ok here is the deal. I just finished building my 1985 El Camino SS (check out pictures), and spent 3 years and $40,000+ in the process. I built it with my own time, my own 2 hands, and my own wallet! Now I can't even get insurance to cover the car! For some reason an 85 El Camino SS in not a collector car, not a classic, and apparently not worth anything! Go figure... Anyways, I am 23 years old and most custom car insurance companies require at least 25, and/or a "collector" car! I live in NJ and I am going crazy! I just want to drive my damn car! I tried Grundy, Hagerty and Condon and Skelly with no luck! My current insurance company for my daily driveer told me $4000 a year for a car that will be used 6 months of the year!! Does anyone know of any insurance companies for custom cars? or gen 5 El Caminos? I need to cover for close to my investment otherwise I will not drive it. Book value is around $4500 and I'd be a fool to only cover it for that. THANK YOU! and Please HELP!! -matt

i just did a google search under Custom Car insurance.
try this one
http://lelandwest.com/tl01.cfm

Wow. That sucks Matt. I won't crack any jokes because I know you have a serious problem. I never would have thought about the age problem coming into play, but it is a "restriction" on my Grundy policy, I just never really thought about it.

I looked at the web site Rob recommended. Hope they can insure you and your Elky.

I tried that one, unfortunately like most you have to be 25 years of age. I am a semi-pro drag race driver (7.41 @ 180mph), but I get classified an inexperienced driver! O-well, thanks for the effort! -Matt

Go to a company you havent tried, just tell them its an 85 El Camino with a 454. No more, no stories about it being custom, just an 85 E.C.. Works for my grandad. Most companies dont inpect the car, so its not like theyll find out unless you steart claiming turbo or supercharger parts on your insurance.

NICE RIDE Matt! Definitely Outta Control, great times for the quarter mile, it has to kick butt on the street!

Can't really help on the insurance thing, but i'd be driving that beast!!!

Go to a company you havent tried, just tell them its an 85 El Camino with a 454. No more, no stories about it being custom, just an 85 E.C.. Works for my grandad. Most companies dont inpect the car, so its not like theyll find out unless you steart claiming turbo or supercharger parts on your insurance.

Why would he say 454? And the point of it is he wants coverage for $40,000.. not just insurance, which he could get anywhere for the book value of the car.

Sell the truck to your Mom or Dad for $1.00 or whatever the minimum is in N.J. Then get yourself listed on the policy as the pricnipal driver. When you become old enough, buy it back. May not work, but worth a try.

I discussed the option of putting the car in a parents name, and using custom car insurance. the problem is you must be 25 in order to operate the vehicle. looks like I am **** out of luck! I have to decide whether or not to just sell it or keep it in the garage for 2 more years! I can get basic coverage from any company but i would hate for something to happen to the car and get a check for $4000!! Thanks guys! -Matt

get the car appraised. after it is appraised bring the appraised price to the insurance company and tell them you want insurance to cover ur car for this amount. most insurance companies will cover a car that has been apraised at the amount it has been appraised for.

why must you have a custom car insurance?
Will just regular do for 2 years?
First when they ask questions only answer with the least amount of words. That is what I had to do. When they asked if it was a v8 I just said yeah [period].

Truly, I wouldn't insure a 18 year old with more than 400 hp and torque. Would you?

first of all i am 23...not 18. I am also an experienced drag racer...not just some dumb kid with horse power. I race a car with over 1000hp, so I think i can handle a 500hp street car, just my guess. as far as regular insurance goes, why would I do that and take a chance? Say the car gets hit and they total it... I get a check for $3500, and I am down a $40,000 show car. makes sense to me.... <sarcastic>. Besides, i built the car myself with my own money, it not like mommy and daddy bought it for me and I have no respect for what I am driving... Try giving me a little more credit..

No, I'm saying I'm an 18 year old "kid" with HP. N E Way, I'm not offended so don't appoligise. Plus the street isn't the strip. So stop playing the "Im-a Big bag Drag driver", "get the F--K outa my way" attitude. My niece is a Dragster driver so you aren't impressing anyone.

