Ask me anything about Car Insurance [Archive] - Page 2 - Beyond.ca - Car Forums

tom_9109

11-13-2009, 03:45 PM

In my opinion provided that you were to carry either 'All Perils' or 'Comprehensive' on the vehicle in question that your insurance WOULD cover the accidental damages caused while polishing your vehicle.

Under Section C of the policy

'All Risks' covers everything except the exclusions stated in the policy. There is no exclusion for accidental damages caused by polishing your paint.

'Comprehensive' (which is what most people have) protects the vehicle against any peril other than collision or upset with the exception of the exclusions state in the policy. Once again, there is no exclusion to accidental damages caused by polishing your paint or any exclusion that could be interpreted as such.

Now if you only carry Liability (PLPD) there would be no coverages for this. You would have to have either 'All Risks' or 'Comprehensive' to cover this.

That is what insurance is for, to cover the unexpected and accidental damages to the vehicle. Providing that it truly was an accident the policy should respond to your claim. They can then at that time determine their best course of action be it partial repaint, completed repaint, total loss etc. Its completely up to them.

I would imagine that quite a few insurance people would like to tell you that there is no coverage because you did it to your own car however this is not the case. They insurance company is bound to the policy and the policy does not exclude accidentally damaging your own paint.

Anyone care to share any other points of view on this, I'd love the discussion.

Masked Bandit

11-13-2009, 04:39 PM

I'm not going to pretend to be an adjuster so I'll defer to those on the board that are, but I would guess yes, it would be covered.

One of the things I've learned over the years is that there is no "stupidity clause" on comprehensive or all risk policies. There probably should be, but I guess that would be tough to enforce.

sandy.tang35

12-28-2009, 11:13 AM

Nice informative post for those who are looking insurance of their car.

2EFNFAST

12-28-2009, 05:53 PM

Actually, had another question I was thinking of.

If you file a claim that doesn't involve another vehicle or object (e.g., you're driving down the road, there's a big-ass hump that destroys your front splitter), can they raise your rates, or if it's no-fault like that (object in the road) are you safe?

I think so, but some part of me questions that for some reason?

tom_9109

12-28-2009, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by 2EFNFAST
Actually, had another question I was thinking of.

If you file a claim that doesn't involve another vehicle or object (e.g., you're driving down the road, there's a big-ass hump that destroys your front splitter), can they raise your rates, or if it's no-fault like that (object in the road) are you safe?

I think so, but some part of me questions that for some reason?

This would count as a collision claim.

Collision is defined as:

Collision with any object or the surface of the road or upset of the vehicle. Your front splitter in this case collided with the road. I'd expect this to increase your rates the same as a major accident that was your fault would. An at fault collision claim is an at fault collision claim, regardless of the exact circumstance.

Masked Bandit

12-28-2009, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by tom_9109

This would count as a collision claim.

Collision is defined as:

Collision with any object or the surface of the road or upset of the vehicle. Your front splitter in this case collided with the road. I'd expect this to increase your rates the same as a major accident that was your fault would. An at fault collision claim is an at fault collision claim, regardless of the exact circumstance.

Just for the sake of clarity, about the only common situation that falls under collision that doesn't increase your rates is a hit & run.

tom_9109

12-28-2009, 09:52 PM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit

Just for the sake of clarity, about the only common situation that falls under collision that doesn't increase your rates is a hit & run.

Do all companies do this or just some? Also there's some things that are technically collision claims but the companies all treat them as comprehensive. Ie, animal hits.

Interesting this is ICBC covers Hit and Runs without upping the rates however a few years ago they felt they were getting a lot of bogus hit and run claims. Their new policy is all hit and runs are to be brought to the appraisal office on a certain day with police present. Reported hit and runs in BC dropped 80% immediately. Interesting how many people will say somethings a hit and run when its now.

Masked Bandit

12-28-2009, 10:03 PM

Originally posted by tom_9109

Do all companies do this or just some? Also there's some things that are technically collision claims but the companies all treat them as comprehensive. Ie, animal hits.

Interesting this is ICBC covers Hit and Runs without upping the rates however a few years ago they felt they were getting a lot of bogus hit and run claims. Their new policy is all hit and runs are to be brought to the appraisal office on a certain day with police present. Reported hit and runs in BC dropped 80% immediately. Interesting how many people will say somethings a hit and run when its now.

In ten years I've never had a company hold a hit & run against a client so I'm guessing it's industry standard (in Alberta anyway). ICBC has done some weird shit in the last few years but I think the rates of bogus claims on government provinces (BC, SK, MB) is quite a bit higher than it is here.

2EFNFAST

12-28-2009, 10:20 PM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit

Just for the sake of clarity, about the only common situation that falls under collision that doesn't increase your rates is a hit & run.

The road (hump) hit me and didn't provide any insurance information; I think that's believable.......:confused:

wylderhoads

12-29-2009, 01:38 AM

After getting a plan with a company how long can you expect to wait for a decrease in your policy price if your over 25 (i'm 31)?

idriveabox

12-29-2009, 02:02 AM

Originally posted by 2EFNFAST
Bump for question :D

If you're polishing your car's paint (clearcoat) and accidently burn through your clearcoat and need a repaint, will your policy cover that?

My first answer was no, my insurance agent's answer was no, but I was talking to an adjuster who said they had a case where somebody did just that and the company paid for an entire repaint.

:confused:

Insurance policies cover fortuitous loss and indemnify the insured when a loss occurs. The incident must be accidental or by chance and not due to anyone's intention.

Perhaps the adjuster who covered this loss was misinformed. Whats stopping anyone from an 'accidental' over polish which requires a new paint job?

I can't see this ever being covered.

