Is your vintage cycle insured ????

[KNUCK]

With the recent thefts I thought it would be interesting to ask if you have insurance on your pride and joy. It would make me sick to lose mine to some low life thief but if insured it would help the pain. If you want to mention why you don't say so. Let's do a poll..........................

[x-90 rider]

All of mine are insured and I dictated the replacement value. Granted they are only worth $6000 each but then full coverage is only $85 per bike annually.

[Kozy]

Insurance

Sleeping with a gun won't help if there's a fire!

[felthamw]

OK, I'll bite..............which insurance companies insure these things? Last time (15 years ago) I looked into insurance for my chopper, I got blown out of the water. Appraisals, bunch of rig-a-ma-role and to top it off, it was way, WAY too expensive.

Is it different for an antique that rarely sees any use? Possibly like collector cars that have an annual limited mileage allowance?

I would be interested if the price was right and the restrictions were minimal. For the pan and maybe again try for the ol' wild child. My Classic is very cheaply insured thru Integon but they said they wouldn't touch either of them. Too old, too custom, too much risk.....................

I would be interested in hearing feedback.
Wayne

[darrylri]

I've got my bikes insured with JC Taylor, but my experience has been the same with other vintage insurer specialists like Condon and Skelly, and Haggerty. Most have a 2500 mile/year limit -- but no limit with JC Taylor -- so, if you can live with that, the insurance is very inexpensive and you name your valuation. I'm paying about $400/year in California to insure 5 bikes.

[rwm]

got mine insured for $14.000 cost $125 a year. agent went by stated value.

[KNUCK]

Wayne,

Have a bike with Haggerty, 25k value for $200 per year and no deductible, driven less than 2,500 miles. No appraisal needed just photos. I think they only do complete bikes, no basket case.

[Rubone]

Knuck brought up a good point. Basket cases if not currently registered are not MOTOR VEHICLES. Note the currently registered part! Most insurance companies consider a basket case as other personal possessions and part of household contents. Most homeowners insurance companies have a rider available for excess value of contents. Look into it as that is likely the only way your unfinished project is covered. Contents coverage is usually based on value of your home and is a ratio determined by home value. Living in an RV and have a shop with ten vintage bikes in pieces? You are basically hosed if you don't add excess valuation. and that may mean appraisal! The antique and vintage insurers are not likely to insure anything but a complete and registered vehicle.
Not titled, registered for use!
Robbie

[redfred84]

bike insurance

Since home owners insurance does nothing for motor vehicles, I have always had my vehicles insured by some form of collector insurance. In the past few years, I have switched most of my stuff to Hagerty.
I have been very impressed with the ever-present Hagerty at all the vintage functions I attend. They seem to bend over backwards for motorcycles, and were a major sponsor at the Legend of the Motorcycle Concours here in Calif.
I did a blurb on them in my 3 Rs column, and plan a follow up when we have a press release about their taking the baton for FIVA here in North America. FIVA stands for the Federation Internationale des Vehiclules Anciens; a Europe based organization for the preservation of life as we know it with our beloved machines. Something we all should start thinking about, today!
Anyway, I use Hagerty for most of my machines (I like cars also). Hagerty welcomes modified, and un-finished vehicles, which some other companys shun.
If you do sign up for Hagerty, tell them Red Fred from the AMCA sent you. They are on our side.
All the best, RF.

[felthamw]

Insured now.

OK, this thread jogged me out of complacency. Went with Condon & Skelly. Got three quotes $30k value, no deductable, $100k liability, no mileage restrictions to really speak of. Condon & Skelly was cheapest ($200), Hagerty most expensive (over $500). Nice folks and very easy to work with.
That all being said, I still sleep with a gun..............
Here in Florida we have the right to use them within our homes if we feel threatened. (It's about the only thing they have right down here.)
Anyways, thanks for the extra push. My wife sleeps better now.
Wayne #4329

[murph]

Cheap is not always the best way to go. There only as good as the insurance claim you make. I go through hagerty for the past 11 years, had to make one claim. They said send photos of the damage with an estimate for the repairs, two weeks later a check shows up no questions asked. No hassle, what's that worth for 300 dollars a year, two bikes at 30k,
no deductable?

[KNUCK]

It appears we have at least one success story here. Good to hear you got the coverage Wayne.

Another thing that can happen other than a stolen bike is a damaged bike. Have heard of a couple incidents at a car show when a spectator was looking at a car and scratched it by accident. Another was two show cars leaving after an event and they backed into each other.

It can be dangerous even just transporting a motorcycle to a show, saw a bike with a dent in the tank, owner said damaged in transit.

Didn't want to have this thread die yet as the show and swap season is soon upon us.

[talbot-2]

Still looking for an insurer.

As the second owner of three original paint (with some surface rust) pre 1915 motorcycles in running condition, I have tried obtaining insurance and have had little luck in doing so. One company would only insure them if they were in show room, pristene condition. Another company wanted three appraisals for each cycle. As a result, I'm still looking. (For appraisers and an insurance company to work with) I sleep with one eye open and an alarm system plus a German shepard. I just ride them around the neighborhood and don't take them anywhere because of the lack of insurance. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[William McClean]

I've got my bikes insured with JC Taylor, but my experience has been the same with other vintage insurer specialists like Condon and Skelly, and Haggerty. Most have a 2500 mile/year limit -- but no limit with JC Taylor -- so, if you can live with that, the insurance is very inexpensive and you name your valuation. I'm paying about $400/year in California to insure 5 bikes.

JC Taylor. They usually have a form in Hemmings Motor News that reads for autos, but it can be used for motorcycles too. They required photos that were returned to me. It has been a few years, but they sugggested an appraisal from the Chapter President. Give them a call.

[T. Cotten]

Poor folks can only afford minimum liability in most states.
Especially if there is more than one machine with less than four wheels.
aNY bODy Else LiKe mE?
(silence accepted.)

If you fall down, and its your own fault: you aught to pay 100% of the damages, not your fellow policy holders who stayed up.

And if its somebody elses' fault that you have damages,
you are probably still in an expensive law suit, duh.

So,
When anticipating comprehensive claims, including fire, flood, and theft,... read the fine print to be certain you will not have to double-prove the "market value" or whatever of the hardware, after-the-fact.
Do NOT take an agent's word.
Hell, avoid agents altogether by going online!
(Seriously.)

'Foremost' has the cheapest bottom line for minimum liability... in Illinois.
Will we be able to cross State lines if it becomes law for healthcare?
(Oh sure yeah right.)

When "fleet" insurance is offered for collectors, and the vintage industry, then I'll listen to the sales pitch, maybe.

....Cotten
PS about the 'poll':
Where's the "All the above" box?