Antique Auto Insurance (2023)

Speed Reads:

• Antique auto insurance is for vehicles over 25 years old.
• Classic car insurance policies are similar to standard policies, but have more requirements to qualify for coverage.
• We recommend Hagerty, American Modern, and American Collectors for your antique auto insurance policy.

Your antique car is a beauty, and you take a lot of pride in it. Antique auto insurance protects your vehicle whether you’re pleasure driving it to the local car show or keeping it in a garage for restoration.

While we’ve done an in-depth review of the best car insurance companies, not every provider offers protection for classic vehicles. With over 1,950 hours of research backing our methodology, we’ll look at both mainstream companies that have policies for vintage cars and specialty companies that offer coverage as well.

Antique auto insurance is coverage specifically designed to protect the hard work and restoration efforts you’ve put into your valuable antique collector car. An Antique auto insurance policy slightly differs from a regular car insurance policy. Antique cars often either maintain or increase their value instead of depreciating. Because of this, a classic car insurance policy typically covers your vehicle up to an agreed upon value instead of its actual cash value. Standard auto insurance might not provide the same level of coverage for your everyday vehicle.

In addition, most antique auto insurance providers have a set of requirements both you and your vehicle need to meet in order to obtain an insurance policy. As each provider will have different requirements, it’s best to compare insurers to see which suits your antique vehicle’s needs.

If you have a vehicle such as a ’37 Buick, ’67 Chevy Corvette Stingray, or ’77 Camaro Z-28 sitting in your garage, you may be tempted to cover it with a standard insurance policy. However, that’s not the best plan, as standard auto insurance coverage is better suited for your everyday vehicle.

Besides the usual insurance coverages, you’ll find some of these additional coverages with an antique auto insurance policy:

Standard Classic Car Insurance Coverage Options

While classic car insurance offers some coverages that are exclusive to antique automobiles, it works the same way as your standard auto policy. Coverages can vary between providers, but here are the standard insurance options that often come with a classic auto insurance policy:

• Liability: Covers medical expenses for other drivers and damage to other cars when you cause an accident
• Collision: Covers damage to your vehicle from an accident
• Comprehensive car insurance: Covers damage to your vehicle from events like floods, theft, or vandalism
• Medical coverage: Medical payments (MedPay) and personal injury protection (PIP) cover your medical bills no matter who was at fault in an accident
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist: Covers property damage and injury caused by someone without insurance (or without enough)

Even though your antique car insurance policy covers many of the same things that a standard policy does, your insurance rates may be much lower. That’s because you’ll usually drive the car a lot less, which makes it less of a risk for insurance carriers.

Your classic or luxury car can be much more valuable than your average vehicle. Because of this, coverage levels for classic car owners are typically higher than coverage for regular drivers. For example, it’s not uncommon for an antique auto policy to cover $1 million in collision or liability. 

While each company will require different criteria for your antique automobile, most antique auto insurance policies are similar. Insurance companies want you to have another vehicle for regular use as your daily driver, and require you have that car insured. In addition, there will likely be a mileage restriction placed on your vintage vehicle if you choose to purchase antique auto insurance.

Your provider might specify or restrict what you’re allowed to drive the vehicle for. These restrictions could include car shows, parades, and recreation. Classic auto insurance companies also like to see that drivers of your antique car have a clean driving record. Additionally, you may be required to have 10 years or more of driving experience or be at least 25 years old. Some classic car insurance companies give out discounts for being a mature driver.

Under antique auto insurance coverage, you are responsible for taking proper care of the vehicle. It must be kept in a garage and protected from the elements. You also won’t have coverage for high-risk events, such as racing, unless you choose the appropriate plan.

You will find varying levels of collector car insurance for qualifying cars. There are even coverage plans for antique military vehicles, kit cars, tractors, and other rare and exotic cars. See below for more information on eligibility and qualified vehicles:

• Antique or classic cars: If your stock vehicle is more than 25 years old, you can likely get antique car insurance for it.
• Replica or modified cars: While many antique auto insurance companies allow you to add on extra protection for modifications, there’s typically a limit to that coverage. If you have performed extensive modifications or created a replica of an older vehicle (like a hot rod, for example), you’ll want a plan that allows for this.
• Exotic cars: If you have a high-value super car, exotic car, or limited production vehicle that is newer, you might also require specialty insurance.
• Race cars: Likewise, if your vehicle is used for racing, you want specific coverage for storage and trailering. This plan is often more expensive, and most policies are event-based. Your insurance will be strictly for when you race, with storage coverage for the rest of the year.
• Restoration cars: If you are currently restoring a classic car, don’t neglect coverage. The insurance carrier will likely want to see high-quality photographs of the restorations to understand what’s being worked on. Once the restoration is complete, don’t forget to update your antique auto insurance policy.

Depending on what antique car insurance agency you choose, you’ll likely have a selection of available discounts that can save you more money. See below for some of the most common discounts from top antique auto insurance companies.

We rate auto insurance providers based on strengths and weaknesses across six key categories. Although we typically analyze standard car insurance providers, our methodology remains the same when researching antique auto insurance companies. Read more below on our detailed research process, as well as what we consider when choosing insurance providers to recommend.

How We Rated Antique Auto Insurance Providers

We refresh our review standards multiple times per year to keep our information current. Overall, our insurance research falls into six main categories: industry standing, availability, coverage, cost and discounts, customer service, and technology.

Industry Standing

We consider an antique auto insurance provider’s industry reputation when considering if it’s worth recommending. If a provider has a high Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, strong financial strength ratings, and has won industry awards from reputable sources, we’ll rate it highly in this category. 

