How-To for Insuring Antique Cars
Dec 31st, 2009 Posted in insurance | no comment »It doesn’t matter if you call these beauties antique, vintage or classic, they are sufficient to get your heart racing. But while auto insurance for classic cars only covers part of the car’s worth, it is better than having nothing, in case of damage ot theft. These antique autos are a delight for many individuals, preserving some of our automotive past in the process.
The value of classic autos increases (not decreases) with every passing year. This is totally different than with newer autos, which diminish in value every year. It is to a certain extent tricky to truly determine the market value of an antique auto for insurance purposes.
To make matters even more difficult, there are not all that many classic car insurance providers that are available either. These antique “works of art” are greatly sought-after by collectors who are at times willing to pay a good deal more than their actual value.
Standard Vehicle Insurance
In the instance of an average vehicle that isn’t quite old enough to be considered an antique (usually 20 years), the monetary value of the automobile is calculated by using the original cost then depreciating each year from that price. Naturally, this assumes no major incidents, etc.
For antique vehicles, though, a bit more difficult. The value can’t be determined using ordinary methods. Even more so since the value of a vintage auto increases as time passes, not decreases.
Computing Antique Auto Insurance 102
There are 3 main methods for determining the assessment, insurance-wise, for an antique vehicle.
Method 1: The assessment is jointly agreed upon between the owner and the insurance company. This can yield a higher insured amount than other ways.
Method 2: The antique’s price is determined based on the current values for comparable autos as listed in well-known vintage automobile publications and price indexes that are in vogue. In some situations, an third-party assessor might be contacted to help ascertain the price of the vehicle.
Method 3: A lesser-used system is to compute the value of the auto as the total of the actual vehicle cost plus the various upgrades and amount spent on restoration and such over the many years. In other words, the assessment of the vehicle is the amount calculated after deducting the depreciation with age from the initial cost of the auto, then factoring back in the upgrades and restoration work.
Insuring Your Vintage Auto
In summation, antique auto insurance providers have a set of rules they use to decide upon the insurable amount of the antique vehicle. For example, these insurance providers many times require that the automobile being insured should not be used as a means of regular transportation. They may also insist that the vehicle be garaged.
Added requirements may include that the vintage vehicle cannot be used for racing, and that any other members of the household have proven access to other means of transportation. Oh, and the owner needs to have a clean driving record, to boot.
Whether you call them vintage vehicles, classic cars or antique autos, they are a slice of automotive history…although a slice that must be insured!
Is Your Automobile Too Young to Be Vintage? Don’t Worry, Here’s FREE Insurance Information!
Your heart might thump hard at the thought of owning a classic, but if you drive an ordinary car, it needs insurance, too. Here’s some free information on finding affordable auto insurance, wherever you may live.
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