Finding the right specialist insurance policy for your car isn’t as straightforward as logging onto a comparison site and putting in your details. Specialist policies work differently; insurers need a little bit more detail, and your car needs to be covered appropriately, regardless of the reason you need something outside of a standard policy.
This is true for cars over a certain age, imported vehicles or those which have undergone serious restoration or modifications. But when you’re looking for a specialist policy, what exactly should you be looking for? And what matters the most.
How Claims are Handled
When choosing an insurance company, you need to know the process for claims, how they’re handled, what they’re likely to pay out for, and what restrictions you might have.
For example lets say you have a 1970s Triumph. You take it out for the afternoon and come home needing a front-end repair after a bump in a car park. It’s not the damage here that’s the issue; it’s sourcing the right parts, the right specialist for repairs and avoiding anything that will change the car. You need to understand how insurance companies approach this type of issue. Do you know what to expect and what you can and can’t do within the terms of your policy in the event of a claim?
Whether The Policy Accounts for Period Accurate Repairs
When you need a repair, you can’t just go to any garage for the work to be carried out for cars of a certain era; you need to find a restoration expert or mechanic dealing specifically with your type of vehicle. You also need to source the correct parts.
You need to know if your car needs repainting after an accident or criminal damage, what is the insurance company’s approach? Will they insist on modern painting methods that, while they might look better, don’t fit with the feel or authenticity of the car, meaning you need to compromise or foot the bill yourself if the insurance company won’t cover it. This is why it’s important to find specialist policies designed for classic car owners and check the small print to ensure you know exactly what to expect if this issue arises.
If the Insurer Understands The Vehicle
When you’re choosing insurance companies, how they talk about the car will tell you if they fully understand the vehicle you’re insuring.
A restored Land Rover that’s used for occasional off-road use has different insurance needs than a classic Derby Bentley that is used for shows and events only.
If your car is being grouped with other cars with different needs, your policy won’t be exactly what you need, and in the event of a claim being made, this will impact the payout or even the validity of the coverage in the first place.
How the Policy Treats Limited or Seasonal Use
Not all cars are used all year round. Others stop being needed or no longer can cope with day-to-day demands, or simply, they weren’t bought for that purpose.
Standard insurance policy assumptions don’t account for occasional use. If your car sits for months, then is brought out for the summer, for example, this is a different type of exposure, and your insurance company needs to be aware of this, as it’ll impact how you’re covered. Specialist policies are built around this type of activity, and talking to the different insurers will uncover the rules around how you use your car and what will and won’t be covered.
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