Masked Bandit

12-29-2009, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by 2EFNFAST

The road (hump) hit me and didn't provide any insurance information; I think that's believable.......:confused:

As funny as that is (I honestly laughed) I've had clients do this a couple of times over the years and both times it's come back as at-fault.

2ZZJay

10-30-2011, 12:13 PM

Not sure if this has been asked already. Does everyone one in Alberta have SEF 27? Or do you have to add this to your insurance?

Ie should i take the rental car's cdw if i already have sef27?

I read it only covers physical damage to the rental. Would that cover theft of rental, or ie lit on fire.

thanks for your help

Masked Bandit

10-30-2011, 12:31 PM

Technically it's optional coverage on your policy but if you've got full coverage already any insurance broker worth their salt would have just put the coverage on automatically.

I haven't paid for a CDW from a rental company ever. The only downside that I can see with using your SEF 27 on a rental is if you smash up the rental it will count against you just as if you were driving your own car. However if you use the CDW from the rental company the claim just kind of disappears into never-neverland.

2ZZJay

10-30-2011, 12:41 PM

Thanks for the clarification Masked Bandit

So i would just pay the deductible if i crashed the rental car.

I just wanted to know the options if i have to rent a car!!

J-D

10-30-2011, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by 2ZZJay
Thanks for the clarification Masked Bandit

So i would just pay the deductible if i crashed the rental car.

I just wanted to know the options if i have to rent a car!!

Lots of credit cards have CDW too.

Masked Bandit

10-30-2011, 03:12 PM

BMDUBS

10-30-2011, 05:59 PM

A few questions:

Im at a red light and get rear ended. If I call my insurance company to report that I have been in an accident that is not my fault will this go on the record as "being involved in an accident"? Will doing this effect my rates strictly based on the statistic of being involved in an accident even if it was deemed not my fault??

Or is it better to not report, get the other drivers insurance information and do the leg work of getting my car fixed and leaving my insurance company out of it altogether?

4DoorGTZ

10-30-2011, 07:43 PM

What are some of the local insurance companes that offer Agreed Value insurance? Able to find lots for collector cars, but I've got a modified vehicle thats only 6yrs old.

-already has:
+40% power
Wider wheels/tires

-would like to:
alter ride height (coilovers)
further widen wheels/tires
move to +50% power from stock

Currently paying a policy as if it was a stock vehicle of about 90/mo. Would agreed value coverage ($35k) be much more/less? (not a daily driver, only a summer cruiser. 10k km in 4yrs)

Masked Bandit

10-31-2011, 08:23 AM

Originally posted by 4DoorGTZ
What are some of the local insurance companes that offer Agreed Value insurance? Able to find lots for collector cars, but I've got a modified vehicle thats only 6yrs old.

-already has:
+40% power
Wider wheels/tires

-would like to:
alter ride height (coilovers)
further widen wheels/tires
move to +50% power from stock

Currently paying a policy as if it was a stock vehicle of about 90/mo. Would agreed value coverage ($35k) be much more/less? (not a daily driver, only a summer cruiser. 10k km in 4yrs)

It's not the value of the vehicle that's the issue, it's the modifications to the powertrain. I can tell you that the policy you are currently paying is almost worthless. If you are involved in an at-fault claim and the adjuster discovers significant modifications to increase power they have the legal right to leave you hanging in the wind.

I'm not 100% sure but I think there is an outfit by the name of Competition Insurance that has a program to properly insure modified vehicles. However I suspect, like collector programs, the 19 y/o fast & furious with their riced out Civics need not apply.

Masked Bandit

10-31-2011, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by BMDUBS
A few questions:

Im at a red light and get rear ended. If I call my insurance company to report that I have been in an accident that is not my fault will this go on the record as "being involved in an accident"? Will doing this effect my rates strictly based on the statistic of being involved in an accident even if it was deemed not my fault??

Or is it better to not report, get the other drivers insurance information and do the leg work of getting my car fixed and leaving my insurance company out of it altogether?

Absolutely report it to your company. Let them do as much of the leg work as possible. As a general rule of thumb not at fault claims won't hurt you but there are a few exceptions. Your broker should be able to walk you through the ins & outs of your specific carrier. Of course that's assuming you have a broker. If you are with a direct writer (banks, AMA, etc) well, good luck getting any "off the record" advice.

BMDUBS

10-31-2011, 07:41 PM

Thanks for reply. I just remeber as a youth I had an accident that wasnt my fault, told my insurance and my rates went up! I was pissed. When I asked they mentioned it was because I was involved in an accident, statistically I was at higher risk, my fault or not!? This was with Dominion.

I am just trying to clear this up as a friend is in the situation discribed above.His insurance co, AMA asked him "do you want to make a claim?" and he said yes even though he wasnt sure and the other driver was at fault. I think its best to have the least amount of communication with the insurance company as all possible and handle an accident thats not your fault on your own.

Also the guys insurance company forced him to go with one of their "prefered" repair shops. This is one I have never heard of and they didnt fix his Audi S4 B5 to his satisfaction. Whats the word on this? Do you have to take it to their prefered? What options do you generally have?

Thanks again

Masked Bandit

10-31-2011, 07:58 PM

Originally posted by BMDUBS
Thanks for reply. I just remeber as a youth I had an accident that wasnt my fault, told my insurance and my rates went up! I was pissed. When I asked they mentioned it was because I was involved in an accident, statistically I was at higher risk, my fault or not!? This was with Dominion.

I am just trying to clear this up as a friend is in the situation discribed above.His insurance co, AMA asked him "do you want to make a claim?" and he said yes even though he wasnt sure and the other driver was at fault. I think its best to have the least amount of communication with the insurance company as all possible and handle an accident thats not your fault on your own.

