Insuring Your Art Vehicle

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:21 am

What is the best way to get liability insurance for a large art vehicle? I have heard that registering it as a "parade vehicle" may work. I understand the part about "Read the back of your ticket" but in today's litigeous society, I should think it's better to be safe than sorry. Has anybody had any experience with insuring your art car?

SilverOrange · Post by **SilverOrange** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:33 am

Hey Doc, this thread is from a little while back, but might have some helpful info for you. http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... =insurance

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:42 pm

...also read the fine print of your policy...the parade insurance I once found specifically exempted off-road coverage...and usually mods to the base vehicle need to be disclosed at time of coverage or that can void the policy (by definition an art vehicle is modified from base). I finally had an open frank discussion with my agent and he said insuring an art vehicle would take a specialty insurance company (like Lloyd's of London). YMMV. Good luck.

oleg8888 · Post by **oleg8888** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:52 pm

If you are a home-owner your policy might cover it as a personal property. Call them first

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:57 pm

This is from the yahoo-artcarz-group

http://www.hagerty.com/
Alan & All,
You can try Hagerty Insurance. They are the Nations largest Classic Car
Insurance Co.
They mainly insure antiques & Street Rods but some specialty cars fit too.
They insured my AeroCar for $163 a year which is for full coverage. They
will give you a online quote and do ask for photos of your car.You can
decide what your car is worth & the price is based on that.
Dave in Kansas

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artcarz/message/4630

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:36 pm

There are companies insuring race cars.
They might.

Clout through a business policy is the only way for many cars.
Nothing fair about car insurance.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 4:38 pm

Dr. Pyro wrote:What is the best way to get liability insurance for a large art vehicle? I have heard that registering it as a "parade vehicle" may work. I understand the part about "Read the back of your ticket" but in today's litigeous society, I should think it's better to be safe than sorry. Has anybody had any experience with insuring your art car?

Please, please, please record your calls on this.

Esp the part where you describe the fire cannon.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 6:51 pm

I contacted Hagerty, and they said, "No way! But it sounds like fun." Hell, if someone gets hurt, I'll just shoot them and let them rot in the desert. What could possibly go wrong?

Bluemandrew · Post by **Bluemandrew** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:45 pm

Dr. Pyro wrote: if someone gets hurt, I'll just shoot them and let them rot in the desert.

Aren't there something like 50 movies where that happens in Nevada?

No guns allowed though, have to use the flame cannon

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:05 pm

This is why Burning Man is stupid for not requiring all vehicles to be street legal. They did so wrt DPW years ago, why not the fucking art cars?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:05 pm

My solution is to carry a broadform insurance policy that covers me in any vehicle I drive. I suppose I should actually ask if that does include my Land Yacht.
It's very convenient to have a single card that lets me legally drive anything.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:07 pm

yeah, but what about acts of god, are they covered in your policy?

no...

do you want to know why?

because god's an asshole.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:08 pm

Simon of the Playa wrote:...because god's an asshole.

Oh I don't know, she seemed nice enough when I talked to her on the phone last year...

Captain Goddammit wrote:My solution is to carry a broadform insurance policy that covers me in any vehicle I drive.

If you find that this does, in fact, work for BM art vehicles, please let us know! I suspect, however, that an exemption may exist for driving home-made vehicles off-road that include a blender. Let alone a flame device!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:02 am

Can you find a personal umbrella liability policy that will allow minimal car insurance?
Most have a specific minimum required.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:19 am

Unless I don't correctly understand what you're asking, I believe my broadform policy is exactly that. It covers me for liability in any vehicle I drive, the known exception being trucks larger than 1-tons.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:42 am

I think they are primarily for other things, but it sounds similar, at least.
The ones I checked on could not substitute for car insurance, just added on to it.

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 9:09 am

Here's my thoughts:

Auto insurance policies are regulated and fairly uniform to an extent. Each policy and each type of coverage must be analyzed separately. First, see if your MV fits within the definition of insured vehicle or car.

State Farm, under liability coverage, defines "Car" as "a land motor vehicle with four or more wheels, designed for use primarily on public roads, It does not include: 1. any vehicle while located for use as a dwelling or other premises; or 2. a truck-tractor designed to pull any type of trailer."

Next, see if any exclusions apply for your intended use. State Farm has 17 separate exclusions under liability coverage. The one most relevant states that there is no coverage for any car "for the ownership, maintenance, or use of any vehicle while it is: a. off public roads AND being prepared for, used in practice for, or operated in any racing contest, hill-climbing contest, jumping contest, or any similar contest."
The "off public roads" language is coupled by "and" with racing, hill climbing, etc. Arguably, that exclusion does not apply.

Arguably, for liability coverage a MV, if street legal and used primarily on public roads, would be covered under this policy for liability coverage. (If the MV is driven to the playa, one could argue that the 500 mile journey there and back on public roads is evidence that the MV was designed primarily for use on public roads despite it being used off road on the playa for a few miles during the week of the Burn.)

The biggest trick may be getting the thing insured. Most insurers do not do a physical inspection of a vehicle if only liability coverage is purchased. A material misrepresentation in the application process will void the policy regardless whether the vehicle fits the definition of insured car or vehicle. So, if the policy application asks about modifications, you do have to state the modifications or run the risk of being denied coverage later. If, however, the application does not ask about modifications one could list the VIN, make and model of the platform vehicle and, if necessary, argue later, that the insurance company had the duty to ask about any modifications it deemed important.

I've used the word "argue" repeatedly because, unfortunately, insurance companies are very, very insistent on their exclusions. In the event of a liability claim, one may receive a reservation of rights letter or an outright denial of coverage which would necessitate hiring a lawyer on your own dime to argue that there was no misrepresentation, and that the vehicle was designed primarily for use on public roads, among other things.

These are just my thoughts, and this is NOT legal advice to any specific person. Check the laws of your own state and the terms of your own policy and preferably, consult an attorney.

Hope that helps.
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Insuring Your Art Vehicle

Insuring Your Art Vehicle

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