Does insurance cover restoring cars?
If you spend time restoring cars, you will want to consider using auto insurance to help cover the cost of repairs. While auto insurance will not pay for your car restorations, it can cover any damage caused by an accident, vandalism, theft, or inclement weather. When you’re looking for auto insurance to cover your restored car, be sure to shop around to find companies in your area that will provide affordable coverage.
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Schimri Yoyo
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
Schimri Yoyo is a financial advisor with active insurance licenses in seven states and over 20 years of professional experience. During his career, he has held roles at Foresters Financial, Strayer University, Minnesota Life, Securian Financial Services, Delaware Valley Advisors, Bridgemark Wealth Management, and Fidelity. Schimri is an educator eager to assist individuals and families in ach...
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
UPDATED: May 17, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
UPDATED: May 17, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- In most cases, auto insurance will not cover car restoration, but there may be a few exceptions to this rule depending on the circumstances
- Some insurance companies provide liability coverage to restoration shops if employees cause damage to a customer’s car while it is being restored
- If you plan to drive your restored vehicle, or if it is considered valuable, you will want to make sure it is fully insured
If you have a car that needs to be restored, you may be curious whether insurance policies will help you pay for some of the work. In most cases, auto insurance will not cover car restoration, but there may be a few exceptions to this rule, depending on the circumstances.
Many people enjoy restoring cars. This is seen as a hobby, but you may be able to make good money off of it if you intend to sell the car after it’s restored. In this case, it would be difficult to find any car insurance that would agree to pay for some of the restorations.
As you search for auto insurance, be sure to shop around and compare auto insurance quotes from multiple companies. This will help you make sure you are not overpaying for coverage — especially if you plan to insure a restored vehicle.
You can use our free quote tool above today to compare top car insurance companies in your area and see which policies are the most affordable.
What is the best car restoration insurance?
Sadly, there is no such thing as insurance for car restoration. If you have purchased a car and intend to restore the vehicle, you will be fully responsible for covering all costs associated with the restoration. The purpose of auto insurance is to help cover the costs of accidents or other damage, not to pay for restoring a car as a hobby or a side job.
There are some insurance companies that cover car restoration businesses. If you own a business that restores cars, you can shop around for this type of coverage, which typically provides liability protection if you cause physical damage to a customer’s car.
While it is impossible to purchase car insurance that will help fund your endeavor to rebuild a vehicle, it is necessary to purchase car insurance if you plan to drive the vehicle. And you may still want to cover your restored car before you are done with the project if it is valuable and you worry about theft or other types of damage outside of a collision.
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What are some of the best cars to restore?
If you are starting your search for a car to restore, you may want to find the best options out there. Finding the best cars to restore can be tricky, especially when it truly depends on what you like and how much work you want to do in the restoration process.
Some of the most sought after classic American cars to restore include:
- 1967-1972 Chevy C10 pickup
- 1967-1969 Chevy Camaro
- 1964-1972 Chevy Chevelle
- 1964-1973 Mustang
- 1932 Ford
- 1955-1957 Tri-Five Chevy
- 1970-1974 Plymouth ‘Cuda
- 1964-1972 Pontiac GTO
- 1968-1972 Chevy Corvette
When it comes to imports, some of the most popular options for car restorations include:
- MGB
- Triumph TR3
- Fiat 124 Sport Spider
- Austin-Morris Mini
- Volkswagen Beetle
You’ll need to look around and see what’s available before you decide what type of car you want to restore. You’ll also need to consider the financial obligation involved with restoring a more expensive vehicle. Once you decide on a car you want to restore, be sure to purchase comprehensive insurance if the car is at all valuable.
How much does it cost to restore a car?
Most experts agree that a full restoration of a vehicle can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $80,000, depending on a number of factors.
Some of the costs you’ll need to consider include:
- The acquisition of the vehicle
- Preparation of the vehicle
- The cost of custom parts
- Labor for restoration
- Overall body repair
- Painting and other finishing work
Once you find the vehicle you want to restore, you will get a much better idea of how much it will cost to restore. If you have a background in restoring cars, you will save a lot of money on labor costs. But if you are outsourcing most of the work to a professional, the cost of restoring a vehicle can be extremely high.
Does my restored car need auto insurance?
While you are restoring a car, and especially once it is fully restored, that vehicle will carry with it some sort of monetary value. It would be wise to purchase car insurance that will cover your vehicle in all situations.
If you are not planning to drive your restored car, you can plan to cover it with your homeowner’s insurance policy. This will really only work if your restored vehicle is in your home garage. If your car is in another place, such as a storage facility, you will want comprehensive coverage to cover your vehicle if it is stolen, vandalized, or damaged by weather.
Planning to drive your restored car means you truly need to carry full coverage so it will be insured in virtually any scenario. You may not be able to find cheap car insurance if you’re looking for full coverage on a restored car, but they will offer you peace of mind, so you won’t have to worry about any additional costs if your vehicle is damaged.
Be sure to use our free quote tool below to find and compare affordable prices for full coverage policies on your newly-restored vehicle.
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Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.
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Schimri Yoyo
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
Schimri Yoyo is a financial advisor with active insurance licenses in seven states and over 20 years of professional experience. During his career, he has held roles at Foresters Financial, Strayer University, Minnesota Life, Securian Financial Services, Delaware Valley Advisors, Bridgemark Wealth Management, and Fidelity. Schimri is an educator eager to assist individuals and families in ach...
Licensed Agent & Financial Advisor
UPDATED: May 17, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.