Compare Classic Car Insurance Quotes for Quality Cover for your Vintage Motor

Buying a classic car is a proud moment for any car owner. If you appreciate the history of car manufacture and engineering, it is like having your own valuable museum piece for your everyday use. Or you might just adore the vintage designs and find driving a classic car one of your life’s goals. Most people who own a certain type of car have always wanted to have that make since they saw it in a movie or simply saw one when they were younger and dreamt of owning one.
Therefore, when you do finally manage to possess your dream motor, you will want to make sure it is fully protected, as you would suitably cover a valuable possession in your home. Classic car insurance quotes are easier than you would at first imagine to obtain and will inform you about the specific features you will need in order to be covered with such a special vehicle.
It is important as a classic car enthusiast to find an insurer who understands your needs as well as realising that you are not simply after a quick fix cheap car insurance policy, but a high quality classic car insurance deal. Keeping your car pristine and in good working order as well as aesthetically appealing all contribute to its overall value as a piece and classic car owners are less likely to drive recklessly, as they will want to maintain the car’s value and their general enjoyment from it.

Comparison sites are the best bet for getting classic car insurance quotes, as due to the extra expense of insuring vintage cars and the likelihood of them being targeted for vandalism, it can sometimes be difficult and costly. However, it is worth the extra leg work and hunting around, although these days comparison sites make that task a lot easier.

Specialist insurers acknowledged by such sites can even provide advice along with a policy as to how best to keep your car from danger and securely locked away. These things can also help to reduce your premiums, such as locking away your car in a garage and keeping it off the road so it is less at risk from damage.

Car insurance tips for Morris Minors

One of the most popular British cars in history, the Morris Minor is still revered today for typifying “Englishness”. Understandably, Morris Minor drivers treasure their vehicle and will do all they can to protect it – which is why finding suitable car insurance takes on added importance.
However, just how easy is it to get insurance for this classic car and how appropriate is the cover available?

How can you find insurance for a Morris Minor?

When shopping for car insurance for most vehicles, the process is relatively straightforward – simply use a comparison website to compare as many quotes as you can. However, in the case of Morris Minors, and other classic cars, many conventional insurance providers won’t offer quotes because of the unique nature of the vehicles and the fact that their parts may be more difficult to repair/replace and their values more difficult to determine.

Most modern vehicles are given insurance group ratings on the Association of British Insurers’ database which are used to assess premiums – however, no Morris Minor from the original Minor of the 1950s to the Alderley-Park built Minor Traveller of 1971 are classified into its group system.

Instead, classic cars are divided into categories by insurance companies which are used to evaluate their premiums. The categories include: ‘veterans’ for vehicles manufactured up to December 1904; ‘Edwardian’ for vehicles from January 1905-December 1918; ‘vintage’ for cars built from December 1918-1933; ‘classics’ for cars manufactured pre-1975; and ‘cherished’ for collectible or rare cars that are five- to 10 years old. As the Morris Minor production run started in 1948 and continued until 1971, all Morris Minors are therefore considered ‘classics’.

Some conventional insurance companies do have classic car teams in place and are willing to offer quotes for Morris Minors – however, you may find a more suitable policy by consulting a classic car insurance specialist.

What cover is available for a Morris Minor?

Specialist classic car insurance companies offer cover features that may not be available elsewhere and that are tailored for Morris Minor drivers including:

- Agreed/increasing valuations: If you suffered a ‘total loss’ of your Morris Minor – for example if it were stolen or written off – payouts with most conventional companies would be determined by a market valuation. Unfortunately, a market valuation could undervalue your Morris Minor because their values can be so difficult to determine. However, with an agreed valuation a fixed payout is established when you take the policy out, so you know exactly what you will receive if your Minor is written off or stolen (as long as the valuation is guaranteed). Furthermore, some companies even offer increasing valuations reflecting the fact that Morris Minor values often increase the older the vehicles become.