Also the guys insurance company forced him to go with one of their "prefered" repair shops. This is one I have never heard of and they didnt fix his Audi S4 B5 to his satisfaction. Whats the word on this? Do you have to take it to their prefered? What options do you generally have?

Thanks again

There is a key phrase in your reply, "have the least amount of communication with the insurance COMPANY" and to some extent, I agree. I would however say that you should have unlimited communication with your BROKER. This is one of the downfalls of dealing with a direct writer like AMA. You have no middleman you can rely on to give you some unbiased, off the record advice.

As for the shop, you don't HAVE to use one of the insurance company's preferred vendors but it usually makes things run much more smoothly.

guessboi

10-31-2011, 08:44 PM

+1. and always ask questions...Most brokers do our best to help. Also call your broker if you are not sure whether to report a minor claim or not...

I hate it when I pull insurance reports seeing an at fault claim with a pay out by the insurance company under ie. $1,000.

These little at fault claims can affect your insurance for many years! :facepalm:

BMDUBS

10-31-2011, 09:08 PM

Well based on the last two replys it sounds like it is fair to say that if you are NOT with a broker, do not call you insurance company for anything unless it is a claim towards them.

So tell me about brokers? I just tried calling Landy and they couldnt compete whatsoever with TD insurance and required a whole slew of addtinal information including insurance inspections for my 1994 car?

What reasons should I go with a broker to justify $200+ dollars a year in extra insurance cost??

bart

10-31-2011, 10:33 PM

where do i buy car insurance if i take my car to europe?

Abeo

11-01-2011, 08:12 AM

Masked Bandit

11-01-2011, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by BMDUBS
Well based on the last two replys it sounds like it is fair to say that if you are NOT with a broker, do not call you insurance company for anything unless it is a claim towards them.

So tell me about brokers? I just tried calling Landy and they couldnt compete whatsoever with TD insurance and required a whole slew of addtinal information including insurance inspections for my 1994 car?

What reasons should I go with a broker to justify $200+ dollars a year in extra insurance cost??

Your assuming that A) Brokers are always more expensive than banks and B) Lundgren & Young has access to every single insurance company in Alberta.

Up until a couple of years ago banks would usually win out on price. That was true. However a few of the bigger insurance companies (Intact & Aviva come to mind) have gotten agressive on a very selective customer profile. If you are the right client these companies are kicking the hell out of banks. I just wrote a guy yesterday that was a full 30% cheaper than a bank. But he was what we call a nice clean risk. Home & auto insurance, over 30 years old, nice clean driving record, a couple of vehicles (one of them newer), no payment problems.

So yes, the banks may be cheaper for YOU at the moment but that may very well change as your situation changes.

No one single insurance provider is the "best" for every client.

G-ZUS

11-01-2011, 08:31 AM

Originally posted by tom_9109
In my opinion provided that you were to carry either 'All Perils' or 'Comprehensive' on the vehicle in question that your insurance WOULD cover the accidental damages caused while polishing your vehicle.

Under Section C of the policy

'All Risks' covers everything except the exclusions stated in the policy. There is no exclusion for accidental damages caused by polishing your paint.

'Comprehensive' (which is what most people have) protects the vehicle against any peril other than collision or upset with the exception of the exclusions state in the policy. Once again, there is no exclusion to accidental damages caused by polishing your paint or any exclusion that could be interpreted as such.

Now if you only carry Liability (PLPD) there would be no coverages for this. You would have to have either 'All Risks' or 'Comprehensive' to cover this.

That is what insurance is for, to cover the unexpected and accidental damages to the vehicle. Providing that it truly was an accident the policy should respond to your claim. They can then at that time determine their best course of action be it partial repaint, completed repaint, total loss etc. Its completely up to them.

I would imagine that quite a few insurance people would like to tell you that there is no coverage because you did it to your own car however this is not the case. They insurance company is bound to the policy and the policy does not exclude accidentally damaging your own paint.

Anyone care to share any other points of view on this, I'd love the discussion.

Maybe I will attempt to polish my car this spring, I always stayed away due to fear of burning through

-relk-

11-01-2011, 09:02 AM

I did not read through all of the replies, and I don't believe this question was answered 100% so I hope I did not miss anything.

I backed into someone in a parking lot around a year ago, destroyed their bumper, but mine only had a small scratch. We worked it out and I paid for the bumper and everything went fine. I called my insurance company the other day (TD) and one of the questions they asked me was "Have you had any accidents that we do not know about?", or something along those lines. I did not disclose the accident from a year ago, but I was curious if that could get me in trouble?

Masked Bandit

11-01-2011, 09:20 AM

^^^^^^

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Hallowed_point

11-01-2011, 12:39 PM

Masked Bandit: If I were to hypothetically add a skip shift dis abler onto my car could this void my policy? I wouldn't call this a racing modification , as from the factory the car forces you to shift from 1 st into 4th at low speeds... :whipped: :facepalm:

Masked Bandit

11-01-2011, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by Hallowed_point
Masked Bandit: If I were to hypothetically add a skip shift dis abler onto my car could this void my policy? I wouldn't call this a racing modification , as from the factory the car forces you to shift from 1 st into 4th at low speeds... :whipped: :facepalm:

Technically speaking any kind of modifications "can" cause problems but my question is WHY would you want to do something like that?

-relk-

11-01-2011, 01:48 PM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit
^^^^^^

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

What I was thinking initially. Just wanted to check. Hypothetically though, what if they found out? Lets say I told them ( :facepalm: ), would my insurance go up even though I did not make a claim?

