Specialist Car Insurance

A collection of comments and posts about all aspects of the UK specialist car insurance market, including classic car insurance, sports car insurance, performance car insurance, modified car insurance, veteran and vintage car insurance and specialist schemes for individuals with alternative insurance needs such as lady drivers and young drivers.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Comparing Specialist Car Insurance Just Got Easier!

Specialist Car Insurance Comparison Website Adds New Insurer To Panel
Press Release from Car-Insurance.TV

Dated: Mar 27, 2010

Comparing Car Insurance just got easier with the launch of a new specialist car insurance comparison system from Adrian Flux and Car Insurance Television.

The UK's specialist car insurance comparison website Car-Insurance.tv has announced that it has added motor insurance specialist Adrian Flux to it's ever growing list of partners, allowing it to provide quotes for a much wider section of the car insurance buying public.

A spokesperson for the car insurance comparison company said,
"We are very pleased to welcome Adrian Flux Insurance onto our car insurance comparison system. The addition of Adrian Flux Car Insurance services to our website users allows us to offer much wider covers to all members of the public including those with convictions and medical needs who cannot get or are refused cover from the standard insurance companies and their websites."

He added, "Furthermore it allows us to expand our already large area of specialist schemes to provide cover for just about every type of vehicle ever manufactured. We are now able to offer instant cover for Q plated , kit cars and even quad bikes and trikes right through to specialist schemes for the luxury, performance and prestige end of the market, such as our Lamborghini or Bentley cover schemes."

"Our mission at Car Insurance Television is to provide the cheapest and widest car insurance covers in the UK and to make them easily accessible for the buying public who have in the past often been kept in the dark by the larger organisations about the availability and competitive premiums that are offered by smaller company car insurance schemes."

Amongst the new types of specialist car insurance that are now available from Car-Insurance.tv are
schemes for:
Young Drivers
Female Drivers
Drivers with 2 or more previous Accidents / Claims
Drivers with 2 or more driving convictions
Drivers with any criminal conviction
Any driver with disability or medical condition
Any person who has had insurance refused / cancelled
Drivers over 75 years old
Drivers with non standard occupations i.e. Footballer, Actors, publicans etc

You can find out more about these covers by visiting http://www.car-insurance.tv or by phoning for quotes and advice on freephone 0800 089 0182

Category Car insurance, Classic Car Insurance, Specialist
Tags car insurance, classic car insurance, specialist car insurance

City/Town Central London
State/Province London
Country United Kingdom

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Friday, November 20, 2009

An Introduction to Classic Car insurance for new owners

If you are one of the lucky ones who has recently bought a classic car, resident classic car insurance expert Dave Healey has some useful advice on the differences between classic and standard car insurance covers.......

Classic Car Insurance - A Beginners Guide For New Classic Owners
By
Dave Healey

If you've just bought your first classic car you will need to consider not just where, but also how you are going to insure it.

As a classic car owner it matters not if you drive a perfect condition Ford Capri 3 litre from 1970, a beat up old Morris Minor from the Sixties or a sleek E-type Jaguar in British racing green, it is essential that you find the best classic car insurance cover for your cherished motor, that covers your individual risks at prices that won't break the bank!

If you have not owned a classic car before it is important to realise that there are basic differences between what is known as a standard car insurance policy and the cover offered under one defined as classic, from a specialist car insurer.

The first thing to establish is whether your car is eligible for cover under a classic policy. One way you could do this is ask the previous owner whether it was covered under a classic car insurance policy and with which insurance company.

Different classic car insurance companies have different definitions of the age and type of vehicles that can be covered under this type of cover.

What might be easily covered with one provider may be excluded by another. Fortunately most online classic car cover providers provide this information on the first page of their websites, so it is fairly easy to surf around and check your eligibility with different insurance companies.

You should check that both the eligibility of the age of the car in question and also whether there are policy restrictions for your individual driving circumstances, such as your age that would prevent you from applying for cover.

The major variation between a standard policy and those offered by the classic car specialists is in the way that you use your classic vehicle, and in particular, how much you drive it. The large mainstream insurers and price comparison sites will offer cover for older cars but will charge an additional premium because of its age. They will also load the premium if replacement parts for the vehicle type are known to be expensive.

