35
public to sign off that yes, these pictures were taken before this date, and yes, they are of that car.
Keep every single stinking receipt for every little thing you have done to the car (this is one of
the few ways that the do-it-yourself Alfa owner is at a real disadvantage
they can only provide
receipts for parts, not for installation), and keep it organized and neat.
Which sort of policy you take out on your car depends a great deal on how you intend to use it. If
you plan on driving the car less than 3,000 miles a year, then you should seriously consider
”
specialty
„
insurance either from your own provider or from an insurance agency that deals
exclusively with unusual and/or rare automobiles.
For those who wish to drive their Spider considerably more than 3,000 miles a year, I have been
advised that it is best to maintain a standard, full-coverage insurance policy with reasonable
deductibles from a major insurance company. This will allow you to drive the car as much as you
want.
Be EXTREMELY careful of setting some
”
fixed value
„
on your car with your insurance agent,
i.e. you and your agent agree the car is worth, say, $5,500 when you get your policy. WATCH
OUT! Many, many times what the agent is ACTUALLY doing is setting a maximum value on
WHAT THEY WILL PAY YOU, NOT on what your car may be worth. Even the agent may be
convinced and sincere that, should your car be in a severe accident that destroys it, you will get
the agreed on amount. But your agent isn
“
t the one that approves or pays the claims, and all the
good intentions in the world won
“
t get your car fixed. Finally, READ YOUR POLICY VERY
CAREFULLY. Especially any sections on what happens when you and the company disagree on
a given settlement. This can be incredibly important when it comes time to settle a claim.
Another kind of insurance is worth considering.
”
Agreed value
„
policies, different and distinct
from fixed value policies, are an extremely valid way of insuring your Alfa. Rates are very
reasonable if your car meets certain restrictions, usually regarding the age and sometimes the
mileage of the car in question. In the event of an accident, you inform the insurer of your loss
(well, probably an adjuster will). The insurer then pays for the loss. No assesors, no value
judgements, very clean, very simple.
If your Alfa is more than ten years old and you do get in an accident, assume the insurance
company is going to
”
total
„
the car, regardless of what your agent said. As it would imply,
”
totaling
„
a car means that the insurance company has decided that the repair amount is greater
than the value of the car (more on this later). While this seems rather dastardly, most people who
own cars more than ten years old are perfectly happy to have their old vehicle declared junk,
receive a check, and use the money to buy a new one. Insurance companies, in their own heavy
handed way, are assuming they
“
re helping you out by doing this.
If your policy allows, tell the adjuster that you know where parts are
don
“
t let them try and find
parts for you. The standard procedure on an older car is to call a large junkyard and see if there
are parts available in your area (in the US most salvage yards are on a nationwide data exchange
system that allows them to check availability over a very large area). Alfas are too rare to be
profitable for junk dealers, so even when they are offered to salvage yards (rarely) they are
