Insurance FRUSTRATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[J-P]

Okay. I need a referral for a "good" insurance company.

We (my wife and I) have 7 cars, and between the two of us, we probably drive about 10,000 miles per year, total.

The problem is (besides living in CA) the insurance companies want to charge fees as if each and every car is a daily-driver, charging just about the same coverage charges for each car for liability, uninsured-motorist, comprehensive, etc. , even though it may be driven only 800-900 miles per year.

On top of that, to them, a perfect 1972 911 is worth only a few thousand dollars; not even close to what it would take to replace the car.

I've tried the classic insurance route, but am less than satisfied. Too many restrictions, has to be in a garage all the time, etc., etc. I just don't have enough garage space for all of the cars.

Are there any companies out there that will provide a total-protection blanket policy for both of us on all of our cars, period???

It would be nice to have just one single "blanket" policy listing all of the cars for one price at an agreed upon valuation. Paying $500 bucks every six months for every car that I drive maybe 1,000 miles a year is insane!

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[sithot]

You can break off the two "old" cars but the rest of them belong to a regular carrier. I'd give Hagerty a call.
Living in California is the main issue. You guys have more lawyers than people that they could file a suit for.

Tom

[Chuck Miller]

Try Grundy as well ...

http://www.grundy.com/

[cosley]

We're in a similar situaltion with 6 cars and living in CA. We put 3 of our cars ('73S, 79 930 & VW Crewcab) on Hagerty from AAA. Saved about $1200.00 per year. After a run in with AAA over the repair of the Crewcab it became clear that regardless of the documentation I had they were not going to give me anything close to the replacement cost of the truck.

[Eade Hopkinson]

I also live in Ca., and had the same problem. I have 21 cars. You have 2 choices. If you get an appraisal on your older cars, any of the big companies will do an agreed value on your car. You will pay a high price, but if the appraisal on your early 911 comes in at say $30,000, they will do it, but it will be very expensive. The other option as stated above, which is what I did, I went with Hagerty on 16 of my cars. They will do what ever value you want, and the more cars you have the better the rates, (all in perspective of course). You must have at least 1 car per licensed driver that Hagerty does not insure, to prove to them you do not use the cars they insure as a daily driver. They will ask you how many you miles you drive each year. Show only, or less than 500, 500-1,500, which is what I do with most of mine, etc.
The one thing you do not want to say is, "I race or drive the car on a race track once in awhile". You will hear them say, "We will not insure that car."
Grundy, Hagerty, or any of the others in this end of the business can help you insure your cars the way you want. Hope this helps

[J-P]

Eade, with 21 cars, I want your problems:-). Thank you all for the responses, which I will pursue.

Anyone ever hear of Parish Heacock or Classic Auto Insurance Agency? I saw their ads thumbing through Excellence.

Cheers.

[2POINT7]

Parish Heacock ia always a big sponsor and player at the Amelia Island RM Auction / Concours event. Have never used them personally but they seem very legit.

Maybe now I know why the Collector Car Insurance comapanies even exist. They are there for you guys in California. Here in Georgia, I use State Farm for all four of my cars. Both my '71 280SL and my '73S are insured for $85k and I pay right at $450 total per year for each. I checked into Grundy and Hagerty and their prices were essentially the same. Those two cars are to be driven no more than 2,000 miles per year and are garaged. Our two daily drivers are quite a bit more expensive to insure however.

I too, wish I could get one bill for all four cars. Paying auto insurance 8 times a year always seems to sting a little. Eade, how do you deal with that? Surely you don't get a separate bill every 6 months for each of your 21 cars!

[karlusmagnus]

We have "regular" insurance for the "regular" cars (Lib Mutual) and it is deducted from my payslip.
We have Hagerty for the Porsche, and pay them once a year ... $160 for mine I think, but the valuation was only about $20k or so. Has to be garaged, and have to have "regular" cars for each licensed driver in the house. No problems with them. Easy to deal with, but never have had to make a claim.
Must make a note to see about getting a valuation to keep up with current prices.

Karl.

[Eade Hopkinson]

Hagerty sends out 1 bill per year, for all of the cars I have with them. They have them all listed, with amount of coverage for each, and the miles they can each be driven. If I add another car later in the year, they only bill me for the amount of time that will take it up to my complete policy renewal, which is in January. They also ask each year if I feel the amount I have them insured for is correct, do I want to raise or lower, and do I want to lower the miles driven, or raise them. One thing I have found with Hagerty, is I can get someone live on the phone everytime I call, and right away. I think the other companies mentioned above are also good, I just had many referrals to Hagerty, so I went with them. They also take credit cards, so you can get mileage if you want My 5 regular cars I have with Farmers, and they bill 2 times per year. Hope this helps.