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anyone successfully gotten collector insurance?

Started by william_b_noble, November 22, 2017, 02:16:23 PM

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gary griffin

I have the same quandary. I have an attached 4 car garage and a lift in one bay so can fit 5 cars. I would buy more lifts but was talked into building a guest suite over the first 3 bays. Big mistake but realized it too late. I have a long narrow 2-1/2 acres and moved the original house (1800 square feet) back 100 yards and it has a daylight basement with a 2 car deep garage and room for more cars if could figure out a way to turn the corner with them.  I rent the house out to help with property taxes but not the lower level.  Agent says OK although there are two addresses both have locked garages and they are on the same tax lot.  Main problem is I have a desire to have more cars and our daily drivers are always outside.
Gary Griffin

1940 LaSalle 5029 4 door convertible sedan
1942 Cadillac 6719 restoration almost complete?
1957 Cadillac 60-special (Needs a little TLC)
2013 Cadillac XTS daily driver

Blade

#21
Why not rent a storage space? There are many heated (or unheated) storage places for rent, some even specialize in storing classic cars - we have one near by us. I think they start around $120 or so a month which I believe would worth it - especially if it makes the car insurable.

Another idea is look for someone who rents garage or other closed/locked space. My brother had a friend whose friend had a garage space available, she rented it for $50 a month. My brother at the time lived in an apartment and a private garage came as a good solution for him. His '58 Buick sat there for years, if he wanted to drive it he just drove there and picked it up.

You could store at least some of your cars and if you store more than one I'm sure they would give you discounts as well.

Wouldn't these or the likes would be acceptable solutions to get your car insured?

william_b_noble

well, I had a policy for all the cars with JC Taylor for over 30 years, no claims.  you might think that would matter, no?  but it didn't - when I called them, they looked up my policy and still said "no way" if the cars were not in a fully enclosed and locked facility.  So, at least for that company, apparently history doesn't matter.
Bill N - clc # 2371

Rod Dahlgren #19496

What I have to say is of no help. But if anyone from Hagerty is reading, they need to consider what happened to one of their insured. Our calamity in Napa Valley October 8 that burned the family home had been the storage for two cars insured by them. As it worked out,, BOTH cars were out at an event that day and had not yet been returned to the garage. Not my cars, my mom rented the two-car garage workshop to the owner of these two cars. Actually I was going to put a third car up there to make more room at home. Just did not get around to it. Mom had even told me to put one more of my cars in the garage at the house. The workshop Dad had built was detached and able to house three cars. The 2-car garage at the house was not used, Mom parked in the car port. Moms car burned up with the house and everything nearby.

QUESTION: What do the insurance companies say about enclosed trailers? Maybe if the location was behind a locked gate and the trailer had a tongue lock?

ADVICE for ALL of you: If you dont have an appraisal on file for your collector car, you may also have trouble collecting on a loss. SO now go ahead and tell me you KNOW what your car is worth and dont need an appraisal?   Try telling that to a judge or attorney or adjuster--- If you dont have one, dont call me after the fire and ask me to come and appraise your car. YES, I am getting calls.. It is not easy to tell these folks I can not help them. Just how am I supposed to look at a burned up car and certify that it was a concours quality show car before the fire? Sure, I can see that it WAS a 1953 Eldorado, but condition?  Unless there are records somewhere that link your car to the one lost, what can I do?
Did You Drive Your Cadillac Today?

william_b_noble

to Tibor Kiss - yes, your ideas would make sense in many areas, but Los Angeles, San Fransisco, and New York are not like many areas - space is in short supply and very expensive - I wouldn't need a heated place, it doesn't get that cold here, but a single car storage space is over $500 per month.  If I were to go an hour or two away, then price would be lower, in fact I could just buy a house for 100K or 200K, and use it for storage, but that far away is just like not having the stuff at all, it's too hard to get to in terms of time, you can't just take your "baby" out for a drive on a whim when it's 2 hours or more away.  Plus, remote storage invites vandalism and theft.

but this did remind me that there is a local "auto museum" that might be willing to display my car.... that's an avenue I forgot about .... maybe this will work out....  thanks for kicking my brain into gear.
Bill N - clc # 2371

Bob Hoffmann CLC#96

Quote from: william_b_noble on November 26, 2017, 04:22:54 PM
well, I had a policy for all the cars with JC Taylor for over 30 years, no claims.  you might think that would matter, no?  but it didn't - when I called them, they looked up my policy and still said "no way" if the cars were not in a fully enclosed and locked facility.  So, at least for that company, apparently history doesn't matter.
1968 Eldorado slick top ,white/red interior
2015 Holden Ute HSV Maloo red/black interior.
             
