Need insurance...

[ERA 626]

I have a moving violation and an accident on my record.
I have tried State Farm & Peacock.(no luck)
I got a quote from Farmers and they want $950 every 6 months!! For a $70 agreed value policy.
This is robbery!
Can any one help?

[Turk]

Have you tried a Driving School?

TURK

[RACER X #99]

Is it my imagination or have the insurance rates started to increase along with the number of posts talking about big hp engines?

Somebody could be watching.

[ERA 626]

Can you go to driving school for a ticket that is 2 years old?

[ERA 626]

I tried to do a search on insurance and the search engine does not seem to work.
So can some one please give me some names to call.

[RACER X #99]

http://www.americancollectorsins.com/

[BLACKJACK]

MY PREMIUMS WITH HAGGERTY WENT UP OVER $500.00 THIS YEAR. NOT RELATED TO THE EXPLOSION AND FIRE BECAUSE THE INCREASE WAS ONLY ON THE COBRAS AND NOT ON THE GT-40 OR THE TRAILER.

I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL OTHER COMPANIES THAT WOULD EITHER NOT INSURE COBRAS OR THEIR RATES WERE HIGHER THAN HAGGERTY'S.

I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT STATE FARM BUT THEIR IDEA OF "AGREED UPON VALUE" WAS 20K FOR THE EXCALIBUR, 23K FOR THE ERA AND 35K FOR THE GT-40. I INFORMED THEM OF THE MISTLETOE THAT I HAVE PINNED TO MY COAT TAIL.

HAGGERTY ALSO "CHOPPED" THE LIABILITY COVERAGE TO 25/50 FROM 300/500. ADDITIONALY THEY NOW APPLY A 250.00 DEDUCTABLE.

I THINK - FOR THE MOST PART - WE HAVE OUR COLLECTIVE SELVES TO BLAME. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OF US HAVE EITHER HAD COMPETITION DRIVING EXPERIENCE OR HAVE ATTENDED A QUALITY PERFORMANCE DRIVING SCHOOL.

POSSIBILITY : WITH 5000 PLUS MEMBERS AT SOME POINT WE SHOULD CONSIDER FORMING OUR OWN INSURANCE CO-OPERATIVE. IT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW MANY OF OUR OWN THAT WE WOULD NOT WANT TO INSURE - OR WOULD CHARGE A PREMIUM FOR DOING SO.

I SENT MY CHECK TO HAGGERTY - GRUDGINGLY.

PERHAPS WE COULD APPROACH AN INSURANCE CARRIER ABOUT A SPECIAL GROUP RATE FOR SELECTED "GOOD" DRIVERS AND A PREMIUM FOR THE "NOT-SO-GOOD" DRIVERS.

I'M PAYING OVER $3100.00 PER YEAR - THAT'S OVER $250.00 A MONTH. I DRIVE THE THREE CARS LESS THAT 4000 MILES PER YEAR - TOTAL. THE MATH COMES OUT TO ALMOST 80 CENTS PER MILE. I THINK THAT'S A HELL OF A LOT FOR A DRIVER WHO HAS NOT HAD A MOVING VIOLATION OR CHARGED ACCIDENT SINCE JANUARY 1964. (THAT "THUMPING" SOUND YOU HEAR IN THE BACKGROUND IS ME "KNOCKING ON WOOD").

SURE WISH I HAD A BETTER ANSWER,

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT - AND SAFE - DAY,

BLACKJACK

[ERA 626]

Racer X,
I will try... There on line quote said "$406 per year " I know that is too good to be true. But I will try.

BlackJack,
Just because I have a ticket for towing my boat in the fast lane (OPPS) and a fender bender on my record does this mean I am a bad driver???

[BLACKJACK]

HEY, MIKE - - -

I'M NOT CRITICIZING !!!

ON ANY GIVEN DAY I'D RATHER BE LUCKY THAN GOOD. I'VE JUST BEEN DARN LUCKY. (SEE PREVIOUS POST RE: "KNOCKING ON WOOD").

X-99: THANKS FOR THE INFO. I'LL CALL AMERICAN COLLECTORS IN THE MORNING.

Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY.

BLACKJACK

[John 550]

I agree with "Cranky " too much info for the " insurance poacher" . Now I have another reason to want a GT.

