car insurance is a very expensive part of any family budget, and if you need antique auto insurance then you probably know that you’re going to pay a bit of money to protect that precious car of yours. On the other hand, paying a few dollars for the joy and privilege of taking that beautiful piece of machinery out and showing it off to your friends can be worth it. So what is involved in shopping for and purchasing antique auto insurance and what things will you need to keep in mind when looking for this type of coverage?
You first need to think about how often you’re going to drive that car and how it will be stored. Most companies that provide antique auto insurance require that you disclose how often and how far the car will be driven. For instance, some very old cars are used only in parades, exhibitions, club activities, and other such limited functions. They are not used for “joy rides” or anything else. Your carrier for your antique auto insurance may dictate how far the car can be driven and how often it can be taken out. They may also state quite clearly that the car cannot be driven for personal use.
The storage of the car may also come into play with antique auto insurance. Most companies require that it be kept in a locked garage or storage facility when not in use. Keeping it under a tarp in the backyard may not be protection enough. Remember, these older cars are impossible to replace so the antique auto insurance provider wants to be sure that the risk to the car being stolen or vandalized is kept to a minimum.
It’s also important to realize that there is a difference between antique auto insurance and the coverage provided for vehicles such as “muscle” cars, racing cars, and even what you may call classic cars. Most antique cars need to be 25 years old or more, whereas classic cars may be only fifteen years old. Also, it may be assumed that muscle cars and racers will be used more often and may pose more of a risk for accidents – most who own cars like this know how tempting it is to start racing it or showboating just a little.
Getting antique auto insurance isn’t always as much of an expense as you may think it is. Since the car is driven so infrequently it’s not always that expensive to insure it properly. For most it’s less expensive than their normal car insurance. While the restrictions might be somewhat detailed, getting that antique auto insurance is going to be well worth it if it means being able to proudly drive your car in the annual parade or show it off to other enthusiasts at the local car show.
If you have an old car you’re proud of, consider getting some antique auto insurance so that it doesn’t need to just sit in the garage.

