Three reasons clients need year-round collector car cover

Autumn’s a time of change.

Cooler temperatures bring a welcome respite from summer’s heat. Leaves are transitioning to their beautiful fall colors. And as driving season winds to a close, you’ll see car lovers take in their last cruises and car show visits as hobby activities wind down.

This is also the time of year that classic and collector vehicles are stored, winterized, and tucked in for the long winter months.

Your enthusiast clients may be eager to remove their coverage for driving’s off-season, but is that in their best interest? Perhaps not, especially if they want to make sure their special vehicle is properly protected.

Removing coverage for winter could be a big mistake, and we’re here to tell you why.

1. Collector cars are investments worth protecting

Most enthusiasts own collector vehicles because they love the hobby. Cars and driving and automotive culture are simply in their blood.

But let’s not beat around the bush: collector car values are going up. Way up. In fact, as of press time, the collector car market has never been hotter.

Many collector cars today are high-value assets and should be protected as such. Think of other investments your clients trust you to protect. Homes and daily drivers don’t have a coverage “off season” and neither should your client’s collector car. This is also one of the best times to revalue your client’s collector vehicles and make sure they’re up to date.

Reducing or eliminating coverage leaves a client at risk of the unexpected, even off the pavement

2. Accidents happen in storage, too

Even stored vehicles aren’t immune to occasional damage and mishaps.

Clients dropping coverage through winter may be left holding the bag after a roof collapse, ice storm, or structure fire. And that’s not to mention the risk of rodent damage and theft, especially for those special vehicles rising in value.

Another example: Dropping coverage means clients may not be reimburses if their vehicle falls from a jack while under repair. Or when parked and stored, the car rolls into the garage door after a brake failure. Both scenarios are common to collector vehicles.

Remind clients that even those vehicles stored for the winter are susceptible to accidental damage. Valuable assets like collector cars should maintain proper protection through a collector car policy

3. Car lovers deserve the freedom to drive

There’s nothing like a road trip on a sunny winter day.

If we’re lucky, we’ll see a stretch (or two) of cruise-worthy weather that makes clients consider breaking out their fun collector cars. But even short trips require activating coverage. And for some, making that phone call is just too much work.

As brokers, we can share good news. Year-round collector car policies won’t keep clients homebound on gorgeous winter days. Reputable providers believe these classic and one-of-a-kind cars were meant to be driven and offer policies that include seasonal use.

An occasional winter cruise can help cars stay in good driving shape, too. That’s another win for maintaining a year-round policy.

Questions? Hagerty can help.

“Before you put it away, do you know what it’s worth today?”