Have you looked at Hagerty Insurance (http://www.hagerty.com)

Heres another link that says that you've got a good chance at being insured.
You've got another vehicle Right? that's the only provision that I worried about.
http://www.hagerty.com/vehicle_70s.asp

Listen, i am not trying to offend anyone, or come off with an attitude. I am just tired of being grouped with a bunch of average "rice burner" driving kids. I race a car that runs 7.40's at 180mph, and I build cars as well. I have driven a lot of different street vehicles, as well as race cars. All I am saying is that I know more and have more experience than 99% of young people my age. I appreciate everybody's help, and hopefully I can find someway to get this insurance crap figured out.

86camino wrote: get the car appraised. after it is appraised bring the appraised price to the insurance company and tell them you want insurance to cover ur car for this amount.

What a great idea. I would try that first. I will assume that if you get coverage for the appraised value, that it will be a little bit expensive through the regular insurance company. Maybe even a lot more expensive. But at least you can have it on the road and insured. When you turn 25, switch it over to "Grundy" or one of the other classic car insurance company's.

No way, no how should you sell that El Camino! This is just a problem that you haven't solved........YET...

Maybe. Don't have any other info and don't know this guy. Just something I read.
http://drr.infopop.cc/eve/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=3476075&f=75460652&m=702103645

Try Taylor at http://www.jctaylor.com, they just quoted me on an 86.

If I owned a 40,000 show car, I would not drive it on the roads with the idiots out there.

I know what you mean, i am more worried about idiots on the road than anything else. Otherwise I would just use regular insurance, but I am afraid of idiots. O-well, I would like to drive it because what is the point of having a car if you don't drive it? -Matt

Listen, i am not trying to offend anyone, or come off with an attitude. I am just tired of being grouped with a bunch of average "rice burner" driving kids. I race a car that runs 7.40's at 180mph, and I build cars as well. I have driven a lot of different street vehicles, as well as race cars. All I am saying is that I know more and have more experience than 99% of young people my age. I appreciate everybody's help, and hopefully I can find someway to get this insurance crap figured out.

You see it that way, I see it that way, 99% of the people out there see it that way but, Unfortunently the insurance industry doesn't see it that way at all. They don't give a rats ass about anything except numbers, numbers with $$$ in front of them. Your stuck in a crap situation, not a whole lot of options for you out there. One thing to check on is exotic car insurance. A guy I worked with had an '86 Mustang SVO (4cyl turbo). He couldn't get regular ins to cover what is was worth because they looked at it as being just a 4cyl Mustang, not being worth anything. He went through an independent ins. company and they found a way to get exoctic car ins. on it to cover it.

I had the same problem , they wanted another 4 grand to insure my malibu. I guess because im 19 but i have a clean driving record and i work for the dept. of sanitation of new york, in other words i am a commercial truck driver with pretty extensive safety training. None of that gets taken into consideration. I went through condon and skelly under my parents name with meself listed as a driver. All i had to do was photograph the car, about 6 pics (frnt,rear, side/side,gut, motor), prove that i had a primary vehicle and that any other persons living in the house with a license had a primary driver. Waited about 2 or 3 weeks and the car was insured without a problem, other than its my parents name on the paperwork but if thats my only problem im doin okay.
good luck

Hey Matt. Your not going to driving this Elky year round, correct? So, even if you have to pay a large amount to get it on the road, can't you take it off the road for the winter? Then your homeowners insurance will cover it. Might save yourself some money. You only have to get by until your 25 when you can get all kinds of classic insurance.

Any thoughts on 86camino's idea of getting the car appraised?

I was just in Border's looking at car mags for classics such as Hemmings, AQ, and other classic car mags and each is loaded with ads by classic car insurers. If I were you I'd go to the bookstore or library and write down all those names and call them all. One is bound to be helpful. Did you try Taylor?

I know what you mean, i am more worried about idiots on the road than anything else. Otherwise I would just use regular insurance, but I am afraid of idiots. O-well, I would like to drive it because what is the point of having a car if you don't drive it? -Matt

i have to agree with u on that one :cool:

I am running out of places to check! Every company requires 9 years of driving experience, and/or for the car to be 20 years old. Well the car will be 20 in January, but I don't know what that means? Other than the fact I can register as a collector. The car will only be used for 4-5 months of the year and parked during the winter. I would like to get it offically appraised but don't know how/where to do that either. My current insurance company (for my daily driver) told me I could buy additional collision for $3600 a year!! That's rediculous for a car that will hardly be driven! Thank you everybody for your help! In about the a month the car may be FOR SALE, so wait and see! I will create a new topic if I decide to sell. thanks a bunch!! -Matt

Even the companies that I have found that cover drivers under 25 all say the same thing...."Its an '85 El Camino, so what?" It is not considered a classic, not considered a collector, and apparently not worth anything in the eyes of an insurance company. What do people with late model custom cars do for insurance? I see S-10's, 90's camaro's and mustangs will tons of $$ and customizing... What do they do for isurance? O-well...

