comprehensive insurance providers for LHD JDM imported vehicles?

[Proyecto2000]

Hi everyone,

I am interested in buying a JDM LHD vehicle and I was wondering if any of you have had luck insuring with anyone other than Hagerty?

I found two threads from 2015 & 2016 recommending COOP and Millennium so I will give them a call Monday and see if they still do it.

Thanks.

[Kloubek]

I honestly had no idea it would a be a challenge insuring a LHD JDM. I've been looking at websites like carfromjapan, specifically only lookin at LHD models, thinking I could insure them like any other vehicle.

The more you know...

[Proyecto2000]

What car are you looking at? I am interested in a G55 and a Cayman. Both cars can be had for a substantial discount and low KMs vs what you can find on kijiji.

Only issue is that it looks like liability is the only insurance available and I don’t want to drive either without theft and hail coverage.

[vengie]

What sites are you using to find said vehicles?

[DonJuan]

*subscribed*

I had no idea it would be an issue either. I've been on the lookout for a low km LHD Volvo V70XC or S/V70R, Maybe even an XC90.

Brought in a few RHDs myself, insurance might be easiest through a broker. My dad's RHD is insured with Personal Auto Insurance. No issues.

[Hallowed_point]

Talk to Roy at Old Is Gold.

[mr2mike]

Based on vin or what's the insurance issue?

[Kloubek]

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Based on vin or what's the insurance issue?

RHD being a problem makes some sense, since driving them on LHD roads is odd and at times, potentially dangerous. (Like trying to pass on a 2-lane highway)

I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that vehicles from other countries don't follow the same safety standards as Canadian-market vehicles - hence, higher risk of accident/injury and therefore higher insurance. It's the only thing I can think of - even though I bet the vast majority of the time that the vehicles are virtually identical.

[ExtraSlow]

wonder what the wording is in the insurance paperwork? If you bought a LHD car on the used market, how would you know if it was originally USDM, JDM, or wherever-the-fuck-dm vehicle? Or more importantly, how would the insurance company know?

[haggis88]

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wonder what the wording is in the insurance paperwork? If you bought a LHD car on the used market, how would you know if it was originally USDM, JDM, or wherever-the-fuck-dm vehicle? Or more importantly, how would the insurance company know?

IIRC from my Honda days, JDM VIN numbers are different? Like 13 characters instead of 17?

[Proyecto2000]

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Based on vin or what's the insurance issue?

I was told that the issue is based on vin as insurance companies such as my provider intact will enter the VIN and not get a match as their database has all north america vins. So it being LHD does not matter to them as they still consider it an imported JDM car that they will not insure. Same thing if its from Europe or any where outside of the US.

I didnt call anyone today but maybe ill have time later in the week.

[mr2mike]

Makes sense. Yes, they'd know the second a vin is provided but it's not granular enough to know its LHD.
Wonder if an inspection or an appraisal would get you out of this? Basically a 3rd party that verified its LHD? @dannie or @MaskedBandit ?

[Masked Bandit]

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Makes sense. Yes, they'd know the second a vin is provided but it's not granular enough to know its LHD.
Wonder if an inspection or an appraisal would get you out of this? Basically a 3rd party that verified its LHD? @dannie or @MaskedBandit ?

The VIN does indeed provide enough info to flag it as non-USDM = liability only. I could go into a long discussion about why LHD JDM is still a no-go for full coverage from normal insurance companies but the short answer...that's just the way it is.

[Proyecto2000]

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*subscribed*

I had no idea it would be an issue either. I've been on the lookout for a low km LHD Volvo V70XC or S/V70R, Maybe even an XC90.

Brought in a few RHDs myself, insurance might be easiest through a broker. My dad's RHD is insured with Personal Auto Insurance. No issues.

Thanks for the recommendation. I spoke with the companies that were all recommended here and Personal Auto was the easiest and that is who I will be using once the Cayman gets here.