Getting my GN insured is a NIGHTMARE...(RANT)

buickman69

Retired Buick Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 2, 2001
After getting my GN appraised a few weeks ago and spending my spare time (what little i've had over the last few weeks) researching and interviewing ins companies, I was ready to send off my app, money, pictures, appraisal and info to Sneed who has given me a quote with no mileage limitation and says it has to go before the underwriters.
As I was in the process of doing this I call my buddy who has 3 T-Rs and several ''65 to '67 GTOs and 1 '64. He tells my that he is insured through SF (which is who i've been with since '88 and wanted to put my GN with again) and say's he has no mileage limitation, they are honoring appraisals he has this and it's a classic or antique policy. This is all the opposite of what my SF agent has told me so I call her and tell her about my friend and she say's she'll research it that she should be able to offer anything my buddies agent can do. So she calls me back and wants to know my buddies name and his agent. Then she calls back and say's that it IS a 2,000 mile per year limitation, there IS odometer checks and my buddy has been misinformed. So I call my buddy and tell him about it and he calls his agent the next day and calls me back saying she doesn't know what she's talking about and they have NEVER checked his odo.

So today, I go see her in person, tell her about the conversation with my friend and she says to trust her she checked deep into it and if there was ever an accident or a claim that there would be a problem if his mileage wasn't in-line and they are suppose to be doing odo checks.
So @ this time i'm fet-up and say screw-it sign me up for this policy and i'm thinking to my self: "i'll take the risk they don't check my odo". She say's we have to see the car inperson. So I pull out 2 computer disk with pictures from here: www.geocities.com/buickman69 and they say no, we have to make the pictures ourselfs, blah, blah,blah. I'm out working today and ready to haul my car to a buddies house Saturday 1 hour away that's going to help me work on it and i'm wanting it to be insured for the appraised value incase something happens while trailering it to his house or if his house burns down or just PERIOD anyway. They say unless we can see the car by 4:30 this afternoon all we can do is put regular insurance on it (which means if something happens i'm screwed!) so I say ok @ least some is better than none. I go to the court house, renew my tags and i'm hurring to finish up my day thinking i'll load the car up and trailer it over to SF so they can see it and go ahead and get it insured properly for the appraisal. They call and say:
"How fast is this car? It's showing on the appraisal that it's been "liberally modified" for performance inhancement and list all this work and parts."

me: it's just some minor upgrades, but the motor is STOCK, just head/intake work and bolt-on upgrades.

her: it says here the tranny is built with ART CARR goodies and should be capable of handling up to 800hp, how much power does it have?

me: haha, not that much I asure you.

her: well I need to know, we don't insure "RACECARS"

me: i've never had the car on a chasis dyno so I really don't know. (I wasn't about to tell her it "probably" was making 580 to 600hp and i'd never seen a dyno # so I didn't lie)

her: is this a racecar?

me: NO, technically you could see it in evening rushour traffic on a 95 degree day with the windows up and thje a/c on. I could drive this car to CA, it's a "STREETCAR"

her: how do you intend on using this car?

me: on a "PRETTY DAY" or days with no possible chance or precipitation I may jump in it and drive it to the mall, out to eat or just ride around if I feel like it.

her: you can't do that that's not what this is intended for. You can only drive it to exhibitions, car shows etc.

me: you know what, i'm probably going to call Sneed and insure it with them @ least there is no mileage limitations or hassles (@ least I hope not). Send that appraisal to your underwriter and see what they say before I go to the trouble of bringing it over their.

her: OK, but it'll be Monday before I get an answer.

Now i'm wondering if SNEED will say anything about the mods "performance" and hassle me about that to. If so, i'm SCREWED. I want to disclose everything to the insurance companies and it be noted and acknowledged.

Everything is spelled out in the appraisal and noted. To me that's the way it should be but then again it's part of the value of the car as the appraisal was based on car like mine that have sold.

This is the nightmare experience i'm having and just wanted to vent and get some feedback. I'm worried that Sneed will question the mods on the appraisal also but I could be paranoid. Lasseter said he could change and adjust the appraisal. I think if something happened and a adjuster looked @ the car and noticed the mods or if the value was questioned one way or another it will all come out so just disclose it up front.

Any thoughts, feelings, and suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
So I gotta ask, maybe I missed it, but why didn't you use your buddy's agent instead of the one you're trying to deal with?
 
I went through nearly the SAME thing you are talking about with SF. My agent basically said that an 87 model car is in a gray area since it's not 25 years old blah blah blah. Like you I have always had SF insurance and being in the body shop business and knowing what I know, I wouldn't have anything else. When it comes to your GN, go with one of the collector car insurers like American Collectors, Grundy etc. My car is modified too, but I didn't mention that because you will get the run around since they think you will be out racing it every weekend. I wound up getting full coverage, $15,000 agreed value for like $280.00 a year with 2500 miles a year.;)
 
Originally posted by TurboDave
So I gotta ask, maybe I missed it, but why didn't you use your buddy's agent instead of the one you're trying to deal with?

I plan on talking to him on Monday.

Grundy, Hagerdy, and all the rest have limited mileage and I can't agree with being limited to only 2,000 miles a year. If I feel like driving it 5,000 miles im going to.

The appraisal is based on the mods and the work that's been done to the car. It also states in the appraisal that it's "based on cars like mine that have sold". So if it was 100% original bone stock with no mods and the mileage of 97,100 which is currently on it, and with consideration of the condition of the car, it probably wouldn't appraise for no more than $11,000. With all the mods and upgrades it appraised for $19,500 and I just want the insurance companies to acknowledge and be aware of the appraisal incase something happens i've got them over a barrel if I have to take them to court to settle.

I'll keep ya posted with what I come up with.
 
Grundy didn't have a mileage limit last time I checked.
Are you really doing your research or taking other people's
word for it?:confused:
 
Originally posted by Pat Adkins
Grundy didn't have a mileage limit last time I checked.
Are you really doing your research or taking other people's
word for it?:confused:


Problem is, don't get caught taking your car to the grocery store, or any other such mall parking lot, etc. :mad:
 
Originally posted by TurboDave
Problem is, don't get caught taking your car to the grocery store, or any other such mall parking lot, etc. :mad:

That was probably the deal with Grundy out of all the different ones i've talked to it was either a mileage issue or I couldn't drive it to the store or anywhere I wanted to. I can't remember i've talked with sssoooo many:rolleyes: .

I just don't have the time to deal with this:mad: I haven't had time today to look-up till now, i'm taking a break.
 
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