...been lurking for about a year...

[twsutt]

Hi all,

I've been a lurker here on the site for about a year and I've been a registered user for a few months. I just purchased a '75 280Z (the one in the avatar) from 'Vegas and I'm having it shipped to me here in the Houston area at the end of the week.

1st generation Z ownership has been a longtime dream of mine since I sold my first car, a '77 280Z 2+2, back in 1989 for an '81 280ZX that I hated (no offence, but it was a luxury car with sport styling.)

But I have only one problem...I'm stuck in insurance hell!!! I want to insure for more than the NADA or Kelly Blue Book value. And don't start by telling me to look into Hagerty. I looked and they're fine but I'd like to drive my car once in a while to places other than car shows. I'd like to be able to drive to work every so often, or take the car on the occasional road trip to get the hell out of Houston! Does anyone know of an insurance company that will insure my car for an agreed value and let me drive it (about 5k mi./yr.) too?

Thank you, and it's good to be back in such good company.

Terence (Terry) Sutton

[EScanlon]

Terry:

I've insured all of our vehicles through ACIA which is the Auto Club Insurance available through AAA. I don't know if you have to be a member of AAA but since I am, it was a moot point.

For the vehicles that I have an "Agreed Value" (68 Roadster, 71 240Z) I've both sent the agent pictures of the vehicle from the 4 sides as well as interior shots and printed pages from the NADA value guides. These are what have I've used.

I'm sure others will chime in as to how they've done it, but the central theme will probably be that you need to have the insurance agent cite what the requirements for the company they represent are. It may be as simple as pictures and printed information from the internet, or it may entail a certified appraisal by a third party.

Don't forget that even that may be subjective. One man's pearl is another man's stone.

You'll want to clean the car up as best as possible, even to the extent of having professional detailers address it if you're not set up to do that properly.

Then, if possible address as many of the quick fixes...or simply have them noted as having to be fixed and accept a lower insured value at first that you have up-valued later once you've effected the repairs/replacements.

Items such as split seat vinyl, rusted rockers, cracked glass, etc. all point to a vehicle that isn't / shouldn't be valued highly (again, subjectively). Getting those fixed will allow you to have the vehicle re-appraised with a higher value.

But the key is to talk to an insurance agent. It might even behoove you to contact or wait to meet other auto enthusiasts in your area to see who they've insured with, and most importantly what your area requires.

Enrique

[ddezso]

Hagerty hasn't put a strict mileage restriction on me that I know about. They dont check in with me to see periodic mileage and I pay them $110/year on a declared value of $8k. I drive to the car show every week and take it for a spin maybe once a month for 20-30 miles....I also take it to work every now and then.

[e_racer1999]

welcom (officially) to the site! i think enrique hit the insurance nail on the head!

[mschwe@frontier]

Check out Grundy it is my understanding that they don't have a mileage limit.

www.grundy.com/

[twsutt]

Thanks for the advice. I'll check with the Z-club here in Houston as well as make a few more inquiries with the classic car insurance companies

thanks again

[Carl Beck]

Hi Terence:

Why don't you tell us a little more about your Z ie Mileage, condition, Price... Also what "value" do you expect to insure it for?

Past that - I don't know who you checked with at Hagety - but as far as I know, they don't have any set mileage limits. The agents will usually tell you that Classic, Collectible of Special Interest Automobiles are not usually driven over 3000 miles per year. The truth is most of them aren't drive an average of 1000 miles per year.

If you want to take your Classic Z to work, to show your co-workers once in a while, or to take a cute secretary out to lunch - there is no hard and fast rule that says you can't.

The hard and fast rule is that you can not use the car "as daily transportation" such as driving it back and forth to work every day or every other day. Nor can you use it to replace your daily transportation, when your driver is tied up in the shop etc.

The intended use - is the issue. If you intend to drive the car to your place of employment to show it off - that's fine. If you intend to use the car a couple days per week to keep the mileage on you leased BMW... then that's not fine.

You see - Special Line Automotive Insurance Carriers are limited by most State Laws... to selling coverage NOT already offered by Full Line Carriers... hence the ban on using the car for daily transportation needs..

Also don't confuse "Agreed Value" with "Stated Value" or "Actual Cash Value".... Don't just believe the guy selling you insurance either - READ your policy and if it doesn't clearly say "AGREED VALUE" as in "in case of a total loss the company will pay the Agreed Value".... and/or something like .. "the company will pay up to the Agreed Value to repair or replace your vehicle"... If the words Agreed Value are not in your Policy, or written on the declarations page.... you don't have an Agreed Value at all...

If you are planning on driving the car to work a couple of times per week - stick with the regular insurance carriers.. and accept the fact that if your in an accident, the Claims Adjustor will want to total you Z for something around $1,500.00 to $2,500.00...

The real benefit of Classic Car Insurance - is having an Agreed Value #1 - so no hassles if something happens to your baby... but also saving a thousand or so dollars per year on premium costs, while getting far better coverage.

Personally, I've been with Hagerty for years and years - you couldn't get to change..

FWIW,

Carl B.