$3600! I thought that you were complaining that just regular insurance wouldn't be enough. Now your saying it's too much. You've gotta take a chance somewhere and somehow. N E way how much coverage does that 3600 give you. Isn't your Ins policy Semi annual, You could be able to cancel it 6 months outta the year. What is your driving schedual (months) look like?

I guess this is something to learn from for people wanting "Classic Car" ins. and building up the year(s) that you are.

BTW 12sec, That does look nice.

1. Limiting driving to anything over a de minimus (small) amount of miles a year will kick you out of "show car" class. Show cars are loooooow mileage per annum. You won't qualify for anything you plan on being a primary driver, even if only for a few months.

2. When you get it appraised or talk to your insurance agent - do yourself a favor, ditch the "Outa Control" windshield stickers. Of course it goes without saying any stickers promoting violence against another, what a bad boy, girl, or a** your are, public urination, rebel flags, etc. should be taken off prior to photographing anything you contend is worth in excess of $30K, yet approaches 20 years old and sounds more Spanish than Italian or German. :) Seriously, this screams leadfoot and any agent that writes insurance on a 500hp car whose driver professes to the world to be outa control has a professional death wish.

Also I wouldn't mention my drag racing experience as proof I am a good careful driver. Call me crazy. Do mention you've never had a wreck or moving violation (this is the case isn't it? :) )

3. Take advantage of your local insurance agent's expertise. Insurance on any specialty vehicle over 20 years not usually thought of as a collectible auto will be expensive. Lets face it, it would be all too easy for anyone to defraud an insurance company once he or she got tired of a toy. By "losing" it in the nearset bad neighborhood, they could get the new GTO of their dreams that wouldn't be nearly as hard to maintain or insure.

You local agent, rather than some internet based company, will vouch for you, your kin, etc. because they know you are a good responsible person. You are still going to pay, but toys and good looking women cost money, and you might as well learn that now.

4. Move. New Jersey? After Alcorn County Mississippi (my home state) has to be insurance fraud capitol of the world. Buy a beater and keep your investment safe and secure in a locked garage. Don't want a tralier queen? Then quit griping and pay the freight. Again, toys and good looking women...

5. Speaking of fraud, DON'T abuse or even try to skirt the system. How easy would it be for any insurance adjuster in the world to google your car and find this site after your "sold" the car for a dollar to a parent? Yes it sucks you cannot get insurance at a reasonable rate (I was 23 once with an RX-7 in Memphis TN, I can relate), but inexpensive insurance does you no good when the company refuses to pay off.

There is an old joke among lawyers that insurance companies are like Peter, they will always deny your claim at least three times. Don't give them any ammo to do that.

Once an adjuster sees a $40K claim on an El Camino they are not going to rush to cut that check without documentation and investigation. Besides, whatever happened to honesty in this country? Be honest, it pays.

6. Consider liability only, coupled with uninsured motorist coverage. Sounds crazy? (It is, but I have to thow it out since you are a "professional" driver).

If someone ELSE hits your car, then they owe what the car was worth (you did get the suggested appraisal didn't you?) not blue book. Your insurance "gets away" with paying blue book because that was in the contract you had with your company, HOWEVER, when someone else is at fault, their company pays fair market value. (Remember, their company doesn't know what they will hit ahead of time.)

Again, do yourself a favor and get an appraisal. IF you are truely such an expert (and I don't doubt you are, I'm just saying this is a real money where your mouth is decision) you may want to take a chance YOU won't hurt your car on the street. This also means no racing it, no taking it out in bad weather, etc. basically treating it like anyone who owned something valuable would treat it if they knew they could lose it and no one else (for example the insurance company) would pay.

Reread the last one, make sure you have uninsured motorist coverage and that coverage pays fair market value, get it in writing.

7. Take internet advice regarding legal matters only to the extent you are advised to err on the side of 100% compliance, honesty and the Amercian way. If you want to do ANYTHING different, cheaper, etc., contact a lawyer who, suprisingly enough, pays a great deal for his or her liability insurance.

