Friends:
Now that Barney's opened the insurance can again, I'll throw in my
tuppence worth for your general information.
My car is NOT an antique (it's only 22 years old, and has rubber baby
buggy bumpers) but, according to VA regs, it is a classic.
According to the insurance company, it's a sports car. Therein lay my
most recent dilemma.
After 19 years with Nationwide insurance, with the same bloody agent,
the company cancelled my policy, without notice, by the simple expedient
of returning my premium cheque. Not realising this is what had happened
for a few days, this left me sans insurance for approximately 10 days
(illegal in VA) although, under our insurance laws, they would have
technically had to cover me had something occurred. I sent them a very
nice letter (snick) asking them why they'd done this. Bear in mind, I've
owned the MG for about three years now, with no accidents, tickets, or
claims. They reported to me that they reviewed their records, and upon
discovering that the MG was listed as my 'primary' car, they cancelled
the policy automatically. Apparently, they no longer insure primary
sports car drivers. New rules, it would seem. Despite pointing out to
them that I have three other cars that are NOT sports cars, and that I
had had sports cars with them for 12 years or so, and that my 'sports'
car would make a very poor showing against, say, a 5-litre Mustang or
even a well-tuned Dodge Caravan in a dead heat, I got the usual 'those
are the rules, sir, have a nice day, sir, I don't make the rules, sir'
speech when I called them back.
So much for Nationwide. Apparently, had I listed the 63 Ford as my
primary car, this wouldn't have happened. Good call by my loyal agent,
there. When he asked if I wanted my coverage restored with the new
classification, I told him I'd never do business with his company again
and seriously hoped that they had to underwrite the next major national
disaster, alone.
Then I got a friend of mine to quickly write me some insurance with
Erie. All went very well the first week, although I had to get a special
dispensation from the Papal Underwriters to have the MG insured with
them atall. The next week, I got a very nicely worded letter from their
underwriting department, informing me that they 'don't normally insure
sports cars' but that 'given my excellent driving record' they'd make an
exception; they helpfully pointed out that statistically 'more sports
cars have accidents than any other sort of vehicle' and that they hoped
I'd keep that in mind, and of course, continue to drive safely.
My translation of this rather long (two page) letter amounted to: have
an accident, we'll cancel your insurance. Have a nice day.
Somewhere along the line, they've never gotten the idea that a 22 year
old roadster has almost no relation whatsoever to a fuel-injected
variable valve rice-burning demon, or even perhaps a Miata. I don't
wish to get 'classic' car insurance on my vehicle, because truthfully,
Rags is a daily driver for about 80% of the year. I don't usually drive
her just to shows or club meetings; there is no club in Fredericksburg
and I manage to get to a show about twice a year in a good year. I get
groceries, pick up the offspring, and show property in her. What's a
fella to do, and are there any sane insurers out there who realise that
I'm not out every weekend at the local drag strip with this car?
Here's hoping the same sort of thing doesn't happen to you.
Cheers,
Corey
|