More importantly you will only be offered the current market value replacement if the car is covered under a mainstream policy and is deemed to be a write-off when you claim.

With a standard car insurance policy on a replacement like for like basis, the value of the car is often set by the market value at the time of a claim, typically taken from one of the car price magazines such as the UK's Glasses Guide. The amount you will be probably receive for a write-off will be at the current market value of your car which is an annual depreciating amount. Inevitably, if you own a classic car and insure it under a standard policy contract, this leads to under valuation and under insurance of the true value of the car. You will also probably not be offered the salvage and a repairable classic car may often be deemed a write-off because the cost of repair is uneconomic to the Insurer.

If you purchase a specialist classic car policy you will be offered a choice of either an agreed valuation of the classic cars worth or a policy based on market value.

An agreed valuation amount is the amount that the insurance company will pay out in the event of a claim that results in a write off. This is a major benefit of insuring classics under specialist policies because it ensures that you are not just properly covered but will also receive the specialist repair services that your classic will require should you claim. It should be noted that even agreed valuation polices can change and you should ensure that the value is guaranteed for a certain period of time to avoid fluctuations in market values.

Classic Car insurance polices are therefore tailored to the needs of cars considered to be collectable and effectively the valuation is a rating factor for the condition of the car.

The other major difference between standard and classic policies is in the way that you are allowed to use your car under the terms of the agreement. Originally this type of vehicle insurance was designed for drivers who do not use their classic cars much.

All classic car policies have a limited mileage clause which only covers the vehicle for an agreed amount of miles per year. Depending upon which specialist car insurance company you use, there will be a limit to how far you can drive your classic. Some providers will only cover a couple of thousand miles per year under the policy, but many specialist car insurance providers are now offering cover up to ten thousand miles per year. These policies reflect the fact that many drivers now use modern day classic cars as their main form of transport.

As with all car insurance it is important to compare both covers and prices when shopping around. There are many specialist classic insurance providers available online today and many specialist schemes that are targeted at particular classic owners. Compare the premiums offered by these with those from the price comparison sites, but if you want to avoid disappointment if you need to make a claim, be sure to understand the difference in policy covers.

The Internet has made it very easy to Compare Classic Car Insurance that was previously only available from specialist car insurance brokers on the high street. You can find those offering special deals and bespoke schemes for your particular classic by searching for your model type classic car insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Healey http://EzineArticles.com/?Classic-Car-Insurance---A-Beginners-Guide-For-New-Classic-Owners&id=3280405

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Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Get Specialist Car Insurance If You Need Specialist Repair Services

When buying car insurance policy it is essential to look at what is offered should you have an accident and need to a claim.
After all, you are only insuring the car to have the potential to make a claim should the worst happen and the cover is only as good as the insuring company's claims department.

With the hardening of rates in the UK car insurance market and the recession, price is most peoples consideration when purchasing cover, but one of things you should not overlook is who is going to repair your car if it is damaged in an accident and you need to claim?

This is especially true if you own a non-standard car? Non-standard are cars that don't fall into the mainstream set that the large insurance companies like to cover. Surprisingly a large number of vehicles fall into categories that the majority of mainstream insurance companies do not want to cover!

Such examples that may struggle to obtain motor insurance at reasonable rates are owners of high performance, prestige, expensive, luxury, grey and foreign imports, kit cars and q plated cars, sports cars, convertibles, muscle and modified motors, vintage, veteran, collectors and classic cars.

More importantly if you are the owner, if something happens and you need to make a claim on your policy, it is important that your car gets fixed by specialist professionals, using the correct parts and not cheap substitutes. More often than not these type of car repairs require unique tools that are only available through specialist engineers and motor engineering repair shops that deal with particular models.

So it is most important when comparing car insurance to also compare the services that a car insurer offers in the event of a claim, especially those regarding choice of repairer. Bear in mind that cheap car insurance bought through a car insurance comparison website offers no claims services and it will be up to you to fight your corner in the event of a claim, if you don't agree with what the insurer is offering as recompense.

