Insurance

[Elldawg]

Hagerty just increased my premium from $555 to $1200 annual after one year today. I’m shopping around now. The sales rep on the phone said “kit cars” in California have been “reclassified” as the justification because they are more popular now, whatever that means. I’m relocating to Colorado soon and the quote there was $900. 
 

will try Grundy I guess. Quite annoying as I couldn’t even get through the quote process with them last time since the system was down. 
 

How does one find a broker? Worth it?

[DavidL]

That's weird.  I just got my Hagerty renewal invoice, it's for $467 (includes $70 for the Driver's Club), about the same as the last few years.  My car and location seem similar to you:  1990 Caterham Super Sprint, and I'm also in the Bay Area (Menlo Park).  Maybe we have wildly different coverage, but seems odd.

 

PS, I often have my Seven at the Cars and Coffee in downtown Menlo Park first Sunday of every Month (outside of Coffee Bar).

[Elldawg]

Yeah it’s weird. She said something about some policies being grandfathered in. Could be because the car is a “kit car” spncs not a “Caterham” idk maybe they think I’m a factory five guy so they up charge an old xflow.
 

I just had a call with JB Taylor broker (ACC) who quoted $260 for a year in CA. So I have no idea what’s going on. Agreed value 35k, good+ condition car they don’t care if it was a kit car and the rep knew what a Caterham was. We’ll see how it pans out I guess. They will need to write a new policy in CO though after I slog through the DMV…. Again. 
 

I’m up in eastbay so don’t make it down to peninsula a lot. Cars and coffee for me is my toddler and the local coffee shop down the street. She loves the “race car” ride. 

Edited May 22 by Elldawg

[KnifeySpoony]

Just got my Hagerty renewal - premium went from $1046 to $1406. May have to shop around.

[CBuff]

I just renewed my hagerty policy. No change in price from the last two years.  In NY it's $1130 (plus $70 for the club membership). For agreed value of $80K - 2023 420R. In new york it's titled and insured as a "custom" as when I originally did it with "Caterham" it was $2400. But all the back up was caterham stuff so I was transparent. They said, if NY titles it as a custom then thats what it is. A very rare occurrence that after jumping thru all the hoops, it saved me a little money 

[Vovchandr]

46 minutes ago, CBuff said:

I just renewed my hagerty policy. No change in price from the last two years.  In NY it's $1130 (plus $70 for the club membership). For agreed value of $80K - 2023 420R. In new york it's titled and insured as a "custom" as when I originally did it with "Caterham" it was $2400. But all the back up was caterham stuff so I was transparent. They said, if NY titles it as a custom then thats what it is. A very rare occurrence that after jumping thru all the hoops, it saved me a little money 

 

I don't even understand how NY title makes any difference on it. 

 

It can be insured before ever being registered as anything the underlying covered item on agreed value doesn't change regardless of what you call it. 

 

Not saying it didn't happen to you but I just can't wrap my mind around the logic there. 

[hahuang65]

@Vovchandr is right.

 

I got my insurance way before my title. All they needed was the VIN and asked me how I wanted the make and model written.

 

My car is titled as an Assembled Vehicle in TX while my Insurance has it as a 2024 Caterham 420R.

 

I'm only about halfway thru my 1st year of insurance. I'll let you guys know when I get my renewal notice what's changed. 

[Slonie]

4 hours ago, KnifeySpoony said:

Just got my Hagerty renewal - premium went from $1046 to $1406. May have to shop around.

 

Goddamn, what's your agreed value?

Not looking forward to renewal next year if it's going to go up by 40%...

Although it does seem like California (happened with my regular insurance a while ago)

 

[Elldawg]

I dropped Hagerty and went with JC Taylor. They require your other insurance (for normal cars) to have 50k per person and 100k per accident for medical and uninsured motorists (one tier over minimum coverage in CA)
 

JC Taylor $288 a year in California agreed $35k for Xflow car. 

[hahuang65]

I may need to raise the agreed value... 66 feels low now.. 

[KnifeySpoony]

1 hour ago, Slonie said:

 

Goddamn, what's your agreed value?

 

 

$60k - even though it would I think it would take 80k+ to replicate now. Prices have gone way up. 

[hahuang65]

10 minutes ago, KnifeySpoony said:

take 80k+ to replicate now

Yup that's why I'm feeling like 66k is too low now

[mca]

2 hours ago, Elldawg said:

I dropped Hagerty and went with JC Taylor. They require your other insurance (for normal cars) to have 50k per person and 100k per accident for medical and uninsured motorists (one tier over minimum coverage in CA)
 

JC Taylor $288 a year in California agreed $35k for Xflow car. 

Would you share the contact info for your JC Taylor broker?

 

i'm currently at $1,356/yr to insure my CSR at $68k and my 2007 Elise at $40k (probably need to raise the value).

[CBuff]

At least in ny you need a vin to get insurance. And insurance to register. So the ny dmv inspects and assigns a vin.  At that point the make is “custom”.  
 

Preliminarily I asked Hagerty if they would insure and caterham and then asked for a quote. $2400/ year which surprised me.  Then when I got the vin assigned and they designated “custom” it was $1200.  Even with my mco and all the invoices from caterham to prove worth.  Hagerty said. It’s custom not caterham $1200. 
 

but @Vovchandr agree with you on the  model/maker designation, especially on agreed value makes no sense. I’ll take one of the few financial wins in that whole process. 

[KnifeySpoony]

On 5/27/2026 at 2:33 PM, Elldawg said:

I dropped Hagerty and went with JC Taylor. They require your other insurance (for normal cars) to have 50k per person and 100k per accident for medical and uninsured motorists (one tier over minimum coverage in CA)
 

JC Taylor $288 a year in California agreed $35k for Xflow car. 

I just tried to get a policy with JC Taylor (to save money from my current Hagerty policy) - after a lot of back and forth they told me "we don't do kit cars". Okay...

 

So I'm sticking with Hagerty. I did ask them why the price went up. They said some glitch in their system set all the cars to minimum 3500 annual mileage, but they could adjust it down. Since I only drive my car sub-2000mi a year, the price did go down a little at least. 

[Elldawg]

JC only does classic cars. Your car may be too new for them, they only do cars 25yrs old or more. Xflow seven is considered a “classic” by those standards so they insured mine. 

[KnifeySpoony]

5 hours ago, Elldawg said:

JC only does classic cars. Your car may be too new for them, they only do cars 25yrs old or more. Xflow seven is considered a “classic” by those standards so they insured mine. 

Their website specifically says tribute and replica vehicles. I figured a "kit" car like a modern 7 would qualify.

[SENC]

Hagerty pricing went down for me this year, from $990 to $820.  That covers my Seven, Elan, and 560SL - roughly $75k in total agreed value.  I'm in NC.

[Exarkun1178]

I called for a quote today to Geico specialty insurance. I was quoted ~$3,000 for the year, NJ. With a stated value of $120,000

[Croc]

Is now the time to mention that when I insured a 2021 Caterham 620S in October last year my premium with Hagerty was $9?

 

Cue the smug face.  
 

It helps being in their VIP program - only offered to those who are considered good risks.