Finally, I didn't understand the post about going naked (no car insurance) and just being covered by your home owners. Maybe that person would care to explain, but home owners (even an umbrella) typically doesn't cover for you if you didn't have car insurance or were engaging in an illegal activity (i.e. operating a motor vehicle without state required insurance.)

Not trying to be a wet blanket (official or otherwise), people on this forum have given me good solid advice about stuff they know about el caminos and I've always been a little ashamed of just taking without giving. Insurance and law (and, I hope ethics) I know or at least think I do. I wouldn't weigh in if I didn't think I was contributing.

Good luck.

$3600 is for the year, liabilitly with extra collision to cover the car for $35000. The car will only be used 6 mo. a year, so I am going to try to get a 6 mo. policy in the spring and hope that'll be enough. at least until I turn 25, then it will be $500 a year through Grundy or Hagerty.

Oh I forgot. VERY nice ride Matt.

The "OUTTA CONTROL High Performance Customs" decal is not intended to advertise my driving style. That's funny though, I'm sure it gives off that impression! The story behind that is because the car got to be a project that went "outta control" I never intended to go as far with the project when I started it. Unfortunately as i kept making one area look great, the next didn't look as great. By the time I was finished the project got to be "Outta Control"!! It is also the "company" name I use for my side "business" working on cars. Eventually i will open a performance shop called "OUTTA CONTROL High Performance Customs." I see how it would look bad for insurance companies though!! -Matt

you might want to get the car appraised anyway. just incase you are driving oneday and somebody hits you and their insurance company tries to total out you car. then you can be like look my car is worth this much.

peace
paul

5. Speaking of fraud, DON'T abuse or even try to skirt the system. How easy would it be for any insurance adjuster in the world to google your car and find this site after your "sold" the car for a dollar to a parent? Yes it sucks you cannot get insurance at a reasonable rate (I was 23 once with an RX-7 in Memphis TN, I can relate), but inexpensive insurance does you no good when the company refuses to pay off.


I just wanted to clarify that this is NOT scamming them in any way, even the insurance companies will suggest this to younger drivers so that they can afford their insurance. The parent's own the car, it's on the parent's policy, and it is the parent's policy that will pay the damages and pay the rate increase should anything happen. Nobody is being defrauded if he puts the car in their name and insures it under their name. I think if you don't feel like putting the car away for 2 years that it may in fact be your best solution.

I just wanted to clarify that this is NOT scamming them in any way, even the insurance companies will suggest this to younger drivers so that they can afford their insurance. The parent's own the car, it's on the parent's policy, and it is the parent's policy that will pay the damages and pay the rate increase should anything happen. Nobody is being defrauded if he puts the car in their name and insures it under their name. I think if you don't feel like putting the car away for 2 years that it may in fact be your best solution.

I don't consider 23 younger and I bet the insurance co wouldn't either. At some point you gotta 'leave the basement' so to speak. Also, I wouldn't want to subject my folks to the worries of increased rates, etc.

If I could afford a 40K buildup, considered myself a mature worthy driver, I don't think I would take a risk of screwing up the old man's insurance on his Buick for the next 10 years because I wanted to save a grand a year.

You bring up a good point that agents often make suggestions to skirt the rules and get the "sale." You'd be surprised how many of them DON'T know what is in the contracts they sell. To get competitive many will underinsure you (a problem for our unrespected classics) so that you compare apples to oranges. Again, a good ethical agent is your friend and worth their commission.

If his folks owned the car but he was the driver this would have to be disclosed and I'm betting his rates wouldn't go down significantly. (Take a look at this link for a good discussion on what is allowed and potential for savings Parent's policy (http://webreprints.djreprints.com/1027170107547.html))

In 1981 I was 17 and owned a 78 bandit trans am for six months. I bought the car with my own money. Dad told me that was fine as long as I paid gas, oil, tires and insurance. That second insurance bill came up and the car went up for sale. (Where is the smilie for crying your eyes out?) For all of you younger guys out there this is called "Total Cost of Ownership." Looking back I wish I would have been patient enough to shelve the car until I could afford that cost.

I looked through the pics at your website, and frankly it would be a shame to put this car on the road until it had made the rounds of the show circuit. If I were you, I'd trailer it to shows for the next two years, collect some very nice trophies, spread your reputation for "outta control" and when I reached 25, rethink it.

Sorry, 12sec, but you're being grouped with the young, inexperienced idiots. Insurance is all about groups. Please don't take it a a put down.