Hallowed_point

11-01-2011, 02:23 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Masked Bandit

Technically speaking any kind of modifications "can" cause problems but my question is WHY would you want to do something like that? [/QUOTE

Because I want it to be like any other manual I've driven (pick what gear I want at any time not have a solenoid tell me I have to shift into 4th to conserve fuel)

guessboi

11-01-2011, 02:37 PM

^^ I am sure Masked Bandit and I go by reports.

We can't say the same for banks if you tell them. :rolleyes:

Masked Bandit

11-01-2011, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by -relk-

What I was thinking initially. Just wanted to check. Hypothetically though, what if they found out? Lets say I told them ( :facepalm: ), would my insurance go up even though I did not make a claim?

As crazy as it sounds there are insurance companies out there that will rate you for an accident you say you had even if nothing shows up on the insurance history database (Autoplus). That's why you need a decent broker to filter this kind of information for you.

Masked Bandit

11-01-2011, 04:19 PM

Originally posted by Hallowed_point
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Masked Bandit

Technically speaking any kind of modifications &quot;can&quot; cause problems but my question is WHY would you want to do something like that? [/QUOTE

Because I want it to be like any other manual I've driven (pick what gear I want at any time not have a solenoid tell me I have to shift into 4th to conserve fuel)

I see. I can't imagine it being a problem at all.

Hallowed_point

11-01-2011, 04:38 PM

Should I tell my provider this or just do it and hope for the best should something happen? :dunno: I'd hate to be paying for full coverage and get screwed over for something as minor as that.

Abeo

11-01-2011, 05:15 PM

So when I called TD MM to cancel my policies, it turns out I was flagged in the system as having a modified turbocharged car (which was a surprise to me, the car is completely stock).

This was all because I called to ask if they could insure a cali car which was modded, and I wanted to see if/how much it would be to insure a modded car (with all mods disclosed). Pisses me off that they did that.

Mar

11-01-2011, 05:26 PM

From another thread, does your payout change on your stolen car if the police find one of your keys left in the ignition? Let's assume the car was stolen from you and then completely burned.

94boosted

11-03-2011, 10:49 AM

Originally posted by night888

Hi, when you first sign up for auto insurance, the insurance broker will ask you:

Are there any modifications to the engine, ground clearance, interior rollcage, or tires to the vehicle?

If you answer yes to any of those, the broker takes down the details of the modifications, and it gets referred to the company's underwriter for approval. If the company doesn't approve it, the broker should then check to see if residual market (read: high risk insurance) will accept the risk (they basically accept everything normal insurance companies wont).

Now, if you lied and answered "no" to modifications and then an accident occurred, it would really be up to the adjuster how aggressively they would fight to deny the claim. If it was a minor fender bender they may not even notice the mods, and it might just proceed normally...but if there's a lot of money involved (disabilities, etc.) then you can be certain that the insurance company will do everything Keep in mind, however, that if you were injured, insurance will probably err on the side of caution and pay out for stuff covered under your Accident Benefits...but in the worst case scenario, they may turn around and subrogate (read: sue) you for anything they paid out.

Long story short...anytime you make mods to your vehicle to the engine, ground clearance, rollcage, or tires, or any type of performance mods (turbo upgrade, headers, etc.) give your insurance company a call and let them know...it's not worth the risk of a claim occurring and them denying it.

Can someone elaborate a bit further on this whole modification thing. I've heard so many different stories about this... the most common is; if your vehicle is "a bit" modified i.e. wheels, tires, intake, exhaust a few cosmetic mods you shouldn't have any troubles with insurance (without informing them). If you look out on the road today a lot of the cars out there have some sort of a "modification" whether it be some aftermarket wheels & tires (summer or winter), lowered or raised suspension..... and you don't hear of many if any at all horror stories about people being denied insurance payouts because of these "modifications". Heck 90% of the cars on beyond are probably atleast somewhat modified and again you don't hear of any issues with insurance and I highly doubt most people have informed their insurance companies about these mods.

It's a different story when a car is heavily modified for racing and your driving it on the street I suppose.

71car2

11-03-2011, 06:41 PM

Here's a question I'd like to know:

For insurance purpose,

Would a insurance company pay the appraisal value on a vintage car ... if it should be in an serious accident?

I've heard many different views from many insurance agents when I asked that question. No one can give me a define answer. Some will say they go by black book value, some will go by their own appraisal (not the independent type) and some will accept that to use. I've heard many insurances like to try pay the lowest value.

Frankly, I oppose to these ones saying to use the black book value since they are so out of date with incorrect info. I had been advised to hire an appraisal agent to look over my vintage car and have it signed on paper to keep in file.

Masked Bandit

11-04-2011, 07:47 AM

Originally posted by 71car2
Here's a question I'd like to know:

For insurance purpose,

Would a insurance company pay the appraisal value on a vintage car ... if it should be in an serious accident?

I've heard many different views from many insurance agents when I asked that question. No one can give me a define answer. Some will say they go by black book value, some will go by their own appraisal (not the independent type) and some will accept that to use. I've heard many insurances like to try pay the lowest value.

Frankly, I oppose to these ones saying to use the black book value since they are so out of date with incorrect info. I had been advised to hire an appraisal agent to look over my vintage car and have it signed on paper to keep in file.

It depends what coverage you have and how the policy has been set up. There are policies available that will cover a vehicle for an appraised value but that has to be arranged up front. If you just put your 1976 F250 on your regular policy it will simply be insured for it's stock value ($150 in scrap metal). You can't pay premium based on a run of the mill junker car when in reality it's a pristine restored machine and expect to get the collector value. I'm guessing you've spoken with your broker on this already? Most insurance companies that write regular home & auto insurance have specialty programs available for collector / antique / classic cars.

Cos

11-04-2011, 07:58 AM

I have always wondered this. How would insurance calculate a car that is wrecked when it was insured as the bade model.