All specialist car insurers and many insurance companies will offer a choice of repairer - many others will not as they have existing arrangements with so called approved repairers.

Trouble arises when an insurance company insists on employing a particular firm to fix the car against the policyholder's wishes, and it is not uncommon for major disputes to arise at this point.

For example, the insured may have an expensive Italian sports car bought from an exclusive importer and specialist firm of dealers who added a number of accessories and or modifications to the car at the insured's request at the time of sale; the same firm may have performed all the routine servicing since the sale and the insured may genuinely feel that they 'know' his car better than anyone else could, and that only they, in consequence, should be entrusted to carry out the repairs.

If the repair work quoted in an estimate by the specialist firm is substantially higher than that expected from the approved repairer and the car insurance claims department consider that the approved repairers are capable of carrying out the work to the same standard as the specialists , then the only way out of this impasse is usually for the insurance company to suggest that the insured pays the difference!

Clearly then it is very important to understand what you are buying with your policy when it comes to claims and repairs. Specialist car insurance policies always offer unique claims repair services and if you own an unusual, expensive, classic car or performance motor, then it would be sensible to opt for a specialist classic car insurance or performance car insurance policy, that includes these repair services to avoid the above situations. What might look like a cheap policy might turn into fools gold in the event of a claim!

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Specialist BMW Classic Car Insurance Comparison site launched

Insuretec have today added over eighty specialist BMW classic car insurance schemes to their highly successful specialist car insurance comparison website car-insurance.tv.

The website offers cheap car insurance for owners of older BMWs and bespoke cover where appropriate. BMW were first founded as a motorbike company in the middle of WW1, however the factory in Munich Germany has been making classic cars since the early 1950's.

You can compare BMW Classic Car Insurance schemes for all of the folowing BMW range:

BMW Isetta, BMW 501/502, BMW 3200 CS, BMW New Class, BMW New Six, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series, BMW 6 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW M Series, BMW Z Series, BMW 8 Series and BMW Compact to name but a few.....



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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Do Not Pay Extra for Classic Car Insurance!

If you own a classic car, chances are it is among one of your most prized possessions.
Maintaining and protecting your classic car is vitally important, and making sure you have the right classic car insurance for your classic beauty is important to any classic car enthusiast.
There are many companies out there today who offer special car insurance programs to people who wish to insure their classic car.
Finding the right classic car insurance policy for your classic car needs could mean the difference between paying too much in car insurance premiums, and saving loads of money each year through a specially designed policy meant just for classic cars.

Insurance companies understand that classic cars are usually not driven as much as a common family vehicle, and therefore they may offer a greater discount for classic autos.
Other discounts may also apply, given the fact that most people who own classic cars are very careful to protect their classics, and often keep them in secure locations to prevent theft or damage.
There may be some requirements that must be met in order to qualify for a special classic car insurance policy. For instance, certain policies may require that your classic be at least 20 years old to qualify for a discounted policy. Other prerequisites may entail that the vehicle be used primarily for car shows and other classic car events.
Most companies will also require an appraisal to be submitted when insuring with a classic car insurance policy.

If you own a classic car, keep in mind that there are special classic car insurance policies that are specifically designed to fit your particular needs.
Why pay outrageous premiums for your classic car insurance policy when there are discounted rates available for classic car owners?

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How To Buy Cheaper Classic Car Insurance Cover

Do you own a car over fifteen years old? If you do you may well be entitled to cover it under what is known in the industry as a classic car insurance policy. In the past there were many more restrictions on cover under this type of policy and specialist motor insurance brokers and insurance companies were very particular about the type, age make and models of the cars they wished to cover on their books.

Times have changed and technology has led to many more cars now fitting into a bracket that was once reserved for the glamourous, collector and vintage car owners. It is now possible to obtain both cheap quotes and classic car covers online from many providers including the majority of those famous high street brands, who have realised that nearly fifty percent of the cars on the road now fall within the strict underwriting parameters for classic car policies. Consequently premiums in this market, which were always cheaper than standard cover, have become much more competitive in recent years, with the entry into the market of many of the larger insurance companies.

