my cars, and house with them I get a nice discount as well.
That's a pretty nice set-up. Some of the premiums I've looked at have been under $200/hear. They don't let met drive quite that many miles, but they do allow me to keep the vehicle outside if I had to. How does your premium compare, generally speaking?
How's Westfield treating you? I used to live in Zionsville. Still have family there...may be back that way in a few months.
That's a pretty nice set-up. Some of the premiums I've looked at have been under $200/hear. They don't let met drive quite that many miles, but they do allow me to keep the vehicle outside if I had to. How does your premium compare, generally speaking?
How's Westfield treating you? I used to live in Zionsville. Still have family there...may be back that way in a few months.
I pay every 6 months, around $120. I drop it down to comp only during the bad weather, when it is setting in the garage.
I have only lived hear 8 years, I like it, except for the property tax, I lived in Crawfordsville for 25 years, and could have paid several years of prop tax for what I pay every 67 months here.
If you are back in June, the Mustang Club of Indianapolis is hosting a national MCA show out at Raceway Park. I will never call it by any other name. Let me know and maybe we can get together .
The price was right for the coverage. They have mileage restrictions, but I've went over for the last two years and they haven' said a word. The guy just says, "Gee, you must've had a lot of car shows to go to huh?"
I am insured with Hagarty. I was very pleased with their service and pricing. The only problem that I have had has to deal with a personal liability umbrella. While the Hagarty policy has the correct limits and much better deductibles, State Farm tried to jack up the price of my umbrella coverage because all of my vehicles were not insured with State Farm. We have been tangling over that. As far as coverage (no deductibles) price and benefits, I think that Hagarty is great.
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1968 C-Code Coupe -- All stock except for a 20 yo repaint. Royal Maroon Maroon Interior / Bench <33K original miles
2008 GT/CS Convertible Mods: FRPP Strut Tower Brace / FRPP X-Pipe / FRPP Short Throw Shifter (Hurst) / FRPP CAK & Tune / Steeda Ultra Lites / Tokico D-Specs / Steeda HD Strut Tower Brace / LCA's / G-Trac Brace / HD Adjustible Panhard Bar / Rear Sway Bar + End Links/Steeda Stainless Brake Lines / DBA Rotors / Hawk Pads / Webelectric sequentials/ one touch top /rear windows
I am much like Drive25usac in that all our cars, house, etc., are insured with State Farm. They have been even before we left left Indiana 40 years ago. (Were we GLAD to get away from property taxes on cars as well as that hidden tax called rust!) We have 5 cars, the newest is an '89 and oldest a '39, and all but one are 'antique coverage with agreed value'. I have looked at all the other companies mentioned (except for Heacock) and they all have pretty severe restrictions on what you can do with the car. If I can't drive it to dinner what good is it? Any time Geico has tried to woo me they have told me they won't insure ANY of my cars because they are too old.
SF has an unwritten 3500 miles per year limit for antiques (minimum 30 years old) but if its 5k one year and 2k the next they don't care. By having everything with SF my liability umbrella coverage is simplified; I don't have to prove to Co A that the Co B coverage is acceptable, etc. Also, my experience is that your coverage and degree of satisfaction greatly depends upon your agent. I have had 2 agents in the last 30 years and both of them know me and have gotten me paid for claims that technically could have been denied but they knew my history and that I was going to be there next year. I tried to turn down $1000 of the last claim because it was way more than I paid to fix the car. My agent said to forget it and take the wife to dinner. That was only about my third claim in 30 years so he wasn't worried. The 'classic' companies are far away and care less who I am.
Hagerty has their towing service and I have used that through my membership in the R-R club. What they don't tell you is that you only get 50 miles towing or 100 if you pay extra. In the western US that can be less than the distance between towns. We blew a radiator and rode a Hagerty truck 49 miles to the next small town. We were already on their flatbed and to go the next 100 miles to home they wanted $500!! We declined and called a friend instead. For $3 twice a year SF now will include towing coverage for antiques. They tow however far is required to get to the nearest qualified service provider. Your agent determines what that means and we agree that for a '39 R-R that is to my driveway even if means 500 miles.
SF premiums depend mostly upon the stated value and your liability coverage limits. All my cars carry 250/500k liability (not the 20/50 required by law). All cars are garaged when at home but obviously not when traveling. For $10k stated value plus comp and collision on the '66 coupe its $73/6 months and for $50k coverage on the R-R its $150/6 months which includes the $3 for towing coverage. All of your safe driving discounts built up over the years disappear for a SF antique policy but the premiums are low enough you don't care.
Gary, as always, a very thorough and persuasive analysis. I appreciate all the details that you provided! I'm certainly going to add State Farm to my list of potentials.
When you've had a claim with SF, did they raise your rates on you? And do they require that every vehicle be garaged?
When you've had a claim with SF, did they raise your rates on you? And do they require that every vehicle be garaged?
When you have been with them for X years (5 or 10 maybe?) you build up a certain amount of forgiveness for which I don't remember the exact term they use. In essence, your first chargeable accident is forgotten and has no affect upon your rates. It is as if it never happened. In the last crash it was the fault of the other guy and therefore was not 'chargeable' and wouldn't have had any affect upon our rates anyhow. But since he, of course, claimed we were at fault MY company paid the bills and then sued him. SF won and I eventually got my entire deductible back but a year later. The crash before was while I was stopped, was from an unlicensed and uninsured guy driving someone else's uninsured car. The guy tried to drive off but the car was so damaged that he only got 10 feet. Satisfaction! I gladly waited to make sure the police wrote him up then I drove my car home. That wasn't any of my fault either and my Uninsured Motorists paid for that one but I had to eat the deductible.
I always garage all my cars except for special occasions when I may run out of space in the 6-car garage. I don't know that I HAVE to garage them but it makes petty vandalism nearly non-existent and my rates are lower because of it.
Which Classic Auto Insurance Co are you insured through, and why? 
For me they would have to be certified in Utah (but I don't expect anyone to look that up). So who do you use, and why? What dealing have you had with the company and what was your experience? 
And certainly there are some opinions/experiences out there. 