This has happened on my Mustang (it is called a Mustang, not a Cobra) and I know people with Evo's have had the same thing where they are (or were at least) insured as Lancers.

If it were to become stolen or written off a Cobra is worth a hell of a lot more than a base v8 mustang. So since they are insuring it 'wrong' how do they figure that out if you make a claim?

Masked Bandit

11-04-2011, 08:32 AM

Originally posted by Cos
I have always wondered this. How would insurance calculate a car that is wrecked when it was insured as the bade model.

This has happened on my Mustang (it is called a Mustang, not a Cobra) and I know people with Evo's have had the same thing where they are (or were at least) insured as Lancers.

If it were to become stolen or written off a Cobra is worth a hell of a lot more than a base v8 mustang. So since they are insuring it 'wrong' how do they figure that out if you make a claim?

I'm reading a policy that says "03 Ford Mustang Cobra 2DR"

:dunno:

Maybe you're just talking out your a$$? :D

I do know what you're getting at though. The codes we use to classify & rate vehicles often cover more than one trim level. The F150 is a perfect example. Ford has about 17 different trim levels to a basic 4x4 crew cab configuration. We have one code. From an insurance pricing viewpoint a base model F150 crew cab 4x4 is the same to insure as a fully loaded Platinum Edition (or whatever Ford's top trim level is in the F150 these days). However come claim time the adjuster will source & value based on the specific trim level.

Cos

11-04-2011, 08:59 AM

^^ fair enough. On my pink card it just says Mustang Coupe. Haha

Yeah the same would go with the F150. Platinum/Limited would be the top besides the raptor btw.

Hallowed_point

11-04-2011, 12:15 PM

I asked the same question on my SRT-4 as it listed Neon on the insurance lol I thought id be getting a 3 k car for value in case of an accident haha :eek:

94boosted

11-04-2011, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by 94boosted

Can someone elaborate a bit further on this whole modification thing. I've heard so many different stories about this... the most common is; if your vehicle is "a bit" modified i.e. wheels, tires, intake, exhaust a few cosmetic mods you shouldn't have any troubles with insurance (without informing them). If you look out on the road today a lot of the cars out there have some sort of a "modification" whether it be some aftermarket wheels & tires (summer or winter), lowered or raised suspension..... and you don't hear of many if any at all horror stories about people being denied insurance payouts because of these "modifications". Heck 90% of the cars on beyond are probably atleast somewhat modified and again you don't hear of any issues with insurance and I highly doubt most people have informed their insurance companies about these mods.

It's a different story when a car is heavily modified for racing and your driving it on the street I suppose.

Bump. Masked Bandit, any comments?

lilmira

11-04-2011, 12:54 PM

How do they adjust your rate after a claim (at fault)? Extend of the damage? Violation of traffic rules? I assume a bumper cover replacement will be different than a total lost. If I choose to go to a bodyshop with the lowest quote, I'm not gonna save myself any money but the insurer's right?

Masked Bandit

11-04-2011, 01:10 PM

Originally posted by 94boosted

Bump. Masked Bandit, any comments?

Officially, in writing, on the internet for the world to see...

Always disclose any and all modifications on your vehicle to your insurance advisor whether that be a broker or a direct writer. It is their job to provide you with the best information as it directly relates to your policy.

:angel:

It is somewhat a murky area. Some insurance companies will tolerate more than others and to take that a step further I've had different underwriters at the same company accept or decline different things.

Masked Bandit

11-04-2011, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by lilmira
How do they adjust your rate after a claim (at fault)? Extend of the damage? Violation of traffic rules? I assume a bumper cover replacement will be different than a total lost. If I choose to go to a bodyshop with the lowest quote, I'm not gonna save myself any money but the insurer's right?

The total value of a claim is completely irrelevant. There can be a slight difference if it's ONLY damage to your vehicle and nothing else compared to your vehicle and another vehicle (or property damage).

At at-fault claim is an at-fault claim is an at-fault claim. $1500 or $150,000 paid, it all does the same thing to your future ratings.

lilmira

11-04-2011, 01:31 PM

Ha, I learned something today. I always thought the rate increase will be somewhat related to the total cost of the claim.

:thumbsup:

guessboi

11-04-2011, 03:23 PM

^ yeah so don't claim minor accidents.
You will regret it. :thumbsup:

Nakadah

11-04-2011, 07:36 PM

LOL wait! You have to report to your insurance if you have changed your rims/tires?:eek: Whaaaaaaat? Really? What if I decide to put vinyl on the hood for a few months?

Is that only if you have full insurance or it doesn't matter? What if I am with the basic one?

Am I getting this wrong?

J-hop

11-06-2011, 09:19 AM

I think all masked is saying is that it is in your best interest not that you have to. If you throw on a 4k wheel and tire package I'd probably notify your insurance, if the car gets stolen it's going to be a lot of fun proving that to your insurance and proving they were on the car when it was stolen.

I just go the simple route, 2/3 of my cars were appraised before they were insured. Worked out nice as they both appraised well above book value and the insurance co has insured them at that value not at book value

se7en

11-06-2011, 10:21 AM

If i have a ton of demerits, can I just get my wife to insure my DD(w/collision)? Id keep plpd on my race car to keep insurance history current...

Masked Bandit

11-07-2011, 08:25 AM

Originally posted by se7en
If i have a ton of demerits, can I just get my wife to insure my DD(w/collision)? Id keep plpd on my race car to keep insurance history current...

Only if you want to risk being denied on a claim.

When a vehicle is insured the question that is asked is (basically) "who is driving this car and what are they doing with it?".

Providing a false answer gives the insurance company grounds to deny a claim. With that said, if it's a $1200 parking lot bump the insurance company isn't going to put much effort into proving you're a liar & a cheat. They'll just pay the claim, re-rate your policy and move on.

