RHD Insurance

[AdamCulligan]

Hey everyone! Trying like hell to find an insurer to cover my RHD defender. Does anyone have someone they recommend or that they've had success with?

[Red90]

I have not searched much, but it seems the companies have mostly all agreed a few years ago in Alberta NOT to provide comprehensive or collision insurance on RHD vehicles.  They must still all provide liability by law.

In other RHD news the premier had promised to ban RHD vehicles prior to the election.  Hopefully that promise does not gain traction.

[3Rovers]

You might try "Hagerty Insurance".

[Trevor]

Hagerty would be worth calling.

For the general insurance companies most are moving out of the Section C market covering RHD vehicles. I have it on my policy but that is only because it was grandfathered over when my policy moved from Travellers to the current company. It's been that way for a few years but they can choose not to renew anytime, and they will not take on new customers for this type of coverage.

I was unaware that making RHD vehicles illegal was part of the UCP platform...I'm on the board for my constituency, I will have to investigate that (and raise a holy stink if it is in the policy pipeline!).

That said, with Insurance companies dropping this coverage on mass there is a chance the government  will simply let the market look after it for now. Nevertheless, I will look into it on my end and see if I can't get tied into any policy discussions on the matter.

[Red90]

They have not stated it is a party policy.  The president of the Motor Dealers of Alberta sent out a letter to all member dealers seeking support for the UCP.  One of the items in the letter stated that Kenney promised him to bring in legislation to ban RHD vehicles.  As far as I know, he did not state this publicly.

[Trevor]

Thanks for the info John, very helpful. I'll have a chat with some of the folks on my end.

[AdamCulligan]

Thanks all. Hagerty won't insure the truck because it's not old enough. I'm currently talking to Millennium Insurance in Sherwood Park and they are currently committing to insuring me. I'll let you all know if that goes through!

[Matt H]

Really? Hagerty offered to insure my 1998 110 SW, including off road coverage on their agreed value plan. I haven't switched yet but was planning to this fall. I will need to check again.

[ugly_90]

Of concern as well is how you structure the insurance. A few years ago, I was cutoff by a left turning vehicle in my F-150, destroying the front end of it. Their insurance paid off that F-150, the insurance company now owned it, towed it away, and sold it at auction to recover some costs.

The same incident with a Defender would have resulted in either a good or bad payout, a salvage title, and a likely REPAIRABLE, well maintained landrover being towed away out of my hands. Frames and fenders can be replaced, you know. Bodyshop labour and new parts quickly makes body damage a total loss nowdays.

I would enquire with a company like Haggarty on providing you insurance with terms you can accept. I expect the guys driving their antique corvettes and convertibles don't walk away from their vehicles after a fender bender, even if deemed a total loss.

I use TD Meloche Monnex for my RHD 90, and am thinking of a switch to Haggarty.

[Johno753]

So it says RHD Asian vehicles...... we must be in the clear then  ;D ;D

[ugly_90]

I do however, question the need to have full comprehensive insurance on a defender or series though. My policy is PL&PD. If I damage it myself, I am paying for it. This is the same as having full insurance coverage where you pay it later through increased premiums.

As I've stated earlier elsewhere, the chance of having a huge parts bill after an at-fault collision that I could walk away from in the 90 seems low. The vehicle's assembly is all modular, unlike a unibody sports car. Replacement parts are relatively inexpensive.
Outside labour is relatively expensive.

For liability only, costs seem to be in the $250-350/year mark. For replacement of a vehicle at $25k, costs seem to be more like $1400/year? That's $7000 in five years, which might meet or exceed a minor accident parts cost during that time.

People insure their autoglass, their pets, their credit cards nowdays. It seems unnecessary.

[Trevor]

Mine is appraised at just under 70k. Full coverage is well worth the money. It is like any vehicle relative to its book value. If for whatever reason yours is worth more, then appraise it an insure it. If it's worth less, well, then that cost/benefit discussion becomes important

[binch]

Of concern as well is how you structure the insurance. A few years ago, I was cutoff by a left turning vehicle in my F-150, destroying the front end of it. Their insurance paid off that F-150, the insurance company now owned it, towed it away, and sold it at auction to recover some costs.

The same incident with a Defender would have resulted in either a good or bad payout, a salvage title, and a likely REPAIRABLE, well maintained landrover being towed away out of my hands. Frames and fenders can be replaced, you know. Bodyshop labour and new parts quickly makes body damage a total loss nowdays.

I would enquire with a company like Haggarty on providing you insurance with terms you can accept. I expect the guys driving their antique corvettes and convertibles don't walk away from their vehicles after a fender bender, even if deemed a total loss.

I use TD Meloche Monnex for my RHD 90, and am thinking of a switch to Haggarty.

That's why you get a proper appraisal done on your insurance.  It makes it more difficult to get it written off.    And remember...you can argue with the insurance company too. 8)

[ugly_90]

I don't think my trouble was with the F-150 accident was any lack of a proper appraisal. I had just bought it a few months before the accident, below market value for $5500 and had a payout of $9500 from their insurer.

The point I was making was that even with a large comprehensive plan, the insurer is still setup to payout at either book or prearranged value, and has no duty to offer up the wreck back for sale cheaply to the claimant or other party. The (rare?) (repairable?) wreck just goes to auction to a limited number of dealers who are permitted to bid on it. Adesa, Copart, etc. Normally no guarantee you'll get it back, just the cash.

[Trevor]

<snip>

Normally no guarantee you'll get it back, just the cash.

Yes, good points.

One example of the insta-right off is air bag deployment. It's pretty rare that a semi-modern vehicle 10+ years of age which activates its air bags, is going to be anything but a right-off.