When searching for the right covers it is wise to get a range of classic car insurance online quotes from various different sources. Not all motor companies are the same, and neither are all classic policy conditions.

When applying for a classic quote you should be aware of the varying limits of cover and restrictions that may be put on driving the vehicle. For example many of these policies will only allow you very limited road mileage each year, sometimes as little as 3000 miles per annum. This is fine if you have an expensive collectors car that is garaged throughout the year and only taken out for the odd cruise or rally. The problems occur much more frequently when non valuable classic cars are insured under this type of policy when they should really be covered under a more embracing standard motor insurance. Unfortunately, restrictive policy conditions often only come to light after an accident and a claim is made, rejected by the insurer and leaves the policyholder feeling missold and abandoned.

If you have decided that a classic car policy is right for your car, then when applying for quotes online always check that the policy is right for you, the owner as well. Many policies are designed to charge by the lifestyle of the insured and as with all car insurance there is a tendency for cover to be cheaper for older persons and women drivers. Many companies will not issue classic motor insurance to persons under the age of twenty five, although this is changing as well, and there are some very good providers out there who will cover drivers as young as twenty one.

If the value of the car is not particularly high and the replacement costs of parts and repairs does not warrant a specialist policy, you may well be better advised to seek out quotes from a mainstream insurance company. They often have additional online discounts and offers which the classic policy providers are not in a position to offer.

As with all car insurance, what may initially appear cheap at policy inception could cause some unpleasant surprises when it comes to making a claim.

Shop around for specialist car insurance and Classic Car Insurance.

Compare policy prices and insurance covers from both major high street brands and the smaller insurance specialists to ensure you not only get a good deal, but get the adequate levels of cover you require for your classic car, as well.

Originally published by our in house resident classic car expert Dave Healey
Cheaper classic car insurance article source

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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Demand rises for Classic and Specialist car insurance

Specialist and Classic Car Insurance Demand Soars Despite The Recession

A surge in the number of enquires for both specialist high performance car insurance and classic car insurance cover has been steadily increasing since Mid November last year around the time of the banking crisis and subsequent stock market crash. It appears that many speculators are using luxury and classic cars in particular as investment vehicles.

The interest in classic and expensive high performance cars shows no signs of slowing down despite the recession, according to online specialist car insurance provider http://www.car-insurance.tv.

The website which allows customers to compare car insurance quotes from over 100 bespoke specialist schemes, is reporting a sixty percent increase in enquiries for classic car insurance during the first quarter of 2009, as the baby boomer generation shift their assets away from stocks and shares into something more tangible.

Our reporting systems clearly show that the number of enquires for both high performance car insurance and classic car cover has been steadily increasing since Mid November last year, around the time of the banking crisis and subsequent stock market crash. It appears that many of our customers are using classic cars in particular as investment vehicles.
We have drilled down into the data and further interesting patterns are emerging. The majority of the increased quote enquiries for classic car insurance are coming from men in the forty to retirement age range, although the number of younger women wanting specialist sports car insurance has also risen significantly. They're not just buying cheap cars either
A combination of customers who are becoming more Internet 'savvy' and those looking for cheap car insurance due to the credit crunch has brought a drove of extra visitors to the site.
Marketing Director David Healey believes the growth in demand for classic cars, and the consequent demand for specialist insurance services, is actually due to the recession.

"Our reporting systems clearly show that the number of enquires for both high performance car insurance and classic car cover has been steadily increasing since Mid November last year, around the time of the banking crisis and subsequent stock market crash. It appears that many of our customers are using classic cars in particular as investment vehicles." he said.

"We have drilled down into the data and further interesting patterns are emerging. The majority of the increased quote enquiries for classic car insurance are coming from men in the forty to retirement age range, although the number of younger women wanting specialist sports car insurance has also risen significantly. They're not just buying cheap cars either", he emphasised.

"At Car-Insurance.tv we run an agreed valuation service for underwriters Lancaster Insurance, and we have noticed that the bulk of the additional policies that are getting taken up, are in the high insurance rating groups of sixteen to twenty, for high powered cars with values exceeding £20000. There is currently a particular interest in rare vintage and classic sports cars and top of the range brand new luxury motors.