Availability

We take into consideration whether an insurer is available nationwide, regionally, or only on a state level, in addition to its exclusions by state. If a provider is only available in certain states or only offers auto insurance policies to certain groups of people, we may not recommend it.

Coverage

If an auto insurer offers a wide variety of coverage options in addition to valuable perks or add-ons, they will be ranked more favorably amongst its competitors. As an antique automobile can hold a higher value than your average vehicle, you’ll want to consider a company that offers the right coverage with perks and add-ons that will prove valuable to you in the long run.

Cost And Discounts

An auto insurer that offers low average rates to its customers will rank higher in our review standards. We also take into account the variety of discounts available that further reduce your auto insurance costs. If a provider offers a favorable combination of both low costs and abundant discounts, we are more likely to recommend it for your antique automobile.

Customer Service

The last thing you’d want from an insurer during the claims process is a subpar customer service experience. We pour over reviews and ratings from policyholders just like you to inform our customer service ratings for each provider. We also collect survey data on customer satisfaction from current and previous customers of various insurance companies.

Technology

A provider that offers a quick and easy free quote process, as well as one that has a speedy and well-organized website, will be rated highly in this category. We also consider whether a provider’s mobile app, if it has one, is easy to use and well-received by users.

From our research specifically into antique car insurance coverage, we were able to determine the top providers for your collectible. We’ve reviewed 43 insurers, analyzed over 4,300 reviews, and considered 8,500 data points to ensure we provide you with high-quality recommendations in the antique auto insurance space. The following three insurance options align with our methodology and review criteria, and can offer you peace of mind.

Progressive works directly with Hagerty to offer antique car insurance. Your car generally must be between 25 and 50 years old, although there are coverage options for older vehicles. With Hagerty behind your insurance plan, you’ll have access to its Guaranteed Value coverage. This plan sets your car’s value at an agreed-upon rate that you’ll receive in the event of a total loss.

In addition, Trustpilot reviews label Hagerty as “Excellent,” which isn’t something that comes lightly.

Progressive is also a reputable regular auto insurance company that has been in the business since 1937 and holds an A+ rating with the BBB. In the J.D. Power 2022 Insurance Shopping Study℠ and the 2022 Auto Insurance Study℠, Progressive received points in the 800s across all U.S. regions, though these were all considered below average.

If you are already a Progressive policyholder and are looking to purchase an antique auto insurance policy, you will also have the chance to save more with the multi-car discount.

Geico partners with American Modern to provide antique car insurance to its customers. Whether you are driving to the local car club or participating in holiday parades, you will find that Geico has you covered. To qualify for coverage, your vehicle must be one of the following:

• 1994 model or older
• Exotic car
• New replica car
• Classic military vehicle or otherwise special model (such as a fire truck or hearse)

In addition, the vehicle can only be used for club activities, occasional pleasure, and exhibitions. It’s not permitted as your primary means of transportation, and your car must also be stored in a fully enclosed and locked structure.

In return, Geico provides all of the standard coverage options. You can also expect low deductibles and an Agreed Value plan that gives you a specific amount in the event of a total loss. There’s no depreciation with these plans. Plus, Geico doesn’t require a vehicle appraisal to begin coverage.

As far as reputation is concerned, both Geico and American Modern have A+ BBB ratings. In addition, Geico ranks above average in the 2022 J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study℠.

If you are a military member, veteran, or part of a military family, you can receive antique auto insurance through USAA with the backing of American Collectors. The plans are available for classics, exotics, kits, replicas, muscle cars, collector vehicles, vintage motorcycles, and street rods. Requirements for these policies include that the vehicle is driven only for pleasure, stored in an enclosed and locked garage, and can’t be used for racing or other timed events. In exchange, you’ll receive the following benefits with your plan:

• Agreed-value coverage: You agree with your insurer on a value for the vehicle. If there is a total loss, that value increases by six percent with American Collectors.
• Flexible mileage: You can choose a flexible mileage term to best suit your needs. Many plans offer a variety of terms, from 2,500 to 7,500 mileage limit tiers.
• Automatic coverage: If you add a new car to your collection, it is automatically protected up to $100,000 for the first 30 days.

USAA tops the charts for its ratings in the 2022 J.D. Power Insurance Shopping Study℠ and the U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study℠. In addition, American Collectors Insurance features an “Excellent” rating from Trustpilot, with 4.9 out of 5.0 stars. 

There are many companies that provide some form of antique auto coverage to keep your car insured, from specialty agencies that deal exclusively with antique automobiles to standard car insurance companies that provide antique car insurance policies.

Specialty agencies that sell classic car insurance include:

• American Collectors Insurance
• American Modern Insurance
• Classic Collectors Insurance
• Condon Skelly Insurance
• Grundy Classic Car Insurance
• Hagerty Auto Insurance
• Heacock Auto Insurance
• Leland-West Car Insurance

Some standard auto insurance companies with antique car insurance policies include:

• American Family Auto Insurance
• American National Auto Insurance
• Farmers Auto Insurance
• Liberty Mutual Auto Insurance
• Safeco Car Insurance
• State Farm Auto Insurance

Several traditional car insurance companies partner with specialty companies to provide antique auto insurance, such as:

• Hagerty Auto Insurance: Partners with Allstate, Esurance, Nationwide, and Progressive
• American Modern Insurance: Partners with Geico and The Hartford
• American Collectors Insurance: Partners with USAA

We recommend researching various providers and obtaining free insurance quotes so that you choose the right policy for your classic or antique vehicle.

An antique auto insurance policy ensures that your beloved classic or antique vehicle is well taken care of in an accident. It’s typically cheaper than a traditional auto insurance policy, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more money to be saved with the right provider. We encourage you to get quotes from multiple antique auto insurance providers to help you find the right policy for your needs.