[shook1]

I have Hagerty car insurance on my 1966 Pontiac Tempest and my 1967 Lemans. Their rules state that the cars must be stored indoors. My dad has a garage on the same property, which the cars were in a while ago, but he uses it for his hobby of repairing old tractors. So I cannot take up his work space. My 66' is stored in an old, immobile car trailer, while the 67 is supposed to be stored in my detached, enclosed car port behind my house. Unfortunately, the car was not in the car port, but parked in front of it. The car has a flat. Rather than buy a new tire, I just threw a car cover over it, and put it off. I know it was wrong, but the Lemans just wasn't on the top of my priority list.

Tonight, a LARGE limb fell in my back yard. It came down close to my brother's box trailer (not mine). It landed on my Lemans and my Deere tractor. It's dark right now. I don't think the trailer or Deere were damaged extensively, but the Pontiac has a noticeably dented roof, and damaged windshield, among other things. The car cover is ripped in a few places. The car was driveable as is, aside from the flat, but was not a finished show car. It needed a paint job, some new shocks, a new shifter, and some interior parts.

My thoughts are, should I report the incident, or should I eat the loss, because it should have been stored inside? Will they drop me because I didn't store it inside?

On a side note, I'm kinda bummed about this, and think maybe I should just sell the car. Please, constructive advise only. I feel bad enough without someone ripping into me about being irresponsible.

Luke

[Simple Man]

You could say the car was outside after you took it for a drive.

[71GP76TA]

Air up the tire...pull off the car cover...and give them a call.. If they drop you or deny you...find another company

[younggto]

Insurance fraud is illegal, insurance fraud raises costs, and you admit you were in the wrong and seem in my opinion to be rationalizing committing insurance fraud.

Face it: you got lazy, made a mistake (were human), now suck it up and deal with it.

[shook1]

Originally Posted by younggto

Insurance fraud is illegal, insurance fraud raises costs, and you admit you were in the wrong and seem in my opinion to be rationalizing committing insurance fraud.

Face it: you got lazy, made a mistake (were human), now suck it up and deal with it.

Umm, I was never "rationalizing insurance fraud". I take insult to being accused of it. I was upfront in the op about what happened. Hagerty could very likely read my post. Other people made suggestions. My question was, "Should I report the incident, or should I eat the loss, because it should have been stored inside? Will they drop me because I didn't store it inside?" I thought someone might have experience with a similar Hagerty claim. I knew someone would try and insult me.

[71GP76TA]

Airing up a tire...removing a car cover....and calling the insurance company is not fraud. I wouldn't volunteer any information...but I wouldn't lie either.

[NBF823]

I'm not an expert on the issue, but I'd think that the insurance had provisions to cover the car, and did not stipulate that it never leave the garage. I don't know how long the car was outside, nor any other details. I'm not telling you what to do. Insurance fraud is wrong, but so is paying insurance, and not using it in the rare occurrence that something does happen.

[MUSLCAH]

The Haggerty "Garage Police " are out in full force !!! are you kidding me !! I just got some ins from Haggerty 3 weeks ago...I have a sidewalk plan...and it covers any damage up to 29,999.00...I have no garage for the 6 months of summer. Call in a claim...that your car has damage....plain and simple...and it's not fraud. But expect a rate increase...unless the first one is on the house. Keep us Haggerty guys posted.!!!

[RocktimusPryme]

I would lie my a** off if I thought it would get it covered. Im sure some wont agree with that. But the insurance companies are going to make out hand over fist on me over my lifetime. So I wouldnt lose a wink of sleep if I got a little money out of them I shouldnt have gotten by exact letter.

Cheating on your wife, running over a dog. These are things to feel bad about. Getting one over on the insurance company, or getting a traffic ticket thrown out (considering its basically you being robbed at gunpoint anyway) I wouldnt feel bad about in the least.

[400 4spd.]

You have nothing to lose by reporting the damage. Answer any questions asked truthfully, as it's obvious it was hit by a limb while not in a garage. Otherwise, where is the damaged garage?
As we well know, most damage happens outside of the garage. They understand that cars leave the garage and stuff happens.
I bet they take care of it for you.

Oddly, we just finished repairing a Hagerty claim where the vehicle was damaged while in the garage. Someone ran into the garage door and rammed into two old vehicles inside.

[MUSLCAH]

Fraud would be if your car was hit by a tree limb and now your claim your motor does run either...lol. I have seen it all...being in the Autobody Business for the last 39 years. The good fraud claims come in around Halloween time...like corvettes with bad paint to begin with...all of a sudden get every panel keyed..

[Hitman]

I agree. Had it out for a spin, parked it and dammit just my luck. Of course you better hope they don't have a group trolling car forums LOL!!!!!

[Heybuck]

Your first mistake was putting it in writing here.

You are almost bound to the fact that you can't claim anything now. There is ALWAYS someone looking over the fence (so to speak), who just might one day report you to your insurer.

My bet is, as soon as you signed up you were making an irrevocable statement that the condition of your car is as how you described it and that above all else, you are telling them the truth about everything related to your car(s). That's how it is here anyway.

Make a claim, maybe get paid out, and just maybe one day someone who has a grudge and remembers this thread will pick up the phone to Haggety's. More trouble than its worth.

I'd be careful from now on

Good luck whichever way you go.

Ian

[pugslyx234]

Big deal so it was out of the garage an had a cover on it alot of people park classics outside for awhile an put covers on them. You should never advertise on public forums like Heybuck says. Lesson learned huh!

[Greg Reid]

I wouldn't worry at all about making a claim and as long as you tell them the same things you told us, I wouldn't worry about what I had written in this thread either. So what? You threw a car cover on it until you got around to fixing the tire. It was right in front of the storage area awaiting the repair and it got a tree limb dropped on it.
The worst that can happen is they turn you down.

[lust4speed]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

...I just got some ins from Haggerty 3 weeks ago...I have a sidewalk plan...and it covers any damage up to 29,999.00...

OK, I'll bite, what's a sidewalk plan?

[rexs73gto]

Claim it cars don't sit inside forever. Cars are made to drive & they sit outside sometimes. Make your claim & tell them what happened & never give any info they don't ask for.

[shook1]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

Claim it cars don't sit inside forever. Cars are made to drive & they sit outside sometimes. Make your claim & tell them what happened & never give any info they don't ask for.

After work, I'll look at the scene in the daylight. I'll take several pictures, and call the insurance company. If they deny, then I'll just sell or part out the car. If they take care of the damage, then good. I'll post the outcome either way.

I'll post the pictures and list the damage, probably tonight.

[Txbobcat]

I met a guy that had his car stolen the only night he had left it outside in the driveway. I don't know who he had for insurance but they did pay up. With all the parts he was selling from the same car and their condition I believe I know who stole his car.
Did you not have to provide pictures of the car before getting insurance?

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

OK, I'll bite, what's a sidewalk plan?

It's coverage through Haggerty...for us poor folks that don't have a garage for the 6 driving months we have up here. Haggerty will cover my goat up to 29,999.00... Any car that you deem worthy of more than 30 K has to have a garage year round (12 months not 6 like the sidewalk plan) .My car sits in my shop in another town during the Wintah months. They said it was a newer plan they put together for the sheit cars..............