However if you manage to hit a pedestrian and the insurance company is looking at a $750,000 injury lawsuit, well that's a different story. They'll simply talk to your neighbours & coworkers and find out who REALLY drives the car the most. That's not a situation you want to find yourself in.

You screwed up by racking up a bunch of tickets. Take your lumps like a man, learn from your mistakes and clean up your driving record. Nobody is saying you can't have fun with your car. Hell, I'm the last person to say I'm an angel. The difference is that eventually you learn that there is a time & a place for everything. If you're getting lots of tickets it means you're either not paying attention (bad) or REALLY driving like a jerk when & where you shouldn't be. That's all there is to it.

M.alex

11-08-2011, 04:36 PM

Nobody at my brokerage is answering today, lulz, so I had a question - if I purchase a 1990 vehicle, I believe it needs a safety inspection. Does the insurer let you insure it for X days to go and get your inspection, or does inspection have to be done before purchase (so you can insure it at the time of purchase)?

Abeo

11-08-2011, 04:48 PM

Originally posted by M.alex
Nobody at my brokerage is answering today, lulz, so I had a question - if I purchase a 1990 vehicle, I believe it needs a safety inspection. Does the insurer let you insure it for X days to go and get your inspection, or does inspection have to be done before purchase (so you can insure it at the time of purchase)?

My old insco required an inspection within 2 or 3 weeks of purchase. Got a temp slip, then after the inspection a regular pink slip.

btimbit

11-08-2011, 06:10 PM

Originally posted by M.alex
Nobody at my brokerage is answering today, lulz, so I had a question - if I purchase a 1990 vehicle, I believe it needs a safety inspection. Does the insurer let you insure it for X days to go and get your inspection, or does inspection have to be done before purchase (so you can insure it at the time of purchase)?

Depends on the company I believe, AMA gave me two weeks, RBC gave me three, TD wanted it up front.

M.alex

11-08-2011, 07:17 PM

Cool, thanks.

Btw, there was a guy doing mobile 'safety' inspections for insurance before. I think like $40 ..... I can't find his ad on kijiji anymore; does anybody have his contact info/etc...?

btimbit

11-08-2011, 07:57 PM

Originally posted by M.alex
Cool, thanks.

Btw, there was a guy doing mobile 'safety' inspections for insurance before. I think like $40 ..... I can't find his ad on kijiji anymore; does anybody have his contact info/etc...?

There's a few of those. All they generally do is make sure the headlights work and it runs half decently. Not worth doing if you're actually interested in having a good car

M.alex

11-08-2011, 08:15 PM

Originally posted by btimbit

There's a few of those. All they generally do is make sure the headlights work and it runs half decently. Not worth doing if you're actually interested in having a good car

I trust the inspection I can do on a car; no need to pay $100+ just because insurance wants it.

Mogg

11-08-2011, 09:42 PM

How long do at fault collisions effect your insurance for in Alberta?

guessboi

11-08-2011, 11:57 PM

^ 6 years from the day of the accident

Masked Bandit

11-09-2011, 09:36 AM

Originally posted by Mogg
How long do at fault collisions effect your insurance for in Alberta?

It depends on the company. The majority of the insurance companies in AB use a six year history but there are a few (Aviva, Pembridge, Optimum West) that use nine or ten.

Cos

11-09-2011, 09:39 AM

Is it true that windshield coverage isnt worth the cost?

Masked Bandit

11-09-2011, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by Cos
Is it true that windshield coverage isnt worth the cost?

For 99.999999% of the driving public, no it's not worth it.

I insure ~2000 vehicles. I have two that have windshield coverage and even those guys probably shouldn't bother.

M.alex

11-09-2011, 11:13 AM

Any idea when/if insurance-per-mile insurance will come to Alberta?

Masked Bandit

11-09-2011, 01:18 PM

Originally posted by M.alex
Any idea when/if insurance-per-mile insurance will come to Alberta?

I don't want to say never but there are no plans / discussions to go in that direction anytime in the next 1000 years.

se7en

11-09-2011, 10:21 PM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit

Only if you want to risk being denied on a claim.

When a vehicle is insured the question that is asked is (basically) "who is driving this car and what are they doing with it?".

Providing a false answer gives the insurance company grounds to deny a claim. With that said, if it's a $1200 parking lot bump the insurance company isn't going to put much effort into proving you're a liar & a cheat. They'll just pay the claim, re-rate your policy and move on.

However if you manage to hit a pedestrian and the insurance company is looking at a $750,000 injury lawsuit, well that's a different story. They'll simply talk to your neighbours & coworkers and find out who REALLY drives the car the most. That's not a situation you want to find yourself in.

You screwed up by racking up a bunch of tickets. Take your lumps like a man, learn from your mistakes and clean up your driving record. Nobody is saying you can't have fun with your car. Hell, I'm the last person to say I'm an angel. The difference is that eventually you learn that there is a time & a place for everything. If you're getting lots of tickets it means you're either not paying attention (bad) or REALLY driving like a jerk when & where you shouldn't be. That's all there is to it.

I hear you 100%....but my ticket makes my insurance soo expensive that I can't afford to drive anymore...

Only one income in my house right now....stay home mom/wife....

EG STyLeZ

11-29-2011, 11:23 AM

I recently got full coverage with Aviva. Is it necessary to declare that I drive with aftermarket rims during the summer months?

guessboi

11-29-2011, 01:15 PM

No not necessary if the only mod you have is aftermarket rims.
If you have more mods (especially for performance), best to let your broker know.

