Insurance Requirements for an Antique Auto

If you have an antique car you want to keep it insured to protect your investment. Most owners of antique and classic cars have put much time and money into their cars and want to know that they are protected from financial loss should something happen. Deciding what level of coverage to get for your car depends on how often you drive it.

• Insurance companies differ on the age a car needs to be to be considered a classic car. Some insurance companies consider any car that is 25 years or older an antique; others consider a car that is 15 years or older to be an antique. Check with your insurance company to see if your car is considered an antique by their definition.

• Many insurance companies require that you register your car as a classic or antique car with your local DMV before you are eligible to get classic or antique auto insurance on it. This can be a problem if your car is not at least 25 years old. Most DMVs require a car to be 25 years or older to be registered as an antique car.

• Liability insurance is mandatory in most U.S. states; you must always have at least liability insurance on your antique auto to protect the other drivers on the road. If you wish to protect your own investment, you need to purchase full coverage insurance on your vehicle. There are many different levels of full coverage insurance. Check with your insurance agent to decide which level of coverage is best for your antique auto.

• Many insurance companies limit the amount of miles that your antique car can be driven annually to be eligible for antique auto insurance. If you only drive your antique car every now and then, this is ideal for you and offers you a drastic discount over standard auto insurance rates. However, if you drive your antique auto regularly you want to be sure you know what the required mileage limitations are so that you can be sure that this limitation works for your individual situation.