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What is veteran car insurance?

Veteran car insurance is for cars from a certain period in time, generally used for all vehicles made up to and including 1918. This spans the birth of the modern car and its journey into mass production.

In 1887, Panhard et Levassor were the first company to produce motor cars exclusively. By 1903 there were approximately 60,000 cars in the entire world, with familiar names like Peugeot and Renault establishing themselves within the market. In 1908 Ford were established and by 1914 they were producing more cars than all other manufacturers combined. Soon it wasn’t long until 50% of the cars being driven were all made by Ford.

Our veteran car insurance scheme was made to tailor to these pieces of history that pioneered the automotive industry.

Related Pages: Vintage Car Insurance

Examples of Veteran cars

Renault Voiturette, Peugeot Bebe, Delaunay-Belleville HB6, Alldays & Onions 10/12, Ford Model T, Cadillac Tonneau, Dodge Model 30

Please note: Most Veteran cars don’t appear on our online quote system so please call the office for us to provide you with a quotation.

Why insure with us?

At ClassicLine we know that a veteran car isn’t just a car, it’s a piece of history and we know the way in which they are used and enjoyed. Our policies allow owners to experience the full potential of their historic classic whilst they’re being enjoyed in a controlled and safe environment. Our standard veteran car insurance policy provides protection for many social events that are organised by a recognised car club. These include; Endurance Rallies, Reliability Trials, Regularity Rallies, Hill Climb and Sprint events and Treasure Hunts under 100 miles.

In the event of an accident we also realise that owners of veteran vehicles will want to retain salvage rights for their vehicle. ClassicLine will ensure that if the damage to the vehicle is deemed as ‘uneconomical’ to repair by the insurer (category C or D), that our customers have the option to buy their much treasured veteran vehicle back. This way they can either repair it themselves or pass to a trusted restorer to repair.

Policy Benefits
  • Salvage Rights
  • Limited Mileage Discount
  • UK & EU Breakdown
  • Motor Legal Cover
  • EU Cover (Up to 90 days)
  • Car Club Discount
Policy Options
  • Laid Up/SORN Cover
  • Agreed Value Cover
  • Multi Vehicle Policies
  • Unlimited Mileage Option

Featured Benefits

Salvage Rights

In the event of the vehicle being deemed a total loss by the insurer, with veteran car insurance you are given the right to retain salvage of the vehicle. Then depending on the category of write off (C or D) you can repair the vehicle and put it back on the road, or (B) salvage parts from the vehicle. With veteran vehicles parts becoming ever harder to come by as time passes, it's important to keep as much in circulation and away from the scrap dealers.

Laid Up/SORN Cover

Some veteran vehicles aren't being driven on the road, this may be due to undergoing maintenance, restoration or simply being in storage. However this doesn't mean insurance cover should be neglected, and it could cost less than you expect.

UK & EU Breakdown Cover

If you're taking your Peugeot to Paris, your Vauxhall to... Vauxhall and the journey gets off to a bad start - this level of roadside assistance will cover you both in the UK and EU.

Agreed Value Cover

Agreed value takes the gamble and hard work out of negotiating payout upon total loss of a vehicle. This is especially important for veteran car insurance as there are less vehicles on the market to make direct comparisons with. Get peace of mind and know exactly how much you'll be guaranteed to be paid out. If you can get a valuation from a specialist club or garage this extension can be added to the policy free of charge, or we have an in-house valuation service available.

Mileage Discounts

Limiting your mileage on the policy allows for further discounts to be made on the policy. Don't like feeling limited? With veteran car insurance you also have the ability for unlimited mileage, whilst still retaining a level of discount.

Multi Vehicle Policies

We assume veteran cars aren't used as your daily driver (although it would be a beautiful sight on the morning commute). So why not allow us to quote for your everyday cars too, hopefully we can create a multi car policy and save you time and money in the process.