My car was written off by the August 5 hailstorm . My adjustor actually gave me more money factoring my aftermarket rims and stereo deck. Just a FYI.

dharminder

11-29-2011, 01:55 PM

Friend was driving my car and was rear ended, other drivers fault will this effect my insurance coverage, will they still do the repairs even though I was not driving the car?

EG STyLeZ

11-29-2011, 02:05 PM

Originally posted by guessboi
No not necessary if the only mod you have is aftermarket rims.
If you have more mods (especially for performance), best to let your broker know.

My car was written off by the August 5 hailstorm . My adjustor actually gave me more money factoring my aftermarket rims and stereo deck. Just a FYI.

Could an insurance company ever deny you coverage in an accident beacuse you were using aftermarketr rims?

Arnold

11-29-2011, 02:14 PM

I dont know if this has already been asked yet or not i didnt read through this entire thread but can an insurance company deny you the bare minimum coverage to legally put your car on the road only because of the fact that your car is right hand drive?
I've been told that insurance companies arent allowed to do that but just wanted clarification if anyone knows ?

guessboi

11-29-2011, 02:48 PM

Originally posted by dharminder
Friend was driving my car and was rear ended, other drivers fault will this effect my insurance coverage, will they still do the repairs even though I was not driving the car?

You should be fine. Is not your friend's fault. As long as you provide permission (verbal, written, etc) for your friend to drive your car...they are covered under your policy. (I don't recommand people to lend their cars though)

This shouldn't affect your insurance rate / coverage as long as he is not at fault. Yes your car will be repaired.

94boosted

11-29-2011, 02:53 PM

Not really auto related but nonetheless an insurance question. My Auto/Home Insurance provider is trying to sell me Identity Protection Insurance (protection from identity theft) is it worth it?

guessboi

11-29-2011, 03:10 PM

Originally posted by EG STyLeZ
Could an insurance company ever deny you coverage in an accident beacuse you were using aftermarket rims?

It depends on the insurance company, there was a time many years ago an insurance company will find ways to deny any claims. If you just have aftermarket rims, just mention it to your broker...no biggie on this.

guessboi

11-29-2011, 03:48 PM

Originally posted by 94boosted
Not really auto related but nonetheless an insurance question. My Auto/Home Insurance provider is trying to sell me Identity Protection Insurance (protection from identity theft) is it worth it?

Identity Theft is cheap to insured depending on your insurance company (roughly $20 - 50 a year)

Subject to a maximum coverage limit of course but provide the following reimbursement of expenses directly related to an identity theft occurrence: (Different from company to company)

1. Costs of notarizing affidavits or similar documents attesting to fraud.
2. Lost income resulting from time taken off work
3. Loan re-application fees if loan rejected due to incorrect information
4. Legal fees to:
a. Defend lawsuits brought by merchants, financial institutions or their collection agencies;
b. Remove any criminal or civil judgments wrongly entered against the insured; and
c. Challenge the accuracy or completeness of any information in a consumer credit report
5. Telephone and postal/courier expenses
6. Fees to replace Canadian government issued identification documents
7. The cost of ordering your credit profile from a credit bureau & monitoring for a 12 month period

Is it worth it??? Your call. I know the loss ratio for this type of loss is very very low for insurance companies.

guessboi

11-29-2011, 04:09 PM

Masked Bandit

11-29-2011, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by Arnold
I dont know if this has already been asked yet or not i didnt read through this entire thread but can an insurance company deny you the bare minimum coverage to legally put your car on the road only because of the fact that your car is right hand drive?
I've been told that insurance companies arent allowed to do that but just wanted clarification if anyone knows ?

No, a policy can NOT be denied. However they can make things difficult. They can restrict payment options which means full pay only. Generally speaking most companies won't go that far for no good reason but I have seen it.

With that said, do you really want to do business with a company that wants to get rid of you as a customer? Probably not.

RHD is getting harder & harder to deal with. Most companies already refuse to offer collision & comprehensive.

PartyintheKorea

11-30-2011, 02:04 AM

don't want to go off-topic, but i have a registry/licensing question as well as an insurance question.

if i install an aftermarket steering wheel without an airbag to replace a steering wheel that is equipped with an airbag, what happens to my insurance? can they cancel my policy on the spot? can they decide not to pay me in a crash? is it illegal altogether?

im currently on my class 7N in bc (issued aug 2010) while driving in calgary (already insured). the earliest possible date i can take my class 5 road test (bc) is aug 2012. if i transfer my current license over to an alberta license, when is the earliest date i can take my class 5 license in alberta? what's the best way to go by this situation?

Masked Bandit

11-30-2011, 09:54 AM

I can't speak to the licensing issue but on the insurance front...why on earth would you want to do that? In all my career I've never had anyone ask about something like this but a thought came to mind. Airbags are factory installed safety devices, like seatbelts. I would think that it's probably outrightly illegal to remove them.

:dunno:

Arnold

11-30-2011, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by guessboi

Legally, they are not allow to do this. Who is this company or broker?
note you also need a passing Vehicle Inspection Report.

RBC insurance. I've insured all my other LHD vehicles with them but when it came time to insure my jdm s13 i was told by an agent there they will not insure right hand drive cars period, nothing.

Tik-Tok

11-30-2011, 10:37 AM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit
why on earth would you want to do that?
:dunno:

I have an aftermarket steering wheel in my MR2, it doesn't have an airbag. People do it for better look, or better control (smaller steering wheel, easier to handle).

On a different matter. I see this A LOT, and was always curious how insurance would handle this type of accident. Let's say someone is turning left at an intersection, and turns into the furthest lane, and someone turning right has a yield sign, and hits the person that turned left.

Who is considered at fault? The person who illegally turned into the furthest lane, or the person who illegally didn't "yield" even though the first car wasn't supposed to be in that lane?

