Classic Car Owner Insurance

Classic Cars in Africa

2010-08-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

I was recently in Ghana and quite surprised to see the number of newer cars on the road over there. It seems that the government have placed a ban on the import of cars over the age of 10 years, Very difficult if you want to send a classic car there. Of course there are a number of older cars still running as they will try and fix anything. In particular there were a lot of older Mercedes cars. I quite fancied having one of those myself!

What is a Classic Car?

2010-03-10T02:36:00.000-08:00

The actual definition of a classic car can vary from one insurance company to another. However, it is generally established that a car must be at least 15 years old to be classified as a classic. This is differen to Veteran cars which were made before 1903 and Vintage cars which were made between 1903 and 1933. So, you can see that your car doesn't have to be that old to be a classic vehicle and be eligible for Classic car insurance.

Analyse Your Requirements

2010-03-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Before you trot off to get your classic car insurance for your new vehicle it is a good idea to think carefully about what you want from it. This will depend a lot on the value of the car and the amount of miles that you are likely to do. Typically you can reduce your insurance by driving less miles. Just think about how much you are actually going to drive the car. If you are only going ton a few shows in the summer months and that it is it then you are unlikely to clock up large mileages. I had my 1956 landrover insured for unlimited miles but then when I looked after a year I found that I had only driven 100 miles. Just think of the savings I could have made! Different types of insurance

The Need for an Appraisal

2009-11-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

It can sometimes be difficult to decide the actual level of cover that you need on your vehicle. If you over estimate then you could be paying for more insurance than you need but if you under estimate you may find that you don't have enough money to make good your loss. As a result it is sometimes useful to get an appraisal of the value of your car. You should use a professional appraisal company. This could be one recommended by your insurance company. Appraisals

Modifications

2009-11-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

A lot of people with special cars make modifications to them in order to make them more special. If you add a supercharger or a turbo or have changed the engine specification then you need to keep documentation of what you have done for the insurance company. You should also take photos of the changes that you have made. These photos may be used to try and establish the coverage that you need and will help if you have to make a claim. Modifications

Classic Car Insurance Photos

2009-11-09T02:23:00.000-08:00

A lot of insurance companies require photos of your classic car in order to provide the insurance cover. This helps them to understand the condition of your car and relate it to the self valuation that you will have submitted. It also helps them to identify your vehicle. You should take some photos from various angles and make sure that there is enough light to show sufficient detail of your car. You shouldn't try to hide any defects or problems with the vehicle as they will just make you retake the photos. This will just waste your time and theirs. Classic Car Insurance photos

What is a classic car?

2009-11-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

Classic car insurance is called various things by different people. Some people call it antique auto insurance, others refer to it as vintage car insurance, or collector car insurance, and some just call it old car insurance. However, the purpose is essentially the same and that is to protect your older car or classic vehicle, as well as yourself and others from the hazards of the road and the inevitable risks that come with owning a vehicle. While the term classic car or collector car is often used to describe just about any interesting old vehicle, purists often use the terms to describe pre 1950's vehicles, foreign or domestic, that were already luxurious and expensive in their day. Fortunately insurance companies have a wider view of things and include custom cars and hot rods as well. Basically anything that you have spent a lot of money on and need to protect your investment. For further details see classic car insurance

Car Collectors Paying too much for Insurance

2009-10-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

An underwriter from chubb personal insurance has stated recently that a lot of collectors of historic antique and classic cars are paying far too much for their auto insurance. The main reason given is that they are using standard car insurance companies rather than ones from the classic car insurance field. Approaching a specialist company could save a lot of money because they understand that collectors are not using their vehicles for the usual family things and that they spend most of their time in secure garages. They also say that they are missing out on the many other benefits offered such as lists of specialist repair shops and automatic worldwide cover for auto shows. For further information on the kinds of cover available see Classic Car Owner Insurance

Cheaper Antique Classic Car Insurance

2009-10-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

Cheaper Antique Classic Car Insurance by Timo Vincent

A lot of of car insurance companies really don't understand what people in the historic classic car field actually want. They are blinkered by the needs of the day to day car use of Peter public. Everything has to slot into a standard category and car price goes down ceaslessly as the years speed on by. If you change items on the car they start licking their lips with the anticipation of a nice fat commission check. So what happens if you suddenly have the urge to purchase a classic motor vehicle, a hot rod or simply want to 'pimp your ride' and make it look the talk of the town. Well fortunately there are businesses out there that only do this kind of thing. They know what the car collector needs and make it their passion to keep them happy with the products that they provide.

