There are several sources for relatively limited insurance policies like
VTR's...
Hemmings lists quite a number of agencies. J.C.Taylor is the oldest and
largest, in fact among the largest auto insurance agencies in the US, I
understand. I have used them for years for my Model T, but have never made a
claim, so i can't vouch for their efficiency in that department... Sort of
like shark repellant in Lake Michigan ;-)
Taylor, however, was downright nasty when I inquired about the Amphicar --
they don't want anythiing to do with it if I take it on the water. No sense
of humor, I guess.
All have somewhat different restrictions about non-club use, occasional use
as transportation, etc. Check Hemmings, and call a few, and you'll get a
better idea of what they'll allow. Tri-State, in Minnesota, was more
accommodating to me, and they have a relatively less restrictive policy
allowing reasonable usage. They also consider a wider range of cars. It's
about $100 for a $10,000 car, full coverage, $1 million liability.
That said, one caveat (this applies to the US -- I have no idea what the
licensing and coverage provisions are elsewhere):
Check to see if the carrier (not the agent, but the company actually issuing
the policy) is licensed in your state. If not, make sure you are covered by
your state's Insurance Guarantee Fund in the event that the carrier goes out
of business. I previously insured my 1946 Piper Cub with a policy offered
through the Antique Airplane Association in Iowa, sold by a broker in Iowa,
and actually issued by the Ohio General Insurance Company. I live in
Illinois. My propeller was stolen -- a loss of about $1800. The insurance
company dragged it on for nearly a year before paying, and then went out of
business. They weren't licensed in Illinois, and neither the Ohio, Iowa, nor
the Illinois funds will help me because the company wasn't licensed here.
The theft occurred in 1987; I'm still waiting for a payout from the
bankruptcy, but the lawyers there smugly told me to expect less that 10 cents
on the dollar at least five more years from now, if I ever get anything!!
This is a common situation, and unfortunately few brokers will tell you about
it until it's too late. There's something called "Excess Lines" insurance
which is usually sold in such a case to cover this sort of thing; your agent
can tell you about it. Check carefully before you buy. For my money, I want
a carrier licensed in my state.
Any insurance guys out there to shed further light?
Good Luck !!
-Karl
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