OK, everybody else has their story, here's mine.
Way back in '78 when I bought my '72, I insured it with State Farm, as =
all my cars have always been. When I began the 20 year restoration, I =
maintained only comprehensive coverage on the car as it was never =
driven. Update to Oct. 23, 1996..... a huge windstorm hits Chicago, =
three trees decide it's not worth it any more, one lands squarely on top =
of my MGB. The car is not driveable, the agent comes out , looks at the =
car, arrives at 1700 and change to repair, making it clear (without =
saying so) that he considers the car a total. A few days later, sure =
enough, I get a little pamphlet advising me of my rights when my car is =
totaled.=20
I promptly call my agent, explain exactly how much money I have in the =
car, how much more I have in boxes in the garage,and how much rust free =
47,000 mile MGB's are going for these days. Of course, I offered to send =
recent copies of Hemmings as proof, but three days later I had a check =
for 1700 and change. This is in addition to the other checks they had =
already written for the other two cars that were damaged. Now for the =
real joke- I just got the bill for the next six months coverage on the =
B-it's for the same$7.68 that it has been for the last 18 years. I'd =
have to say that's a pretty good return on investment. I credit my agent =
as much as the company, but in all honesty, neither one did it alone.
Just a little joke about the whole thing- I had just bought a huge =
bunch of parts at a swap meet, one part was a serviceable hood(bonnet). =
Unfortunately, since at the time I did not need a hood(bonnet), I left =
it outside next to my garage pending finding a hole big enough to fill =
with it. When the tree hit, it also squished that hood(bonnet.). I'll =
bet you can't guess what the only part on my car was that State Farm =
figured I'd have to replace.
Eric
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