Auto Insurance in SC - Need Collector Insurance Recommendations

Hi neighbors,

I searched the archives and found some ancient threads on this topic, so thought I’d ask for some fresh help.

Please share some names of known auto insurance companies in SC that have good pricing and offer agreed value — according to the parameters I’ve specified below.
Also, if you have the name of an independent agency that specializes in this kind of auto insurance in SC, please share.

About me:
- primary residence in FL, many luxury high-dollar cars with State Farm in FL
- I have American Modern in FL for a few specialty cars and their product and price are great
- I have lots of experience with auto insurance for many cars in many different states; but I’m fairly new to South Carolina, I don’t know many folks there, and I need a good collector company that will insure my specialty cars for an agreed value.
- I currently have State Farm in SC and while the prices are pretty good, a collector company with agreed value is more appropriate for specialty cars.

Parameters:
- Let’s not talk about Hagerty and Grundy; most of us know about these names; and while excellent carriers, their pricing has gone out of control
- I pay around $1100 per car with State Farm on average in FL which is the #1 most expensive auto insurance State in the US; I don’t expect to pay some huge amount more in SC (I expect to pay less, but that’s a hope)
- I pay around $600 per car in FL with American Modern with very generous agreed values
- When I attempted to quote American Modern in SC, I received a ridiculous quote north of $3,000 per car per year
- Same kind of terrible SC quote turned up when I attempted to quote Condon Skelly directly

I imagine the information exchanged in this thread would be helpful to many.

Thank you!

 

Thank you for that recommendation! Sounds like you have a nice setup.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I am not being wise here or inviting a debate, but I too must offer the other side since you’ve offered the other side.

Most people who have been insuring high-value cars for decades know a bit about auto insurance, and I for better or for worse am one of those people. Your statement about replacement parts versus OEM parts is one that is very often utilized during a sales conversation — and it is something that never ever applies most of the time.

The problem with that is this: aftermarket parts are not available or manufactured for most specialty cars like Porsche or Ferrari! The point therefore becomes moot. Yes there are aftermarket parts for Ford, Chevrolet, etc out there, but on a specialty Porsche, or even most or all Porsches, Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren — and the list goes on — there are no aftermarket parts.

Furthermore, having had this conversation with my body shop guy many years ago, he is not going to put any garbage parts on a car just because an insurance company opines that he should do so. I am confident in his ability to convince them to do the right thing because that’s his business, and he’s good at it. (If not, I can afford the difference in price.) Finally, many “aftermarket parts” are just as good as OEM if not better, depending on the application. It’d be wrong to simply state categorically that aftermarket parts are inferior. For example I use Dorman engine oil drain plugs, Mahle and Mann engine air and oil filters, etc etc on the cars.

I am not worried about an insurance company telling me they are going to use an aftermarket bumper, headlight, or wheel on my Porsche or exotic car because these don’t exist.

I learned a few years ago that some of the legacy/generic carriers have an “OEM parts” coverage endorsement that can be selected.

Lastly, one of the problems with some (not all) companies that “specialize” in exotic and high end cars is they try to manage how and when you drive the car and ask many unsettling questions about these at policy start. If it’s not a trap, it’s something close. They do look for reasons either raise the price from normal or to not to cover when the big one happens if you’ve utilized the car during some casual routine purpose which isn’t the Sunday morning drive they dream about.

For me, there is a sweet spot between having a legacy/generic auto insurer like State Farm with a blah policy at a fairly low price that may or may not pay me correctly when the big one happens and an annoying specialty company who attempts to manage how and when I’ll drive my cars for a high price.

 

Thank you for your reply. You’re right - I should still give Grundy a try. I’m okay with a lump sump premium — I actually prefer it, since I feel monies are lost when payments are made all the time; and trying to figure out how they add up and to what correct number is a chore to say the least.

I am fortunate to have a facility having those attributes, and I do have American Modern in FL for a few cars.

 

Thanks for your reply. Sorry that I misunderstood you… when you made the statement “but when the car has to be repaired they do not provide near the commitment to do it right and use the best parts in the repair,” to me “best parts” could only have meant OEM parts versus aftermarket parts.

As far as a repair being done “right,” every body shop that doesn’t outright admit it is a quick-serve ordinary body shop (there are a few of these in every region) claims to do a repair “right” and will sell the job that way. A repair being done right, in my opinion, is the only way to do a repair; and the only way a customer is going to know if a repair will be done right is twofold: he has to first know about cars and about fixing things; and second, he has to have a previous experience with the body shop being chosen for the current repair. Body shop operators are the best salesmen in the world: they sell all day every day, and they are excellent at it. Almost everybody shop guy is going to talk about doing a repair right. Not being wise here — it’s part of your job, but I’m just saying. Ever notice how every body shop guy thinks the other body shop’s work is terrible? Just like plumbers. The plumber in front of you is the best, and the previous guy is a moron because he didn’t do the job right which we now have to undo and then fix. Everyone is always the best. But actually, not really. There is an aristocracy in talent just like there are smarter kids in the class than others. In the real world, the consumer needs to be educated and hands-on if he is going to succeed in making the right choice to hire any tradesman. With all this being said, it sounds like your shop is one I would choose to utilize, and I truly am happy that you’ve taken the time to provide your insights here.

 

Okay Peter, you’ve made this thread a back and forth; I’ve shown you respect and I believe you are misunderstanding everything I’ve written; we aren’t seeing eye to eye, and that’s it. You’re good at what you do, and I’m good at what I do, and that’s that.

 

Peter:

You don’t know what business I’m in — but I’m in the business of fixing cars, and it’s not my main business either.

I had no intention of sending my edited reply through, so please disregard it.

You have derailed this thread and now nobody else is going to respond.

Please stop now. If you want to post a video of yourself replying to me, please do so and provide a link. The back and forth is not educating anybody at this point.

This thread is about names of insurance carriers and agents. Nothing more.