Mutant vehicle/art car event insurance?

plumblove · Post by **plumblove** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:40 pm

I've brought a heavily modified golf cart mutant vehicle for the last three years. It was so small I wasn't too worried about doing much damage with it. But this year I'm hoping to bring a mutant based on a large SUV. It will have lots more potential for harm.
Do any of the Captains of mutant vehicles on this site bother to insure their creations in case of property damage or bodily harm? I've read on here about parade or special event insurance. Does this seem necessary? Or am I being too paranoid?

Snow · Post by **Snow** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:52 pm

just bring a stick to get the hippie pieces out of the drivetrain and tires

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Mon Apr 05, 2010 9:22 pm

Do any of the Captains of mutant vehicles on this site bother to insure their creations in case of property damage or bodily harm?

I smell bullshit.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:33 am

Normally I would say "read the back of your ticket", but we do insure our art truck. (You can check out pictures of it under 2009 pictures on our website www.barbiedeathcamp.com). It's a small price to pay for two weeks' worth of insurance should something go wrong. Part of our camp dues goes to pay for it. Considering what can go wrong (what, a bunch of stoned burners falling off moving vehicles? nah, would never happen) it's worth it if for no other reason than the peace of mind. Contact your insurance carrier to see about liability insurance for a few weeks.

plumblove · Post by **plumblove** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:21 am

The back of the ticket only protects Burning Man Corp. Not individual participants like ourselves. It was my understanding that most normal auto insurance doesn't "work" in an offroad situation like BM.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:42 am

The key words there are: "most normal auto insurance". That's why you have a qualified insurance agent (which I am not one) to go the extra mile and get you proper insurance. Perhaps to a certain degree it takes a "fertile imagination" to make it fly, but that's why they work on commission.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:18 pm

There's also umbrella liability.
You can even insure a car for the track.

illy dilly · Post by **illy dilly** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:01 am

Yeah how the hell do you insure a mutant vehicle? I have an appointment with my insurance guy tomorrow, I'll ask if the opportunity arises.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:30 am

Ask about "Parade Float" insurance.

My carrier has it available but the presence of flamethrowers makes it's coverage nullified.

Fire_Moose · Post by **Fire_Moose** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:42 am

oneeyeddick wrote: My carrier has it available but the presence of flamethrowers makes it's coverage nullified.

That's hogwash! You should call discrimination that that!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:34 am

Call it fire performance, fire art, anything but a flamethrower.
Yours technically isn't anyway.

illy dilly · Post by **illy dilly** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:58 pm

Ok I could totally see float insurance. Since I'm covered on any car, truck, SUV I drive, I wonder if I'm covered on MVs

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:30 pm

illy dilly wrote:Since I'm covered on any car, truck, SUV I drive, I wonder if I'm covered on MVs

...no exclusion for "off road"?

Post by **Sham** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:45 pm

For years and years, I had my art car registered and insured for the standard car it was built as. (A VW) I didn't want to raise any flags on the extreme modifications. A few years back, I had a specialty insurance company quote the insurance and found it was MUCH cheaper as an art car. I guess they figure it was not going to be driven the same as your average Chevy. I'm not sure why I didn't do this 20 years ago!

This company specializes in classic and collectable vehicles. Since this is a referal, I will give them a plug. http://www.hagerty.com/

They used my art car in their advertising and paid me enough to cover the insurance for the year.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:11 pm

gyre wrote:Call it fire performance, fire art, anything but a flamethrower.
Yours technically isn't anyway.

It is if I turn the source tanks upside-down.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:16 pm

Does this happen often?

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:28 pm

I suspect it will only happen once if it ever does.

vargaso · Post by **vargaso** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:39 pm

Interesting, I never thought about insuring our mutant vehicle. Everything went smoothly last year, so that means it will go smoothly this year, right?

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Sun Apr 11, 2010 6:31 pm

Everything went smoothly last year, so that means it will go smoothly this year, right?

Yeah, right.

Consider the worst case scenario.

Consider the plight of the poor bastard who was driving the art car that killed Kathy Lampman.

Insurance for an art car? Hell, consider it the same way you'd consider travel insurance when traveling in some exotic country. If you can afford it then buy it.

dj_john69 · Post by **dj_john69** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 2:56 pm

Isotopia wrote:
Everything went smoothly last year, so that means it will go smoothly this year, right?
Yeah, right.

Consider the worst case scenario.

Consider the plight of the poor bastard who was driving the art car that killed Kathy Lampman.

Insurance for an art car? Hell, consider it the same way you'd consider travel insurance when traveling in some exotic country. If you can afford it then buy it.

Well said.

I wonder if AAA can be applied to art cars ??

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:07 pm

...if you are considering insurance, you may want to hire a Liability Attorney to give you a run-down on what could go wrong, and prudent steps one could take to minimize risk.