Interesting Insurance Wrinkle

[jjone20]

No pun intended. I'm shopping around for a new insurance carrier for my '79. AON has it now, but is really restrictive on covered activities (parades, etc.). I called Leland West and was told that, because my daily driver is more than 10 years old (1977 924), I didn't qualify for their program. Well. I guess I understand (old = unreliable), but if I wreck the 911 going back and forth to work which is expressly not covered, don't they get out of the claim anyway? As it happens, I'm using my daughters Jetta today because part of the wiring harness on the 924 fried, but I wouldn't take the 911 on the commute because of the restrictions with AON anyway. Anyone else run into this with other carriers?

[widebody911]

Hagerty won't let you have a DD over 20 years old.

[TerryH]

That's a good question and I'd like to hear from anyone denied a claim because they were driving during rush hour or commuting to work or driving to the store or exceeding mileage or.... etc.

My experience applying with AON was a disaster. After several contacts, filling out the application, sending photos, and assorted other details, it came down to they don't insure ROW cars. Why the fuch don't they put that on the front page of their website pisses me off. My VIN was the first thing I sent them. Wasted my time and not enough of theirs.

[id10t]

No issues with State Farm and my 356. I had an older DD ('88 pickup) and my 356 is insured with an "agreed value" - same policy type my agent has on his '63 'vette.

[Aerkuld]

I ran into exactly the same problem with Leland which is partly why I ended up with the 996 as a daily driver - shortly before switching insurance coverage to Hagerty (still the 10 year rule though).
I agree with you, despite my previous daily (the 944) being 23 years old, if anything ever broke it was fixed within a day and I'd not use the 911 to drive to work.
I'd be interested in the reason behind it. Quite why they suppose a >10 year old car is more likely to brake down than a <10 year old car I have no idea. I can see that data might show that a high percentage of traffic accidents occur driving to or from work as this is what most people use their cars for, but when you are limited to 3k miles per year than I'd expect that to have an cancelling out effect.
Altogether the whole thing doesn't appear particularly logical, but I'm sure they have something to justify it.

[Aerkuld]

Originally Posted by TerryH

That's a good question and I'd like to hear from anyone denied a claim because they were driving during rush hour or commuting to work or driving to the store or exceeding mileage or.... etc.
...

I would guess that they rely on trust to a large degree and that it would be next to impossible for them to prove that you were on your way to work in the event of an accident. With the mileage restriction I would think it is a different matter. You usually state your mileage at the start of each year and I would imagine that you'd have to provide evidence of mileage in the event of an accident. That is a lot easier for them to wiggle out of.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

DO NOT, under any circumstances agree to a "stated value", otherwise known as a "U137 exclusion". MUTUALLY-AGREED value is fine, stated value (which is unilateral, where the ins. co. just "makes up" a number) is not. If they try to force one on you, I'd politely tell 'em to go stick it where the sun don't shine and take your business elsewhere.

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by Aerkuld

I would guess that they rely on trust to a large degree and that it would be next to impossible for them to prove that you were on your way to work in the event of an accident. With the mileage restriction I would think it is a different matter. You usually state your mileage at the start of each year and I would imagine that you'd have to provide evidence of mileage in the event of an accident. That is a lot easier for them to wiggle out of.

I've had more than one Hagerty agent tell me that mileage isn't an issue within reason. It was inferred I could drive twice my allotment without question.

What if the odometer is broken or you replace the speedometer as I did? Common occurences on older cars.

I think mileage is too difficult for them to enforce, but if they can scare you into submission, better for them.

[Rick Lee]

Mileage would be impossible to enforce. My insur. co. asks me when I put a car on the policy what I estimate my annual mileage to be. But they never check it. When I had Leland West and ate up most of my allowed mileage in about three mos., I figured I'd just buy another speedo and have it set to the "correct" mileage when the policy came up for renewal, or always keep it in the glove box to just pop in if I got into a wreck.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

A "magical" plastic odometer gear that shows up every once in a while and then disappears for long periods of time could rectify that problem. Not that I'd ever advocate that. Just sayin'.

[Aerkuld]

Sure there are ways to work around anything. I suppose, if anything, this lends weight to the 10 year rule. People do cheat the insurance company on their classic or collectors car policy. I guess this is just one more way for the insurance company to reduce the number of people that can get one, hence reduce the likely hood of them being cheated.