1 Topic by BrianK (edited by BrianK 2010-10-02 01:46 PM)

  • From: Los Angeles
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 57

Topic: How to insure an old car (1970's) as a daily driver?

Hello all.

I figured there's a decent amount of vintage car guys on this forum - some of you are crazy enough to drive your old cars every day.  With that in mind...

I'm looking at replacing my old, daily driven Toyota with an older Volvo. The Volvo I'm looking at is old enough that my insurance company said I would need to go with a collector insurance policy.

The collector policies I've researched don't allow driving to work & want to see the car in a locked garage. I plan on driving the Volvo to work and my other car (newer and fairly expensive) will stay in my one car, locked garage, so the old Volvo goes outside.

My insurance company will only cover depreciated value (which is essentially nothing), but the car is worth a decent amount - enough that I want to be covered if it's stolen or if I cause an accident.

Does anyone know if it's possible to insure this car & which company(s) will do it?

BTeam Racing
#72 "Pussy Wagën" E30
#74 "Llama" Lotus Elite, aka Chotus
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  • From: DFW Metromess
  • Registered: 2009-10-30
  • Posts: 279

Re: How to insure an old car (1970's) as a daily driver?

State Farm covers all my cars, even the older ones, as normal drivers.

Honestly though, unless this is a P1800 you're probably better off just running liability insurance and pocketing the difference.  If you whack your car, just pay out of pocket.

3 Reply by BrianK (edited by BrianK 2010-10-02 02:56 PM)

  • From: Los Angeles
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 57

Re: How to insure an old car (1970's) as a daily driver?

Scud.Ig wrote:

State Farm covers all my cars, even the older ones, as normal drivers.

Honestly though, unless this is a P1800 you're probably better off just running liability insurance and pocketing the difference.  If you whack your car, just pay out of pocket.

It is a P1800.  How'd ya guess?  smile

Thanks for the info.  I just found that Progressive gives the proper coverage as well, though it's pretty expensive.

I'll give State Farm a call & see what they have to say.

Thanks again!

BTeam Racing
#72 "Pussy Wagën" E30
#74 "Llama" Lotus Elite, aka Chotus
http://www.facebook.com/bteamracing | http://chotus.org

4 Reply by Sparky Pete (edited by "Sparky" Pete 2010-10-02 06:02 PM)

  • From: WOOTville USA
  • Registered: 2009-05-06
  • Posts: 2,415

Re: How to insure an old car (1970's) as a daily driver?

I switched to Progressive a few years back because most of the insurance companies wouldn't insure anything built before 1985 (Damn near all my vehicles) and the ones that did wanted thorough vehicle inspections and a bunch of hoops jumped through before agreeing to issue any policy. One has a cracked (and irreplaceable) windshield, one is missing a bumper, etc etc.

Progressive was pretty easy online, and comparable cost wise to the others here in Cali. I am however only running liability so YMMV. Nothing I have is worth that much except to me, and no one is allowed to work on any of them BUT me so it makes sense in my case.

Like you, I wish I could find an an affordable agreed value policy that would bridge the gap and let me use, park, and treat them like the old pieces of crap they are.

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  • From: Safety Harbor, FL (Tampa)
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 668

Re: How to insure an old car (1970's) as a daily driver?

I have full coverage on my '76 Spit through Progressive. (difference between Full Coverage and Liability is only about $50/6 months, seemed dumb to not cover it)  I agree, it was super-easy to get insurance for that car through Progressive.  That said, other than a couple windshield replacements, I've not made any claims through Progressive.

I was shopping for insurance recently (rates went up, I was irritated... turns out it was pretty universal... nobody else is any cheaper) and found that of the companies that give online quotes, Progressive was one of two that actually allowed me to select my car as an option.  I don't remember what the other one was, maybe Geico.  The others didn't make the option to insure an older car readily available online.

There are specialty companies that will insure a vintage car for cheap (so I hear), but they're generally intended for limited use vehicles.  If you're going to actually daily drive the car, I think you're better off with a regular insurance company.

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  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,111

Re: How to insure an old car (1970's) as a daily driver?

My vehicles range from 1937 to 1982 (the newest I've ever owned) and include a couple that weren't originally made for the US market at all.  They're all registered, insured, and driven as ordinary vehicles:  no limited-use "special interest" or "collector" status.  State Farm covers them all and wanted nothing more than a photograph of each for fairly inexpensive full coverage.  Admittedly all my cars are in varying stages of what can politely be termed "careworn" so none have an agreed value as high as would be appropriate for, say, a really nice 1800.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
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