[Ron61]

Blackjack,

I agree with you and everything you said. I have said for the last two years that anyone new to the Cobra scene should take a High Performance driving school and I was 62 yesterday and plan to go through one again next Summer. I have been driving them since the 1965 schools at Riverside and I try to keep in practice but I have slowed down a lot too as my reaction time isn't what it used to be 35 years ago. To many new people with huge horsepower they don't need and don't know how to control in a light car. I have to go through a safety class every two years to renew my carry permit and I think a driving course to get new insurance or proof of seat time in the car, maybe a year, would be good for getting insurance. I have seen three wrecks right here in my area and one of them was by a veteran driver just 3 minutes after he got into his Cobra and he tore the whole front end out and killed a small tree in the process. The others were by new owners and happend within three weeks of their getting the cars. I suppose this post will start another war but some are really making it hard for all with their lack of skill.

[BLACKJACK]

GOOD POINT, RON - - -

I LIKE THE COMPARISON TO FIRE ARMS. COBRAS AND GUNS ARE BOTH PERFECTLY SAFE IN THE HANDS OF TRAINED AND EXPERIENCED OPERATORS.

THE PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN AN OPERATOR "BELIEVES" THAT HE/SHE "CAN HANDLE IT".

I HAVE TRAINEES FREQUENTLY WHO HAVE "MODERATE" EXPERIENCE WITH HAND GUNS OR SHOT GUNS AND THINK THEY CAN JUST "PICK-UP" AN MP-5, AN UZI OR AN AK-47 AND BECOME THE "ACE OF THE BASE" IMMEDIATELY.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE TRAINEE WHO COMES IN WITH A "BLACK BELT" IN SOME COMMERCIALLY HYPED DISCIPLINE WHO THINKS HE'S BRUCE LEE AND HE WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE IN HE11 IN A NORTHSIDE PITTBURGH BAR FIGHT.

COBRAS ARE VERY SIMILAR BECAUSE QUITE A BIT OF "DAILY DRIVING" EXPERIENCE TRANSLATES TO DRIVING A COBRA. HOWEVER - - IT'S THE OTHER 20% THAT THE NEW COBRA DRIVER DOES NOT EVEN EXPECT AND THEREFORE CAN'T ANTICIPATE THAT RISES UP AND BITES HIM/HER ON THE BUTT.

IN ALL THREE EXAMPLES THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN 20% OF THE INSTANCES THAT OCCUR - - THE RULES ARE CHANGED.

PROFESSIONAL INITIAL, AND ALSO RECURRENT TRAINING (AS YOU SUGGESTED), SHOULD BE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED IF NOT MADE MANDANTORY. PERHAPS THERE ARE INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS OUT THERE WHO - IF PROPERLY EDUCATED - COULD GAIN A LOT OF "GOOD" BUSINESS BY OFFERING DISCOUNTS FOR APPROVED INITIAL AND RECURRENT TRAINING. PERHAPS THE "DISCOUNT" WOULD BE THE IMPETUS FOR SOME DRIVERS TO TAKE THE TRAINING. THE WORLD (OR AT LEAST THE HIGHWAYS AND THE TRACK) WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER/SAFER PLACE.

Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT DAY AND A SUPER - SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON.

BLACKJACK

[mustangmendez]

We could do an insurance pool and like a maternity plan where you pay premiums for a year or two before it will actually pay the full premium but charge you anyway ,all the $sss could be in vested in a high yield interest rate return .So what else are you guys doing with your millions of $$$$sss.HA HA just kidding guys I was in the insurance and security business for awhile learned enough to help myself and left it as that .
T

[Chaplin]

This thread is of interest to me for a couple of reasons. First, I live NJ which is one of the worst states for insurance.

Mr. Mike, you might also call JC Taylor (sorry don't have their number handy, but you should be able to find them on the wed). They sent me a quote for $1000 year, which I though wasn't bad (again, considering I'm in NJ).

Blackjack, looking at your rates, I'd think you live in NJ- yours are really bad.

Although I have never driven a cobra, I have driven and owned quite a few light cars with a lot of HP (granted not as light or as much HP as a cobra) and they were enough to scare the hell out of me- can remember a few times spinning the rear out around corners, in the rain, etc. But, knock on wood, never had an accident or a moving violation. I can tell you for sure that I will take it easy and respect the cobra (especially because I would never forgive myself if I smashed it up).

Question to all of you is this, what are the biggest mistakes that people with new cobras make that gets them in trouble? Is it simply a matter of not respecting the power/weight ratio and thinking that their driving skills are better than they are? Or is it something more?

Are there any driving schools in or near the NY tri-state area that you guys can recommend??

Thanks in advance. Hope everyone has a good Holiday.

