Collecting rare pieces of art, jewelries, stamps or antique furniture have long been regarded as a unique source of excitement for countless people. In fact, there are even those who spend a fortune to start a classic and antique automobile. These rare pieces of craft are priceless and every care is to be taken to preserve them. Taking care of a vintage automobile is not a cheap pastime and therefore, the need to protect them should be the outmost priority.
Unfortunately, when these items are stolen or damaged many of its owners will be shocked to know that their priceless automobile collections do not even have a full covered by any type insurance even with their regular homeowner’s policy coverage.
Perhaps you might be wondering if a regular insurance coverage is enough to cover your vintage collection – the short answer is no. They are different in many aspects, and if you are planning to purchase an insurance coverage for your collection, it is always better to go to an insurance provider who specializes into such kind of coverage.
There was a point in time that a car becomes classic as soon as it gets 25 years old; and becomes an antique it was more than 50 years old. However, this no longer holds true today. Today’s classic cars are those manufactured between the 1940’s and mid 60’s and that the manufacturer does no longer exist (such as Packard, Rambler or Studebaker) while antique cars were those made prior to 1940.
There were also newly manufactured cars that were considered as classic cars such as the case of Delorean in 1984 because of its limited numbers and unique specifications.
Differences of Insurance Coverage
Basically, there are differences when it comes to the insurance coverage of a classic or antique car from the cars that we normally used regularly.
Most antique vehicles are usually stored in a safe place or storage facility with a very minimal usage each year. Generally, these cars are only used for special occasions such as tours, car shows or parades.
Insurance providers are a lot tighter when it comes to insuring classic cars – typically, the driver’s history is the major determinant in this situation. While minor faults such as improper turns or sudden change in lanes are usually excused, major accidents for the past 3 to 5 years will become unfavorable. If you are in this situation, you will find it rather difficult to get your classic car insured.
Another important thing to remember – whether you are into stamp collections, arts, jewelries, cars or even comics – there is the need to take care of those stuffs properly because they tend to increase their value overtime. When they do, the repairs needed to restore them are likewise costly. If you want to save money on repairs, preventive maintenance and regular checkups should be practiced.
Lastly, make sure your classic car undergoes to the so-called “yearly insurance check-up”. This will ensure that your car has the right coverage, and that it is fully protected in case something unfortunate happens.