- Breakdown cover: You may struggle to find breakdown cover from a traditional company due to the unique nature of your Morris Minor – so it might be worth adding it on to your insurance policy for an additional premium.

- Laid-up insurance: If you have bought a Morris Minor as a project that you plan to work on in order to make it roadworthy, look for laid-up insurance which will cover the car against theft and mishaps.

- Multi-car insurance: Many Morris Minor drivers own a second vehicle which they use to run errands, etc. If you have another car, consider a multi-car policy which could earn you a discount.

- Event/hire cover: A classic Morris Minor can be the ideal mode of transport for a special event, so look for hire cover if you plan to rent your Minor out.

How much will you pay to insure a Morris Minor?

Insurance premiums are calculated based on your driving history; your address; your annual mileage; your personal circumstances; and the vehicle itself. You might expect to pay more to insure a Morris Minor than you would for a conventional car, but there are actually a number of steps you can take to bring premiums down:

- Agree to a mileage limit: Specialist insurers in particular offer limited mileage discounts which reflect the fact that the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in an accident.

- Increase security: Consider adding alarms, immobilisers and tracking devices to your Morris Minor as they can reduce the risk of vehicle theft and reduce premiums.

- Increase your excess: The excess is your contribution towards a claim – setting it a higher level can bring premiums down although you should be careful to keep it at a level you can comfortably afford.

- Join an owners’ club: Some specialist classic car insurance companies will reward you for joining a Morris Minor owner’s club.

- Park safely: Keep your Morris Minor in a locked garage overnight.

- Take an advanced driving course: Several specialist insurers offer discounts if you complete an advanced driving course such as the Pass Plus or IAM.

When shopping around for car insurance for your Morris Minor, use a comparison website to compare quotes – most of the leading websites include some specialists in their listings. However, remember to look beyond simply the cheapest deal and ensure you’re receiving value for money with the cover options available.

Bilt Hamber rustproofing and polishes

(Apologies – I promised to put up this article some time ago but have been trying to recover the pictures to accompany it from a seized hard drive. Unfortunately I still can’t get the pictures back, so here are just the words for now)

While we were building this car we spent a lot of time working out how best to protect it from the elements. We knew even then that the car would be doing a lot more mileage than most Minors and that inevitably it would be at risk of corrosion from road detritus etc. After a bit of online research I spoke to Bilt Hamber, who’d had some fantastic reviews in the classic car press. They’re still relatively little known in the UK compared to people like AutoGlym and the other big players but the high praise they were receiving persuaded us to have a chat with them.

After discussing our needs, they despatched some Dynax S50 injection wax to inject into the chassis rails. Traveller Timbers who built the body did the dirty bit for us, though from what they said we needn’t have worried about doing it ourselves. The pressurised cans came complete with a long thin nozzle and actually applying it appeared to be a breeze. On the external surfaces, the S50 stuck well to the metal and stayed ’sticky’  and soft even now some months later. It’s also a lot less ugly than thick underseal (although I can think of better colours than brown!). Since it stays soft, it can also ‘heal’ itself if it gets knocked, which gives more peace of mind.

It was a fairly warm day when it was sprayed, but just to be sure the can was warmed slightly beforehand. The cans went a surprisingly long way – the last thing I wanted was to ’skimp’ at this point and Traveller Timbers were instructed to “give it a good blast” but we still had nearly a full can left over afterwards.

You can’t see the brown anymore as road grime has coated  and stuck to it, so it looks quite ’standard’ underneath there now. More importantly, its definitely still soft and pliant. I’m pretty sure that by now Waxoyl would have gone hard and started to crack, leaving metal open to the elements. I’ve been back under the car this week while its up on the ramps having the rear shocker conversion done, and I couldn’t find any gaps anywhere. Bilt Hamber continue to win huge praise for all their products, so I’m happy I made the right choice. Have a look at the tests they’ve done here.