Common Car Insurance Scams -- And How You Can Avoid Them

Sadie’s husband bought her a brand spanking new Cadillac for Christmas! With a big red bow on it just like you see in the TV ads! On December 30, with just 759 miles on it, coming home from Publix she was T-boned at an intersection by a red light runner!

More from Amelia Island: 1996 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo - Lot 102 (RM Sotheby’s) Sold for $53,200 Younger collectors are creating an increase in demand for ’90s Japanese sports cars, and while the Nissan Skyline, Toyota Supra and Acura NSX are getting the bulk of the attention, it’s a tide that’s raising all ships, including the Nissan 300ZX.

The 2019 Amelia Island Auction Week total now stands at $80 million. A 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB brought $2,205,000 at RM Sotheby’s — and was high sale at the 2019 Amelia Island Auction Week. RM Sotheby’s led all auctions houses with a $38.1 million total during their March 8-9 auction. Gooding and Company totaled $22 million during their March 8 auction. A 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Runabout was high sale at $1,765,000.

The Restomod is a relatively recent phenomenon in the collector-car world. As an alternative to the “survivor restoration” process, these new cars mix old and new technology to create the best of both worlds, matching classic styling with modern comfort, performance and reliability. From giant, retro-styled wheels to Singer’s hand-built Porsches, enthusiasts are able to have their cake and eat it too!

Through no fault of her own, Amanda’s 2017 Hyundai Elantra was involved in an accident. It needed $3,902 in repairs, which was paid for by the at-fault driver’s insurance company. As a result of the accident, and despite the fact that Amanda’s Elantra was professionally repaired, it suffered ‘Diminished Value’, or a sudden loss of value.

Tim M’s 2014 Kia Sorrento was stolen in December 2018, never to be seen again! His insurance company offered to compensate him $11,329 for his total loss. Tim felt this was less than fair market value so contacted us to help him. We advised him to inform his insurance company that he wished to invoke the ‘Appraisal Clause’ in his policy. We all have one in our policies!

Want to get into the collector car hobby through financing? Here are some options to consider and remember in almost all cases the lender will require an independent current Fair Market Value Appraisal to determine the amount of the loan. Hobby-Specific Financing: This is a fairly new alternative for someone wishing to buy an antique, classic or collectible vehicle. The loan representatives understand the collector car market – namely, why a 40-year old car might cost upwards of $50,000, or much more! Interest rates tend to be low and loan terms can be generous, keeping monthly payments affordable. See a list of potential loan providers. PROS: Very low monthly payments doesn’t tie up cash CONS: The cost of borrowing money

This 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO coupe sold for $2,540,251 at Bonhams’ Bond Street Sale on December 2, 2017. This was good money at the time, but RM Sotheby’s just sold a 288 GTO for $3,360,000 at their just-completed 2019 Arizona Auction. The car was high sale for RM Sotheby’s. Only 272 of these beautiful cars were built. Are we seeing a market rise for these cars? Stay tuned for Amelia Island in a few weeks!

According to the results of the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, a better warranty is not one of the most important factors considered by consumers when choosing a new vehicle. The same study, however, consistently finds that consumers say reliability and durability are the most important factors in their choice of vehicle.

By law, if a car owner wants his or her car to be legal to drive, then that car must have a car insurance policy in force, which is a law that also extends to modified cars. This is true even if the owner drives the car or not, whether the car has a registration plate or not, and whether it runs or not. However, insuring a modified car is not the same as insuring a non-modified car, and there are strict rules and regulations the modified car owner must follow. While many modified car owners purchase full tort insurance policies from specialized insurance agents experienced with modified car insurance policies, getting any policy for the car has some downfalls.