kary993

I am still going through the various individuals on this one. The next person said that I "modified the car to increase acceleration and speed making the car unsafe." I said nothing about the engine or transmission has been changed to make the car accelerate faster or generate more speed. In fact the wing decreases overall speed with the drag. They seemed confused by this and now are going back to the adjuster. I am still awaiting the modifications that make it accelerate and go faster than any other 993 on the road.....

viperbob

Kary,

Wing and spoilers are cosmetic enhancements (do they drop everyone that puts on a new piece of fiberglass?). Also, rollbars can also be considered somewhat cosmetic in nature. Look at the Boxsters and Miatas out there with a roll hoop or bar. Do they also drop these clients? If so, 90% of the Miatas out there would have no insurance. You could also just say that you look cool with the seat belts on and you have those nice black leather driving gloves....

ca993twin

Scott brings up an interesting legal issue. What is "modified"? Different brand of air filter? Different brand of spark plugs? Aluminum shift ****? Turbo "s" ducts (oh-oh)? Different wheels? Different tires? Ye gads... all of our cars are modified in some small (or in viperbob's case; large) way. Where is that line? Kary's safety gear? I'd go straight to the insurance commissioner and start a case file. Then I'd start writing letters. Don't let them get away with this.

kary993

Well I finally got an e-mail today about why they are cancelling the policy for my Porsche. here is the text:

THIS POLICY IS BEING CANCELLED BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN HAZARD INSURED AGAINST., ALTERATION OF THE INSURED VEHICLE IN ORDER TO INCREASE SPEED OR ACCELERATION CAPABILITIES WHICH RENDERS THE INSURED VEHICLE UNSAFE:, 1997 PORSCHE HAS BEEN MODIFIED FOR RACING

Here is what the underwriter says is modified:

UNDERWRITING NOTICE**CAR HAS RACING SEATS,SEAT BELTS,INSIDE CAMERA MOUNT,ROLL CAGE,MAGNETIC RACING NUMBERS(STORED UNDERSIDE OF HOOD),RACING SUSPENSION,UNDERSIDE TIE DOWN HOOKS(FOR TYING DOWN ON TRAILER)

Now, what in that list makes the car accelerate faster or makes the car have a faster speed. BTW I have a roll bar not a roll cage, clearly they do not even understand the difference.

I will again pursue this tomorrow. This is really annoying

ca993twin

Ouch. The latest issue of Autoweek (April 5, 2004) has an article on page 9: "Forming a Policy Against Tuners", where they describe a Canadian motorist, age 47, squeaky clean driving record, who was dropped by State Farm for having lowering springs on his Pontiac Sunfire (A Sunfire, fer gawds sake). This is starting to smell really bad. We may all be in for a nasty surprise from our insurance agencies somewhere down the road if this can't be stopped.

I'm OK with Kary's insurance company NOT insuring him on the track, but to drop him because of the extra safety gear that makes him safer on both the street and the track? They are playing an unfair and (and in my non-legal opinion) illegal numbers game to reduce their risk based on statistics... not on an individual's proven performance or lack of it.

Am I worried? You bet your *** I am.

hatchy

The silver lining is that you know about this now, and not when you file a claim against your policy. I wonder if insurance companies are black balling people for DE...

Dr. No

Guys, I'm pretty sure they are looking for any modification that indicates you don't drive like a little old lady, on the theory more aggresive driving leads to more accidents leads to more claims leads to less profits. Don't look for too much logic in the "modified for speed" defense.

rick993

This is absolutley crazy!! So if the shocks are shot on my car and I don't replace them with OEM, I've modified??? I put Rancho adjustables, a steering dampener, and larger wheels and tires on my 93' F-250 DIESEL . . this is modifying for speed??? All the after market auto parts makers are facing a precipitous decline in sales if this is the case. Needless to say that the insurance companies will be able to pick and choose which / who's modifications are for the evil "speed"!
I do believe we need some spiritual guidence from our great general counsel and the brethren of litigeous endevours . . . . . . . uughmm . . . .... .....Gentlemen?

kary993

Rick993, I think this really depends upon the insurance company. Clearly my insurance, Liberty Mutual, is trying to crack down on fraudulent track claims. They are clearly afraid that I am going to go to a track, crash the car, and then tell them it happened on the street. While this was not the case for my accident since I had witnesses and a police report, they do not want the exposure to a car that is clearly ready for DE events. While this sucks and I do not think they have a legal leg to stand on given the text they provided, they are clearly going to try and reduce their exposure.

Randy M

I wonder how insurance companies treat 'speed' in Germany?

ScottMellor

I think I'll keep my car stealthy! My car LOOKS pretty stock.

I just got the language on my new insurance policy from AIG.

I am not covered for loss to my auto located inside a facility designed for racing, for the purpose of:
a. Competing in; or
b. Practicing or preparing for;
any prearranged or organized racing or speed contest.

I checked with the agent, and she said I would be covered at a DE at a race track if no timing or racing were involved.

kary993

Scott can you send me a contact number for AIG? Do you like AIG?

I need to start looking at another insurance company because I do not want to stay with Liberty Mutual even though they will continue to cover my other cars.

Pete Lech

Isn't AIG the firm who bought 21st Century Insurance, and then jacked up the auto rates and dropped homeowners coverage? My 2 regular cars went up so much, I saved 30% by shoppng around. Plus, they quoted me $2200 a year when I bought the 993, after I had been with them for 15 years. Sayonara dudes.

I am with GMAC Insurance now.

ScottMellor

I am actually moving from GMAC to AIG because I got a better rate. (I have a ticket on my record)
I have no experience with them yet. It was a special rate for Thrivent Lutheran Services customers. I do know that the rate is better for us than the regular heathen rate.
The number is 1-877-201-99092.

kary993

I left 21st century because of the poor service and the rates just kept going up without any tickets or accidents. I did not know AIG bought 21th. But then I am just a heathen I guess. So I went to liberty mutual only find that they don't like my car. Strange I have my race trailer insured with them, I asked them if they would insure on the track (they said no), but no one asked about my car set up!