Are You Kidding Me
True story, continued. Perhaps others have shared this same sort of experience. I was 24 when I purchased my '69 Corvette. I had plenty of other cars to that point, and insurance was never much of a concern. My driving record was (and still is) spotless. At 24, my mission was to buy that Corvette, and figure out the rest as it happened. Well, insurance happened straight away.
I honestly cannot remember who I had my auto insurance with at that time, but I do recall walking into their office prepared to put my Corvette onto my existing policy. As soon as the word Corvette came out of my mouth I could sense trouble ahead. Next came the details - year, engine size (that got his eyebrows up), etc. He put his pen down and thumbed through some paperwork (long before computers). Without too much hesitation, he stated that he would be unable to add a Corvette to my policy since I was under 25 and the 427 engine made it a red flagged high performance vehicle. (I was sort of proud of this fact - damn straight!)
I thought that by law, my current insurance would cover a newly acquired vehicle, regardless of what it was. But now that I had a face-to-face "no way" - I was unclear if I really had coverage or not. I assumed I did and left - with my new and important mission of finding insurance. Several calls that day, and I soon learned this age issue was industry wide. Minor panic, but I knew there was a way. Within a few days of my last phone calls to various agents, I walked into Sears at Coronado Center - for something other than insurance. I walked past an All State insurance booth set-up in a busy traffic area at the store entrance. Heading for the tool area I walked by. Luckily she casually asked if I needed home, renters or auto insurance. She hit a hot button, but my past experiences didn't give me much hope. I spent a few minutes with her (Doris - she became my new best friend that day). She had the same bad news - you are too young. She also told me that there were only two reasons to own a Corvette - to go fast, and to go faster. (again I was sort of proud, and in my case, she nailed it). But unlike other reps, she dug a little deeper. Long story short, once she learned I was a veteran and had an impressive career (air traffic controller), she made a call - and within a few minutes told me that my background and responsibility level in my career allowed them to bend that age requirement.
The premium was still a hefty amount, but it covered me and I was told that a year from now, with a clean record, my 25th birthday would bring a reduction in premiums. (FYI - when that day came, the reduction wasn't that much). I tended to shop at sears often enough that I would see Doris every other week or so. We became casual friends - she'd always ask if I was behaving myself and not speeding. I'd say yes (and my nose would grow an inch!) So I obtained insurance - although I was on thin ice for a while. I also brought my other car to All state at that time, and with the Corvette listed as a pleasure only vehicle - those rules were able to bend enough to make me a happy camper.
Next week - Corvette road trip.
Source: True story from the webmaster