by Stuart Brown
Ok. So you have a problem. Namely that you need classic car insurance. You need it now. Where do you turn? Fortunately there is a step by step process to follow to get your classic car insured, safe and feeling comfortable.
If you have an antique or classic car then you know how lucky you are! Every time you look at it it makes you feel good, and makes you remember exactly what you achieved in order to be able to own it. There are only a couple of flies in the ointment. The first you have already overcome. That's finding, buying and probably restoring the car to its former glory (unfortunately many antique and classic cars are in 'antique and classic' shape when you find them!). The next biggest problem (other than finding the money to buy it in the first place), is classic car insurance. Because whilst you hope that all goes well, you have to be prepared for problems (even if you don't think they will happen).
Ok. So you have a problem. Namely that you need classic car insurance. You need it now. Where do you turn? Fortunately there is a step by step process to follow to get your classic car insured, safe and feeling comfortable. And thankfully, in these days of the internet, it need not put you in the poorhouse to achieve your goal of safely meandering the country lanes (or wherever you happen to find yourself), in your new pride and joy.
The first step is to do a search for classic car insurance online. You will find that most insurance companies will allow you to drive your classic car for around 5000 miles a year. And this is something worth bearing in mind when you approach insurance companies. You need to know how much you intend to drive the car, and realise that that will be a key factor (along with driving record, your age etc) in determining the amount of insurance premiums that you will have to pay. If you drive the car a lot, then expect your premiums to cost you much more.
The insurance companies tend to have a couple of different classifications as to what constitutes a 'classic car'. These tend to fall into the following three time periods.
1934 - 1970 - The car should typically be older than 15 years to be thought of in the 'classic car' mould. Though obviously, this is a matter of preference for the user ;) But as far as the classic car insurance company is concerned it is a good yardstick to bear in mind.
1903 - 1933 - These are referred to as 'Vintage or sometimes 'Antique' Classic Cars.
Prior to 1903 - These are called 'Veteran' Cars. They are typically very rare, and often one-offs, so expect the classic car insurance premiums on these to be somewhat steep.
The important thing to remember though is that there is less choice in the classic car insurance market. It is simply not offered by as many companies, there are more niche players, and so the classic car insurance quotes that you receive may well be less varied then you would get in the general auto insurance market.