Too much fun is more than you can have.

Blade

Quote from: william_b_noble on November 26, 2017, 09:12:14 PM
to Tibor Kiss - yes, your ideas would make sense in many areas, but Los Angeles, San Fransisco, and New York are not like many areas - space is in short supply and very expensive - I wouldn't need a heated place, it doesn't get that cold here, but a single car storage space is over $500 per month.  If I were to go an hour or two away, then price would be lower, in fact I could just buy a house for 100K or 200K, and use it for storage, but that far away is just like not having the stuff at all, it's too hard to get to in terms of time, you can't just take your "baby" out for a drive on a whim when it's 2 hours or more away.  Plus, remote storage invites vandalism and theft.

but this did remind me that there is a local "auto museum" that might be willing to display my car.... that's an avenue I forgot about .... maybe this will work out....  thanks for kicking my brain into gear.
Hello Bill,

I hear your concerns, I didn't think your storage prices could be that much higher. Of course here in the Midwest we have all the space we need - yet.

Sounds like that museum might work out the best for you but again they might give you limited access/usage to your vehicles. Give it a try and let us know how that goes. Would love to see some pictures of your cars after you found some suitable solution.

william_b_noble

some cars are on my web site, www.wbnoble.com - click on hobbies, then cars.  there is much more info on the 36 cad and it's multi decade restoration (darned car won't self-restore no matter how much I encourage it), and under the "articles I wrote" section there are some articles for skinned knuckles and some other magazines that include Cadillac and other vehicles.  have fun.
Bill N - clc # 2371

Chuck Swanson

#28
Quote from: Rod Dahlgren #19496 on November 26, 2017, 06:27:27 PM
...

ADVICE for ALL of you: If you dont have an appraisal on file for your collector car, you may also have trouble collecting on a loss. SO now go ahead and tell me you KNOW what your car is worth and dont need an appraisal?   Try telling that to a judge or attorney or adjuster--- If you dont have one, dont call me after the fire and ask me to come and appraise your car. YES, I am getting calls.. It is not easy to tell these folks I can not help them. Just how am I supposed to look at a burned up car and certify that it was a concours quality show car before the fire? Sure, I can see that it WAS a 1953 Eldorado, but condition?  Unless there are records somewhere that link your car to the one lost, what can I do?
You don't need an appraisal at all if you have "agreed value" policy.  Not an insurance expert here, but if you have a claim, car totaled, they will pay you the agreed value.  You may want an appraisal if you don't know your value, but appraisal not required with that type of policy.  Chuck
CLC Lifetime
AACA Lifetime
Like 65-66 Club: www.facebook.com/6566Cadillac
66 DeVille Convertible-CLC Sr Wreath, (AACA 1st Jr 2021, Senior 2022, 1st GN 2022 Sr GN 2023), Audrain Concours '22 3rd in Class.
66 Sedan DeVille hdtp
66 Calais pillar sedan
66 Series 75 9-pass limo
65 Eldorado (vert w/bucket seats)
65 Fleetwood
07 DTS w/ Performance pkg.
67 Chevy II Nova (AACA Sr GN 2018)
69 Dodge Coronet R/T

raugusti

Bill,
I don't know if it is an option for you, but around here the best rental storage for the money is a hanger at the local small airport.  Before I built my big garage I had half a dozen cars plus other stuff stored in a T-hanger.  About half of the hangers out there were being used for something other than air planes, mostly for cars.  The hanger on one side of me was full of mostly old Volvos and one around back stored a very nice selection of old Land Rovers.

Scott
Scott Augustine
Colorado, USA
'58 Series 62 Conv.
'58 Eldorado Seville

m-mman

#30
Welcome to Los Angeles county. Bigger and more crowded than most states.  Census population of 10 million people. Not including the commuters who come into the county daily for work. That likely numbers another 3-4 million.  LA CITY has 4 million within its boundary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_County,_California

The OP lives on the west side. The most crowded side. Simple street parking is a premium in his area. (similar to Tokyo or Manhattan) It is a very car UNfriendly area. I resist and dread whenever I have to go to that area.