(example pic)

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u64/TykTauk/yield.png

lilmira

11-30-2011, 10:58 AM

I would say the one with the yield sign is at fault.

joyridder

11-30-2011, 11:02 AM

Quick question:

I have a 2007 car bought in Alberta, and insured in AB in 2008. We moved to BC, have had insurance with ICBC for 3.5 yrs. Now we are back in Calgary for a short time, although we are still legally residents in BC. I called AMA to get an insurance quote as it will be cheaper for me to get insurance in AB rather than continuing with ICBC. They want me to get an out of province inspection, drivers abstract and letter of insurance from ICBC. Why would they want an out of province inspection when the car was bought here and has history of insurance in AB previously? Probally nothing I can do about it, just seems like a waste of money and time=P

luxor

11-30-2011, 11:04 AM

Originally posted by Tik-Tok

I have an aftermarket steering wheel in my MR2, it doesn't have an airbag. People do it for better look, or better control (smaller steering wheel, easier to handle).

On a different matter. I see this A LOT, and was always curious how insurance would handle this type of accident. Let's say someone is turning left at an intersection, and turns into the furthest lane, and someone turning right has a yield sign, and hits the person that turned left.

Who is considered at fault? The person who illegally turned into the furthest lane, or the person who illegally didn't "yield" even though the first car wasn't supposed to be in that lane?

(example pic)

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u64/TykTauk/yield.png

If you turned into the farthest lane then it's your fault. This one isn't the easiest to determine though because depending on how far out the yield lane is you could turn into the left lane and immediately signal and change into the right lane and then the person yielding would have to yield to you. As far as I know though you are NOT supposed to turn into the far lane when making a left so if there were witnesses you would be at fault.

Source: Same exact thing happened to a friend of mine, he was found at fault for turning into the farthest right lane and a girl in a cavalier pulled out from her yield.

Masked Bandit

11-30-2011, 11:41 AM

Originally posted by Tik-Tok

I have an aftermarket steering wheel in my MR2, it doesn't have an airbag. People do it for better look, or better control (smaller steering wheel, easier to handle).

On a different matter. I see this A LOT, and was always curious how insurance would handle this type of accident. Let's say someone is turning left at an intersection, and turns into the furthest lane, and someone turning right has a yield sign, and hits the person that turned left.

Who is considered at fault? The person who illegally turned into the furthest lane, or the person who illegally didn't "yield" even though the first car wasn't supposed to be in that lane?

(example pic)

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u64/TykTauk/yield.png

I'm guessing the MR2 never came with a factory airbag?

As for fault, I will always defer to an adjuster to confirm as I'm a broker but my guess is that the person at the yield sign will be at fault. He must YIELD to all other traffic.

Masked Bandit

11-30-2011, 11:42 AM

Originally posted by Arnold

RBC insurance. I've insured all my other LHD vehicles with them but when it came time to insure my jdm s13 i was told by an agent there they will not insure right hand drive cars period, nothing.

No insurance company can refuse PLPD. Period. If you had complained to the Alberta Insurance Council (governing body for insurance in Alberta), RBC would have had their hand slapped.

Tik-Tok

11-30-2011, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit

I'm guessing the MR2 never came with a factory airbag?

As for fault, I will always defer to an adjuster to confirm as I'm a broker but my guess is that the person at the yield sign will be at fault. He must YIELD to all other traffic.

It did come with factory airbag on drivers side.

As for my scenario, but if there's no indication that the person turning left was going to go into that lane, how would the other person know they have to yield to them? I guess you'd need a witness for that.

Masked Bandit

11-30-2011, 11:44 AM

Originally posted by joyridder
Quick question:

I have a 2007 car bought in Alberta, and insured in AB in 2008. We moved to BC, have had insurance with ICBC for 3.5 yrs. Now we are back in Calgary for a short time, although we are still legally residents in BC. I called AMA to get an insurance quote as it will be cheaper for me to get insurance in AB rather than continuing with ICBC. They want me to get an out of province inspection, drivers abstract and letter of insurance from ICBC. Why would they want an out of province inspection when the car was bought here and has history of insurance in AB previously? Probally nothing I can do about it, just seems like a waste of money and time=P

Any vehicle that was last registered in another province will be subject to the OOP inspection.

To convert your insurance to AB is going to be a pain in the ass. How long are you here for?

Wakalimasu

11-30-2011, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by Masked Bandit

I'm guessing the MR2 never came with a factory airbag?

As for fault, I will always defer to an adjuster to confirm as I'm a broker but my guess is that the person at the yield sign will be at fault. He must YIELD to all other traffic.

I would say the person taking the left turn as the person at the yield sign is only yielding to traffic on the right lane. The person turning left shouldn't be in the right lane unless they signaled from the left lane to the right lane immediately after the turn.

You get no indication otherwise if you are at the yield sign.

Masked Bandit

11-30-2011, 11:48 AM

Originally posted by Tik-Tok

It did come with factory airbag on drivers side.

As for my scenario, but if there's no indication that the person turning left was going to go into that lane, how would the other person know they have to yield to them? I guess you'd need a witness for that.

As I mentioned before on the steering wheel thing, I haven't had a client do it yet so I've never bother looking into things too far but I suspect there may be some legal issues at play. Similar to tinting front windows. It's against the rules but people still do it anyway. With an airbag being a safety issue I think the consequences may be a little more severe.

As for the accident I suspect it may come down to whether or not there is enough space for the person turning left to turn into the correct lane and then change over to the right lane. If that can be done before the entrance from the yield lane then the yield person would be at fault. If it's tight, at best it might go 50/50. I know there are a few adjusters that post on the board, hopefully one of them will step in and clarify.