Insurance for rig when it is plated as Offroad only.

[dwcjwerfner]

Ok I am sure somebody must have already done this, if you switch your vehicle to offroad only plates where can you can get insurance? Steve' State Farm agent says definitely not and my insurance broker has not been able to find anybody who will.

Thanks
Dwayne
:smokin:

 

[szabotage]

this was a big discussion on zookpower a few years back, I don't think it ever was resolved.

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1652&highlight=offroad+insurance

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=844&highlight=offroad+insurance

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1566&highlight=offroad+insurance

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=922&highlight=offroad+insurance

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=3022&highlight=offroad+insurance

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1946&highlight=offroad+insurance

http://zookpower.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=1621&highlight=offroad+insurance

 

[Farm Boy]

Lynne spoke with a friend of a friend quite a while ago that works for some insurance company that I have forgotten and she had indicated that it was quite feasable. I'd planned on checking into it for this season. I'll post up what I find out.

 

[Farm Boy]

After reading only the first few lines, I would suggest that there has likely been a change to some of that since it was posted 4 yrs ago.

All the SXS (Rhinos etc) didn't exist 4 yrs ago as they do now. I know they had issues originally 'cause they have a steering wheel and a seat you sit in rather than on. Obviously with the number of these things out there there has to be a way. The biggest difference between one of these and what we drive is that our rigs were originally designed for the road, possible level of modifications and tire size.

 

[Steve B]

My insurance company (State Farm) has told me that if any vehicle has been modified from what was originaly engineered from the factory they won't touch it even if it has a mechanic safety check after,,, they just don't have any way of checking OUR engineering,,,, I'm sure we're all taking chances every time that we go out,,,,what if your insurance company wouldn't cover you if your rig catches on fire and burnt someones house or something,,,,scary.

 

[Richard]

My insurance company (State Farm) has told me that if any vehicle has been modified from what was originaly engineered from the factory they won't touch it even if it has a mechanic safety check after,,, they just don't have any way of checking OUR engineering,,,, I'm sure we're all taking chances every time that we go out,,,,what if your insurance company wouldn't cover you if your rig catches on fire and burnt someones house or something,,,,scary.

This has been an issue and has been discussed at great length on every modified vehicle forum (not just 4x4s) out there. The basics are most insurance companies will not insure modified vehicles. If you don't tell them and keep the insurance going you're taking a very dangerous legal gamble. If something really bad happens, AFAIK they are still obliged to cover liability, but whos to say they won't come after you for that money after? Then there's the whole fraud issue which insurance companies don't take lightly.

There are a few companies out there that will modify modified for off-road 4x4s, though they may still have limitations such as no modifications for speed like nitrous. One such is Dominion of Canada through Palladium Insurance which I have, call Tim Snelling at Palladium. I don't know if they'll cover an off-road only vehicle.

 

[Steve B]

I'll try that , thanks.

 

[JeepJen]

My insurance company has been pretty cool about it all, though I only have minor mods, 2" lift and 31's. They put it on the books and it didn't change my rates. And now that the green one is off road only they have fire and theft on it and when I'm taking it out I call them up and they up the insurance to full for the day or weekend. We're with the Co-Operators though part of it is the branch office we go through in Picton. Ty's whole family has used them for years.

Question though. How do you switch to Off Road only plates??

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm not exactly sure but as I understand it, you have to be careful with off-road only plates. Once it is off-road only, if you can get it, it is almost impossible to get it back on the road. Unless you can trailer it, you'll need regular plates to get it to the trail. I think Bill has one of these and possibly some of the Zookpower guys. It's on my list for things to check into before spring.

 

[szabotage]

in lanark and frontenac, there is a law that allows offroad plated vehicles with insurance to use certain highways as long as they yield to oncoming traffic and keep the speed limit at 50km/h. kinda sucks but is better than nothing.

 

[jlalonde]

So i know this is an old thread, but has anybody found a company that would cover off road only?

 

[DoctorPhate]

My insurance company (State Farm) has told me that if any vehicle has been modified from what was originaly engineered from the factory they won't touch it even if it has a mechanic safety check after,,, they just don't have any way of checking OUR engineering,,,, I'm sure we're all taking chances every time that we go out,,,,what if your insurance company wouldn't cover you if your rig catches on fire and burnt someones house or something,,,,scary.

I'm pretty lucky. I talked to my insurance agent(All State) and told her the scope of my plans and she sat there and listened and tried to understand it all and simply said "Will it be any faster?"

I said "Most likely it will be slower.."

then she said "unless its like 10 feet tall and the same width and you haven't upgraded the braking system then I will have no problem making sure that it will always be covered"

I made sure I specified the bumpers and rock rails i had planned and she said that she sees no reason why she wouldn't cover something thats SAFER then it was before.

 

[Richard]

I assume some of your plans is to put on bigger tires and the truck will end up heavier, but they don't want you to upgrade your brakes? Are upgraded brakes supposed to make you faster again? :banghead:

 

[DoctorPhate]

she said TO upgrade my brakes.. she wanted to make sure I was.

and yes the plans are for 33s on a wider stance with as little lift as possible so basicly alot of trimming.

then she said "unless its like 10 feet tall and the same width and you haven't upgraded the braking system then I will have no problem making sure that it will always be covered"

 

[Dirk]

I recently talked to my agent and "modifications" came up, not neccessarily 4x4's, any mods.
In his understanding, modifications to insurance companies means performance modifications, performance as in more power and being faster.

 

[Root Moose]

The other issue with modifications is if you have a $4000 vehicle and dump $10k of engine into it... Then write it off and expect to get coverage for $14k but the ins co only knows about the $4k there will be issues. The insurance co will want an appraisal and you to be paying a premium based upon the $14k value in order for you to get the "expected" benefit of the claim.

Food for thought.

 

[DoctorPhate]

I already talked to her about this and she asked if I wanted to add the value of the parts into the truck and I told her if anyone hit my Jeep those parts will be fine.. I'll just take them off the jeep before i bring it to the junk yard lol she was fine with that answer.

Luckily she knows the difference between mods for speed and mods for wheeling.

 

[Kunker]

I already talked to her about this and she asked if I wanted to add the value of the parts into the truck and I told her if anyone hit my Jeep those parts will be fine.. I'll just take them off the jeep before i bring it to the junk yard lol she was fine with that answer.

Make sure you get that in writing...I've seen more than a few cases where any parts on the truck at the time of the incident are included in the write-off, and you would need to buy the truck back to grab them.

 

[DoctorPhate]

already did

Either way though shes trust worthy for a car insurance agent.