At 05:57 PM 1/20/97 -0500, ckr wrote:
>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
>
>
Corey,
We have had our insurance with John Hancock for the past 4 years. The B is
a dailey driver and I am listed as the primary driver. I only drive a few
miles to work but it is my primary mode of transport so it is used for any
number of activities. The family car is also insured with JH. I have had
no problem with these folks at all. Befor John Hancock I had insurance with
GEICO, they do not insure in Massachuestts because of our No Fault insurance
law. They told me they usually shy away from Sports CArs but they insured
me, don't know why. Of course this was in 86 when I first bought the MG.
The interesting part about the "sports car" thing is this: My mother in law
owns a pontiac grand am "SS". The only thing the SS in the car name stands
for is an upgrade trim package, spoiler, pinstripping and mirrors. The car
is dwfinitly not a sports car. The insurance company says oh yes it is, her
insurance is as much as my father in laws full size 4 door gas guzzler,
(some other pontiac product). The moral of the story is if the name of the
car ends in "S" the insurance company will probably consider it a sports
car, and charge you accordingly.
I'm not sure how to beat the system other than to shop around for a company
that will insure you and not charge a premium to do so. Massachusettes has
a pretty ridgid insurance commisiion, that sets rates etc. As a matter of
fact the commission says the insurance companies ow us about 65$ per policy
because of a computaion error. Of course the insurance companies are
fighting this.
Ross Overcash, 74B, NAMGBR 2-1172, Ayer, MA.
http://www.tiac.com/users/jroverca
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