Car Insurance: Who's Best For Dealing With Modded Cars
 

Who are you guys using now and why did you choose them? Any good stories of ins companies actually working with you when your car is in an accident? I have State Farm now and they don't seem any better than anyone else.

they all suck

^ this. Most of the time they won't even insure your car if it's modified, and even if they will you'll pay out the nose for it.

Drivers of modified cars are considered "high risk."

If you or a family member are military. USAA. Hands down best insurance I've had ever. Progressive can eat a deck

GEICO didn't seem to mind that I had modded my car every which way from sunday. They just wanted the list of parts to cover. That includes steering wheel replacement (airbag removal), rollbar install, and turbo.

Any dealings with them yet? Was it mostly via email?

I agree that it sucks to deal with insurance companies, seems to be a necessary evil.
Anybody had all their documentation covered and they still gave you ---- when it was time to pay up?

Maybe its different on the other coast, but around here Geiko sucks.
Had to deal with them just last month after getting rear ended by one of their insured: dragged their feet for exactly 1 month with random misc bs things, and when they finally paid it was so little that the body shop laughed when they saw the check. Then proceeded to fight with them more over additional compensation.

ugh

Haggerty. Pick your vehicle value, pay the premium, get coverage everywhere but the track and the policy is written that way. I looked at a $17k policy with a $1000 deductible and it would be $1200/year or $100/month. I even showed them pictures of the car with numbers on it and they were fine about it in the emails. I never got the policy though and I know I should.

Chubb like a boss do

I'm using American Collectors as a "stated value & mileage" - $8k full coverage @ $240/yr., includes roadside towing and a $500 repair payment per incident. This requires proof of a another car as a daily driver. Modifications are documented and photos of insured car provided to insurer. I have never filed a claim, but use them based on the recommendations of a friend who did with results.

I have progressive, but I guess they dont really know that I have a modded car. Has anybody had problems with them?

do you also have your DD protected under another insurance company?

whistler- Don't expect to get any $ for your mods. I would approach insurance co. as businesses- they want to take your money and don't want to give money away. It's up to you to know what you're buying and be able to prove it when it comes time for the insurance company to write you a check.

Yes. It's the only way American Collectors will allow that policy. But IMO it's OK if you have a second car that's not the daily. All they asked for was the VIN of the daily driver. I am assuming some verification happened beyond that.

look into declared value policies.
i just found out about this and asked my insurance company about it.

I don't have experience with them for modified cars but their classic car insurance is kick ass. It actually covers tows for anyone in the household... whether they are driving the actual insured car or not!! It's like AAA on steroids. I honestly didn't even know they insured non-classic cars so I'll be looking into them shortly (like.. today) vs. Geico.

im with state farm and just got taken care of very well, (recent hail storm). also had a buddy with a lsx swapped fd get taken care of and i enjoy that i have a local office and agent to help if i need them to...

Plus one for a stated value policy from a "collectible" car insurer. That or make sure in writing from your agent, the policy covers the list of receipts for whatever you've done to the car.

And a side note, watch out for this if you do need to use the policy. The insurance wanted to take the car to a holding lot back when my 99 with a turbo was hit by 3 different cars. I asked if all my "upgrade parts" would make it back. The reply was "Anything not factory can not be guaranteed to be returned". Luckily, it never came to that.

Look for AGREED VALUE over stated value. Stated value is pretty worthless

Car Insurance - Agreed Value vs. Stated Value

Remember: the car belongs to you until you accept an offer from the insurance company to buy the car from you. If you're in a wreck, you get to tell the tow truck where to tow your vehicle.

I have never mentioned to my insurance company that my car isn't stock... I always just figured if it got stolen, I was out the costs of my mods, but if it got crashed I would part it out or keep the parts for the replacement car. Is this bad thinking?