Mike

[Ron61]

Mike,

As to your question about what are the biggest mistakes that people with new Cobras make. Number one is a Cobra does not drive like their normal car and they aren't used to the power, acceleration, and handling characteristics of the Cobra. I have a friend who just completed his last Summer and I have been after him to go to the driving school next Summer. He flatly refused until about three weeks ago when he called me to see if I would get the date and he will go with me when I go for the refresher course. He has a long winding driveway and so far at 10-15 MPH he has managed to run off the driveway 15 times he said. I always take any new car that I get out for a few weeks by myself and try it out until I am sure of how it is going to react before I will even take anyone for a ride. That is another cause of early crashes. Taking a friend out to impress them and proving Cobras can't knock down trees or run over 18 wheelers. Also some people just think they are better drivers than they really are. If you can find a high performance driving school that you can attend with your Cobra I highly recommend doing it as they will teach you things you wouldn't believe. But always respect the car and be on the lookout for other drivers and their mistakes.

[Cobra #42]

Ron , You and Blackjack are correct, everyone needs to attend a driving school and not just once in a lifetime. Driving a High Horsepower car is very challenging. I teach at the Panoz Racing School at Texas Motor speedway and main reason I teach (besides being fun) is to keeps you sharp. Seat time and practice at high speed is the only way you can improve your driving skills. We have found at our school, the people that don't think they need a school are the people that really need help. The over confident person will be more likely to get into a situation where they run out of talent before they run out of car.

[RACER X #99]

Mike asked about driving schools.
The gang from Club Cranky does 5-6 Open track events each year in the Northeast. All of these are driving schools for the beginners. All provide classroom as well as in car instruction on some of the finest tracks in the area.
PDA runs schools at Pocono PA, Watkins Glen NY. Lime Rock Park CT.

Go to their site www.imp-auto.com for more info.

These are realitively inexpensive schools but they are NOT racing schools. You will learn car control, track driving etiquette, and you will have a lot of fun also.
Most of the instructors are not pro racers but they will teach you how to drive your car faster and safer than you can learn by practicing on the street.

Cranky

[Ron61]

Cobra#42,

I wish you were near here so I could attend one of your Panoz driving schools. I have always wanted to drive one and so far they haven't had any available at the track I go to. I still prefer to drive the car that I am going to be driving on the street but do like to try others when I get a chance.

Cranky,

Your driving school set up sounds great. I never meant in any way in my post to infer that anyone should try to learn to drive on the street. The road I use is part of an old highway and is no longer used and I have permission to use it. I can then practice what I learn at the schools by myself until I feel comfortable with having another person in the car with me. I don't try to teach others to drive either as I don't know their experience, cars, and temperment. A car set up like I like it may be undriveable to another person and visa versa. I just don't think you can get to much experience in anything.

[RACER X #99]

Ron,
I wasn't pointing the finger at anyone in particular.
I didn't see in your posts where you said you were practicing on the street.
I know there are a lot of guys out there who think they know all about performance driving without ever having gone on the track. These are the guys that are real dangerous out on the street with 400+ hp Cobras. I tried street cruising with a group a few times and some of those guys scared the crap out of me. I have yet to see one of those guys at a driving school.
Funny thing about Cobras and schools most of the guys out there are 50+ we just can't seem to intice a lot of those young hotshots to attend.

What a strange hobby, the old geezers are out racing and the youngsters are waxin and relaxin at the car shows.

Cranky

[klayfish]

Cranky,
I think your comments about the old guys racing and the young guys waxing and relaxing is sad but true. I think the too many of the young guys think they are the best drivers in the world and don't need open track schools. And besides, for them, it's "cool" to show it off to the general public how fast they can go. And foolish thinking like that is what can create insurance problems.

I agree the Cobra is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands, given it's power to weight. Someone who's used to a family sedan, or even an average sports car, the Cobra is a whole new experience. Sure, the 'Vette is really fast, but part of me thinks the Cobras' speed is a whole different "kind" of speed. It doesn't accelerate smoothly like other cars. It's crude overpowering and wild.

I'll stand with you on a soapbox and preach about how valuable an experience these driving schools are. For anyone considering driving schools like PDA, I'd be happy to tell them my story of how I went to my first event almost having to be dragged by Club Cranky kicking and screaming because I was afraid of hurting the car. But it was a pheonomenal experience and I would recommend it be mandatory learning for all Cobra owners. I will also say the same about autox. Though not as fast as open track, it teaches you tons about car control. I used a lot of what I learned in autox when I got to my open track events.

By the way, getting back to the insurance topic. Yes, we insurance people do read these forums, but it's the hope that many will take Cranky up on his suggestions and learn how to drive their cars and handle their power.

Steve