The type of client is broad, however we can clearly state that there are not many Builders or Property Developers who are buying Aston Martins at the moment, which wasn't always the case in the not too distant past."

Paul Moran, Technical Director for Insuretec Ltd, the systems company behind the website added.

"It's not just in the high value high performance and classics market that has seen a large increase in demand, our specialist motor insurance division is doing very well as well. The drop in the volume of policies for new car sales appears to be more than made up for, with a forty percent increase in the number of previously owned vehicles being insured. This is despite the apparent unavailability of car loan finance."

"A combination of customers who are becoming more Internet 'savvy' and those looking for cheap car insurance due to the credit crunch has brought a drove of extra visitors to the site."

"Our customers are looking for that something extra for their cover, but they want value for money without compromising on quality. Our log files show that those customers with a serious intent to purchase car insurance online spend a lot more time within the system application comparing and changing variables such as voluntary excess or playing with variations of the multiple cover options available from our schemes, in order to get the cover they want at the price that is right for them."

"The large comparison websites are too much of a one size fits all and classic, sports and performance car owners tend by their very nature to be flamboyant individuals who need specialist individual care. The specialist car insurance scheme comparison system provides them with personalised insurance for just about every car ever made, which is something that the mainstream car insurance comparison sites just can't offer."


See the original story at: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/04/prweb2284324.htm

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Sunday, June 28, 2009

Ferrari classic car insurance dispute will change classic car valuations for Insurance

When is Classic Car Insurance Market Value not Market Value?

Below is a recent lesson on why it is so important to get an agreed valuation certificate for your cherished classic car. The value of classic cars can go up dramatically as well as depreciate, so it is essential that the agreed valuation is updated frequently. It is even more essential that classic car insurance companies are aware of what they are covering!

A Ferrari owner is disputing the payout given to him under a classic car insurance policy from Royal and Sun Alliance (RSA), better known for their More Than standard car insurance brand.
The owner of a 1974 Ferrari Dino Spyder 246 GTS, a Mr Abraham, has had the car for 33 years, has taken his case to the Financial Ombudsman after a dispute over the claims payment when the car was stolen.

Mr Abraham had a classic car policy that was providing cover under 'market value terms' the value of the car in the market at the time of the claim. When he insured it originally he gave a declared value of £35,000 which was accepted by the insurers.

The problems arose when the claim occurred. Classic car experts have valued the car in the current market at £120,000 when it was stolen from his garage in South london last summer. RSA have according to Mr Abrahams only offered him £35,000!

This case is going to bring the whole question of classic car valuations and how classic cars are valued for insurance purposes into the limelight, when the Judgement is delivered by the Financial Ombudsman later this year!

It sounds to us folks here like a little bit cake and eat it! Whatever the outcome it will change the way that classic car insurance is sold!

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Friday, June 26, 2009

Save Money on Classic Car Insurance by Changing Your Lifestyle

Great money saving tips on how, if you make a few changes to the way you live, you could save a fortune each year on specialist car insurance!

Classic Car Insurance - Change Your Lifestyle and Save Money on your annual premiums
By Dave Healey


Change your lifestyle and you will be eligible to apply for all sorts of non standard specialist car insurance that is tailored to a particular genre or lifestyle group or club. The lifestyle factor is more predominant in the calculation and issuing of policies for classic cars than in any other form of specialist motor underwriting.


Classic car insurance policies are now based primarily upon usage limits and consequently tend to reflect the fact that classic cars are used differently than a normal everyday car, although the types of use social, domestic, pleasure, business and commuting, or for hire and racing, will still apply. Many a beloved classic motor will stay under wraps in the garage for many a month and is only brought out and paraded for special occasions and events.


The range, length and risk of these events will undoubtedly determine the level of price for a specialist classic car policy. Such events can be as innocuous as local classic car club meetings at predetermined destinations, fun runs, treasure hunts, vintage runs, air shows and displays, national classic rallies, film shoots, motor shows, trade shows or as extreme and heavy premium carrying as classic car racing or hill climbing.