One of the main aspects of classic car collecting is that your motor vehicle is likely to increase in value as the years pass. This is the exact opposite of the ordinary car market. As a result classic car insurers have a system of agreed valuation. Therefore you can set your own value on the vehicle that you posess. Its value may be bigger because it is an historic vehicle or possibly because you have spent a lot of money changing the body design or the engine specification. However this has to be agreed with the insurer and so you just can't simply dream things up or over rate the car's condition or features. You may have to give photos of the vehicle as part of the agreed valuation.

This doesn't necessarily mean that antique classic car insurance is going to be costly. This is because the insurers know that the people who own such cars are serious about their investment and will be driving with the greatest care and usually trying to keep their vehicle safe. Drivers who own such vehicles are usually not using them for the conventional day to day commute to work. A lot of the time they locked up just waiting for that show event to take place and then with loving care they are shown in all their glory.

There are some other factors that are important in the choosing of cover in this particular area. If you intend showing your car at events then there is coverage for this particular field. Coverage can also be provided for foreign travel and touring. This could also include the shipping to the foreign country, spare parts, labor and trip interruption.

Some insurers have restrictions on the annual mileage that you can do with your car. This is actually an attempt to stop you using it as your family car. There are others that have no restrictions at all. If you know that you are only going to do a small number of miles in a year then this can also be used in keeping the insurance costs low.

If you suddenly have the desire to purchase a certain car and have to get it straight away there is also instant cover available for a short amount of time on a new acquisition. This allows you to buy it, get it home and worry about the final insurance cost at your leisure. This is a very useful feature as I am sure that a lot of vehicles are purchased in that moment of madness which occurs when you are presented with an offer you just can't turn down!

It is never too late to begin your own collection of classic cars. I owned 2 Landrovers at one time. I really wanted a car that was older than me and I found a 1956 series 1 Landrover which just fitted the bill. I also had a 1964 safari long wheel base Landrover as well. I actually used this one as my main vehicle asI found the insurance for limitless mileage was cheaper than the usual insurance on a modern car. The main idea is that you should not allow the fear of antique classic car insurance cost stop you starting your own classic car collection.

There are many that dream of owning a special classic car but there are lots of reasons why people never actually buy what they have always wanted. Problems in obtaining insurance shouldn’t be one of the major reasons for not having your dream come true. For further information on antique classic car insurance take a look at Timo Vincent’s web site Antique Classic Car Insurance

Article Source: Cheaper Antique Classic Car Insurance

Tired Tires

2009-10-20T06:05:00.000-07:00

With winter approaching we are all best advised to check the health of our tires on our classic cars if we want to keep any no claims bonus that we have built up. It is reckoned that a lot of accidents in the autumn period on slippy roads are caused by having badly worn tires. Now is a good time to check them and make sure that they have enough tread to keep us safe through the winter. For further detaiks on keeping your car and insurance fit for purpose see Tires and Insurance

The Classic Car Enthusiast

2009-10-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

We as owners of classic cars are in a world of our own. We live for our collections and take great pride in making sure that our vehicles stand out in a crowd. Because we look after our cars we know that we deserve special consideration when it comes to auto insurance. In fact we want it all: budget auto insurance and cover that reflects the care and attention to detail that we lavish on our cars. Fortunately there are companies out there that trust us and are prepared to give us the deals that we want. You just have to search carefully and make sure that you read the coverage details to ensure that your pride and joy is going to be kept safe. For information on classic car coverage see Classic Car Insurance Company