Classic News
James Walshe on why we need to be proactive with insurers
All you need to know about what’s happening in the world of classics.
The past few months saw two high profile cases of classic car theft. In one instance, an immaculate 1965 MG Magnette Mark IV was stolen in Berkshire. Bill England, 87, had cherished the car for almost half a century, so was naturally inconsolable when it was found nearby, gutted by fire. He has been left feeling in the dark by endless insurance paperwork.
In the second case, Clare Howarth’s Citroën 2CV – family owned from new – was taken from outside her house in Manchester and discovered stripped of all its panels. After a brief and distressing battle with her insurers, that car has been declared ‘Category N’ which means that although it has been written off and deemed to be uneconomical to repair, it has suffered no structural damage and can therefore be returned to the road.
This sounds like good news but in reality, Clare was offered half its market value by her (non-classic) insurer and she is too traumatised and exhausted to fight. Having owned the car for decades, she was previously turned down by numerous classic insurers – because she has no garage in which to house it. Why should classic owners suffer, just because they can’t afford a garage? The classic community has rallied round, with 2CV enthusiasts donating new panels for Clare’s car and plans afoot to raise £10k for Bill restore or replace his beloved MG.
Of course, these two tragic stories remind us to ensure our cars are secure. But with reports rife of battles taking place with insurance companies when the unthinkable does happen, it has never been more important to check your policy and get an agreed value. Just as crucial, we must find a way to ensure that we are all able to enjoy a classic policy.
‘It’s crucial that we all check our policies’