Finding Car Insurance For Customized Vehicles
If you’ve taken the time to customize a car, you owe it to yourself to buy sufficient insurance protection for your vehicle. Unfortunately, standard car insurance quotes often neglect customized parts and add-ons for vehicles, and drivers that buy only standard types of car insurance coverage put their customized vehicles at risk. While the stock, factory parts of a car are generally covered in an accident, expensive customization will be largely ignored by standard insurers.
Fortunately, there are ways for custom car fans to keep their treasured vehicles fully insured. Many insurers offer a special add-on designed specifically for vehicles that have been highly customized. Custom parts and equipment coverage (sometimes referred to simply as CPAE coverage) insures additional parts for your vehicle that are not manufacturer standard, as long as those parts have been declared and insured before a claim takes place. There are also special insurance policies for cars with heavy amounts of customization. For intricately detailed vehicles, these policies may require a visual inspection or pictures taken from several angles. You should keep receipts and other proof for any customization that you perform on your vehicle when you pay for customized vehicle insurance, and stay in good contact with your insurance agent to make sure that you’re doing everything necessary to keep your policy in good order.
When looking at cheap car insurance quotes for customized vehicles, it’s important to read all attached terms. In particular, read up on exclusions–these are situations in which your insurance company won’t pay for repairs or replacement of customized parts. Coverage for customized parts and equipment won’t necessarily cover things like theft and acts of God, either, so talk to your agent to make sure that you know what you’re paying for. It’s important to know how your policy works in order to avoid any nasty surprises when you go to make a claim.
As with other types of special coverage, it’s important to shop around before buying. Look at several insurers, and consider all aspects of their coverage when making a decision (not just their premiums). You’re protecting a valuable vehicle, after all, so your primary concern should be buying an appropriate amount of coverage. If you have friends with customized vehicles, ask them for tips. Word of mouth is often a great way to find a trustworthy insurance agent. Whatever you do, don’t drive a customized car without appropriate insurance. There’s nothing worse than a car accident, particularly when your prized vehicle isn’t sufficiently covered, but low-cost customized parts coverage is available, and it’s an essential buy for serious car fans. A little research beforehand can go a long way with insurance policies.
