Some info about Insuring a modded or custom late model car.. NOT FUN!

[Mr. iNCREDIBLE]

This will be a bit of a read so sit down and enjoy..

There is some info here about Custom cars (paint, wheels, stereos, etc) and Insurance and the follies that unfold when you mod a car.

so... once again my 300C is being completely repainted, all related to some retard smacking my car (or in this case vandalism)....


Most might recall the 2 little incidents I had couple weeks ago (getting run off the road and smacking the front of my car, and then the retard backing into the drivers side rear door).

http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=184302

http://www.lxforums.com/board/showthread.php?t=184582


So last year the car was in need of some TLC some various paint issues as a result of retarded Angelenos and their complete disrespect for other peoples property..

I decided since I had to paint 2/3s of the car anyway to pay a little more and get the whole car done in Matte (aka Flat) Black.

I had contacted my insurance company at the time and inquired about additional coverage to cover the custom paint, as I was told that it would be difficult to match and blend if something ever happened..

Since that time I have been paying an additional amount monthly for the "endorsement" to cover the paint and body work, not much money, but enough..

So few weeks ago I have some issues, I take the car to 2 body shops recommended by my insurance and both tell me they won't touch the car (the shop that originally did the work is out of business, so to speak, the guys I know aren't there anymore and new people are running it).

One of the insurance shops tells me about a custom shop around the corner, so I take the car there, they flat out tell me they will not attempt to match and blend the paint and that the car has to be completely repainted, they write an estimate and send it to my insurance ($9600).

The insurance adjuster comes out and makes an estimate of $3400, and informs me that they will NOT cover repainting the car, even though I have this endorsement that says they will.

I contacted MattRobertson here at LXF because I know he works in the insurance industry, he gives me some advice, which I follow thru with.

first I contacted the Dept. of Insurance in CA and filed a complaint, then I spoke with an attorney.

Then I pulled the car from the shop it was and went to get several other estimates just to point out the insurance company that this is where we are, the car has to be repainted, I paid for additional insurance for this purpose (and I had all the emails back and forth with my Insurance Agent when I added the endorsement, specifically addressing the coverage to be sure this would not happen).

so in the end this is what was discovered:

the endorsement that was added was specific in it's wording for "Classic Vehicles" only with production dates from 1928 to 1968, however my Agent apparently didn't read that part, so the endorsement is not valid on a late model car..

additionally there is verbiage to the extent that if the car is used "primarily" for exhibition or shows it is not covered for vandalism suffered in such an environment.


So the end result.


Since the policy/endorsement was written in error; the Insurance Company is legally required to cover the damage (minus my deductible) according to the Dept. of Insurance (DOI).

So reluctantly the insurance company is repainting the car, however I was "forced" to sign an exclusion which requires that the car be repainted in a standard color (no custom paint) that can be matched and blended in the future or future coverage will be denied.. Basically if I go with Matte Black again, they will refuse to paint the car in future claims..

Additionally they will be sending someone to view the repairs once complete to verify that standard paint was applied or they will refuse pay for the repairs..

Whether or not this exclusion is within their rights has yet to be determined, but the attorney I spoke with advised that I go with this "exclusion" get the car repaired, painted and then change insurance companies. Otherwise I will spend much more in legal fees that the cost of painting the car again myself fighting this matter.

I decided to stay away from Brilliant Black Pearl, never cared for the color, the insurance was non-specific as to me having to use "Chrysler" colors, so I choose Mercedes Jet Black, a non-metallic, non-pearl color, basically a straight deep dark black with no frills..

Easy to match and blend in the event of another mishap, plus the added bonus of being slightly different..


am I happy? NO, I liked my Matte Black Paint, it was a conversation piece everywhere I went, people old and young always commented on it, stopped to look at it, it was different and it stood out without standing out.

But it is what it is, the car is over 5 years old, has near 90,000 miles, has nothing original left on it, has a new motor, new trans, new drive shaft, new rear end, new wire harness, new computers (PCM,FCM), new brakes, new suspension, all warranty (well except the brakes and suspension) and all within the past roughly 6,000 miles and now new paint.. so I have a new 5 year old NEW car..

I've decided to stop modding my 300C after this, leave it as is, just finish a couple of tid-bits that have been sitting in my garage for a few months.

I am moving on to another vehicle to mod, something old pre-1970, and something fun, really want a 2 seater Roadster Convertible of some kind, the few Porsche 356 Speedster Replicas I have looked at have fallen thru, but I'm going to keep looking until I find something..

The 300C is now officially a daily driver, and insured as just another boring ass car on the road..

[cleary524]

holy crap dude!

[fnkychkn]

wow, Marc. how messed up is that? i loved the look of the matte finish. made your car look like pure evil.

[BIG SMOOTH]

Been 3 years since I first met you on that Chrysler commercial set in LA when your car was the BB color you "adore"

I've been following your story here and offline too and can't believe it has indeed come to this point.

Tha Matte Black was hands down awesome and I'm sorry to see it go though I know how much of a PITA it was to maintain.

Hopefully this "new" color on this old "new" car will still dazzle us all.

I'll be up at your place within the next month or so to see it completed.

BTW, I emailed you back.

[MattRobertson]

Jesus what a mess.

I can pretty much guarantee you, and as we talked about already privately, there is no way they can enforce those repainting requirements on you... if you fight in court you will win... but you will spend your ass getting that win, which is why you did the right thing taking the deal.

But there's no cost associated with reporting them to the CA Dept. of Insurance for doing this. They made their problem your problem. If there is a clause in the settlement saying you can't report them, I'd give consideration to blowing it off, as thats the same thing as a blackmailer getting you to sign a piece of paper saying you will pay the blackmail and never go to the cops.

Drivers of late-model, modded cars are in a serious pickle. There are only a very VERY few mod-friendly insurance markets out there. Marc did everything right. And he still got screwed. Not because the insurance co. is out to cheat people, but because he is outside their box and they just do not expect to be dealing with this kind of enthusiast owner... and they are staffed with people who are *absolutely* clueless as to what the modding hobby is about and what is required to make it right.

/rant

Glad it turned out at least reasonably OK Marc.

[Arixona]

That sucks. Insurance is such a scam.

You got any pics of it while it was flat?

[BIG SMOOTH]

Here's a pic of him towing a trailer

[BIG SMOOTH]

Here's another.....

[Super T]

So, what company will do us right? My replacemeent cost would be close to $80k, I need to get adjusted coverage somehow.

Posted via LXFMobile

[Ron380]

Marc, Sorry to hear about all the trouble you had with this! What a mess!

I did like the matte black, but I think that Mercedes black is going to look really good too. Do you have any "after" pics yet? I'd love to see it!

Try not to let this get you down for too long, that still one of the nicest cars here!

[bklynmag]

Man it sux to read this but glad to see they didn't try to walk away on you.

Any thoughts to some matte black accents on the paint after the insurance company comes out and gives their final approval?

[Magnum P.I]

Here's another.....

That is truely one sexy ride, but Marc that down right blows to hear what happened.

[ICEChargerRT]

Matt, Which are the more mod friendly insurance companies and which ones should be avoided by those with modded cars?

[EmagdniM]

That sucks Marc, sorry to hear this...I loved the Matte as well. What if you do the Mercedes black in all the spots it was matte, and put in a matte stripe down the side in place of the stripe you have now? Or is that not an option either?

[redinorange]

made your car look like pure evil.

Pure evil is expensive. Plain old evil? Not so much...