Airports in the LA area have waiting lists for hanger space for AIRPLANES. The general aviation airports that I am familiar with refuse to rent any space for anything that is not an aircraft.
Cars? Boxes? forget about it! I heard of a car person (without a pilot's license) who bought a non-operational airplane for the sole purpose of putting it into a hangar and having a place for his cars under the wings. So, airport is not an answer in the LA area. . . .

As discussed if you drive 30-60 miles away (1-2 hours in traffic) then yes. There are some affordable places to put cars. But would you like a 2-4 hour turnaround drive to just see your cars?
1929 341B Town Sedan
1971 Miller-Meteor Lifeliner ambulance
Other non-Cadillac cars
Near Los Angeles, California

CLC #29634

gkhashem

Ah..... What people will endure for some warm weather....The older I get the more I enjoy the show Mountain Men...crowds of humanity are over rated.
1959 Oldsmobile 98 Holiday Sports Sedan
1960 Cadillac Coupe Deville (CLC Sr #72)
1964 Oldsmobile 98 Town Sedan (OCA 1st)
1970 GMC C1500
1977 Oldsmobile 98 Regency Coupe
1978 Cadillac Coupe Deville (CLC Sr Crown #959)*
1992 Oldsmobile 98 (OCA 1st)
1996 Oldsmobile 98
*CLC Past President's Preservation

Past Cadillacs
1959 Coupe Deville
1966 Coupe Deville (Sr #861)*
1991 Eldorado Biarritz (Sr #838)

dochawk

A bit late, but . . .

I went to Hagerty 10 years ago when I got my '72.  They wouldn't insure it until I sent a picture of it *inside* of the garage (as well as the four directions).   As my door was broken at that time, I ended up with, of all places, Safeco.

Seriously.

Safeco will do an agreed value policy, and it can park outside.

It was, however, more expensive than Hagerty.

Once the garage was repaired, I went to Hagerty (again, the difference was huge, about 6:1).  This was '07 or so, and when I asked about taking my wife to dinner (not on the list of approved uses), the response was, "we'd prefer that you take her to a drive-in."

today, they've loosened a bit, and dinner is OK, and even a "blue moon' trip to work.

Also, it's out in the garage, but the most recent coverage described parking as "garage, something, or pole-" with the last clipped.  So maybe one of those pole-fabric garages cuts it now.

Also, Hagerty now has agents, believe it or not, which might help you figure it out.  I met one driving for Mecum.  She was trying to figure out how to stay in her corporate suit & heels and where the driver t-shirt at the same time :)

hawk

1972 Eldorado convertible,  1997 Eldorado ETC (now awaiting parts swap from '95 donor), 1993 Fleetwood but no 1926 (yet)

william_b_noble

yeah, I'm sort of giving up - I may insure it for liability only so I can drive it occasionally - with my regular insurance company that won't be too expensive, particularly since I might drive it 100 miles per year or less.  I'm sort of torn - the car isn't all that fun for me to drive but it sure makes people stare - it's that or my '36, the problem with just leaving it in my driveway is that there is another car (a Morgan +4) that I would like to drive in the spring time, and it's just too much hassle to start and move two cars to get one out, and then repeat to put it back.   such a first world problem .....
Bill N - clc # 2371

chrisntam

Quote from: william_b_noble on January 14, 2018, 01:14:04 AM
snip...and it's just too much hassle to start and move two cars to get one out, and then repeat to put it back.   such a first world problem .....

I have the same issue. It's an "event" to take the car out,  move one around front, get the other out of the way, back the car out, let it warm up, get the top down, make sure its seated down far enough, etc.

Rinse (drive) and repeat (put it all back).
1970 Deville Convertible 
Dallas, Texas

mark.bialzik

I have 3 cars insured with Heacock.  I checked rates with three other insurers this past year when rates were increased, including Hagerty. Heacock still has the best rates.

1953 Cadillac Series 60 Fleetwood
1974 Karmann-Ghia Convertible
1985 Jaguar XJ6

The only time I had to use the insurance was when the gas line on the Karmann-Ghia needed towing.  It was totally covered.


dochawk

A much younger me, really, *really* wanted a 1974 Karman Ghia convertible.

Back then, a very nice one was still only $5k at a dealer.

*sigh*

I had other priorities, like tuition . . . and by the time it cold have been an issue, I wanted much more steel . . .
1972 Eldorado convertible,  1997 Eldorado ETC (now awaiting parts swap from '95 donor), 1993 Fleetwood but no 1926 (yet)