Most specialist motor underwriters therefore appreciate that you may need a more tailored and flexible type of car insurance for a classic car, one that allows you to fit the policy around what is effectively your lifestyle risk. Your risk levels are calculated upon the way you use the classic car and the number of miles distance you cover in that car each year. These so called rating factors are adapted to play a much larger role in the calculation of a classic car insurance premium than the traditional factors that weigh heavily in standard car insurance premium calculation, such as Age or Gender.


Price has tended in the past not to be a large driver in the classic car insurance market, where quality of cover for cherished vehicles has always been seen as the primary marketing message. Underwriters have appreciated that the classic car is quite often considered as a 'baby' within the family unit and may in the past have taken advantage of the irrationality when considering price. However the introduction of many classic car insurance comparison websites on the Internet means that premium levels can no longer be ignored and that customers now rightly demand service and cover for their specialist car insurance lifestyle vagaries, at the right price.


It is now possible to obtain tailored online cover for even the most obscure car marque and the introduction of online underwriting has introduced a welcome level of competition into what had become a stagnant market. Group and affinity market buying power has also helped stimulate growth and push premium prices down through bulk buying power schemes. Whatever aspirations you may hold as a classic car owner it appears that with technology you are more increasingly likely to be judged financially by your lifestyle than its trappings that you must insure.



Dave Healey is a specialist motor underwiter who has been underwriting Classic Car Insurance polices at Lloyds for over thirty years.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Healey
http://EzineArticles.com/?Classic-Car-Insurance---Change-Your-Lifestyle-and-Save-Money&id=2036361

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Comparing quotes for Classic Car Insurance online

Welcome to our new blog about specialist car insurance. We open with one of our guest writers who is a specialist in classic car insurance

How To Compare Classic Car Insurance Online

Author: Dave Healey

Comparing car insurance online can be a minefield for any people, with so many options available online at the click of a mouse, it is often confusing, a problem that is exacerbated if you own a classic car and require specialist car insurance.

So how do you choose firstly a website, then a company, then the policy, that is going to be right for your prized possession, your cherished classic car?

You could like the majority of people start off by visiting a large car insurance comparison site, such as the ones you will see advertising during virtually every commercial break on television. don't expect to find any bargains at these types of sites. They are designed around standard polices for standard vehicles, and although many of these sites willl now quote for classic cars, the premiums are often heavily loaded and more often far from competitive. Having spent time filling out the application form online it can be disappointing to find that most companies on the comparison panel are refusing to quote for your particular classic, or have loaded the premium as the do not want your business. For the majority of the large car insurance companies, classic cars mainly equate to expensive claims, and not profitable target business.

When comparing what can at first appear to be, cheap classic car insurance through one of thee large supermarket distribution outlets, be very careful to read all the wordings in the small print, paying particular close attention to the information regarding claims.

If you own a classic car you need to ascertain that in the event of an accident your classic car will be taken to a specialist or maker approved repairer and that only genuine replacement parts will be used on your car to repair it. Unfortunately you will find that most mainstream car insurers have a network of approved repairers nationwide, and will often insist that cars covered under their policy contracts must be repaired through these outlets. In situations such as this, what appeared to be a bargain cheap car insurance deal at source, could prove to be a very expensive mistake.

The solution to the problem is to approach a specialist car insurer or broker, in particular one who has experience in underwriting classic motors, and preferably has a large book of business of classic car insurance. Unlike in many other professions for example healthcare, a specialist in car insurance is often cheaper than the High Street names and offer better value quality cover that can be tailored to the requirements of your specific classic car make and model. By specialising in a particular market niche these car insurers have developed group schemes for virtually every type of classic. By joining one of these schemes you are joining a risk pool of like minded individuals and similar cars. The specialist car insurer is able to determine more accurate rates for a particular classic and you will also benefit from the power of group buying which delivers economies of scale in the form of shared risks and cheaper premiums.

About the Author:

With the demand for specialist car insurance rising, there are now many websites where you can compare car insurance online and specifically specialist schemes, covers, and rates for classic car insurance. When comparing both covers and premiums it is essential that you make comparisons on a like for like or similarity basis, including the arrangements for settling a claim.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - How To Compare Classic Car Insurance Online

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