Vintage and classic car insurance

Learn about insurance for your classic or vintage car

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A guide to vintage and classic car insurance

Updated March 8, 2024
Written by Kenneth Young
Reviewed by Adrian Taylor

Expert tips for insuring your classic or vintage car

Our resident car insurance expert, Adrian Taylor, has helpful tips for insuring your weekend wheels.

Adrian Taylor
Executive General Manager – General Insurance

Keep your policy up to date

It’s worthwhile keeping your policy up to date and your sum insured aligned with the value of your car as, unlike most cars, vintage and classic cars can increase in value.

Consider roadside assistance

Covering your classic car for roadside assistance, if offered by your insurer, is always recommended. Even though they generally run well, this may not always be the case.

Be aware of limitations

Be aware of annual driving distances and limits, as some insurers may impose these on vintage and classic cars.

Insurance for my classic car

What is classic car insurance?

Which car cover suits a classic car?

Agreed or market value

A man and a woman standing next to a purple classic car.For a standard insurance policy to cover a classic car, an insurer may consider the agreed value or market value.

Agreed value is the amount of cover you and your insurer agree on to insure your vehicle. In the event of a total loss, the agreed value is the amount you can expect to be compensated up to if your claim is successful. This amount is set at the start of the policy.

Market value is another approach for insurance companies. This allows your insurer to use the information on the vehicle to calculate its value based on the resale value to determine the sum insured. This value is determined at the time of the loss.

The agreed value amount will be outlined in your Certificate of Insurance.

Restrictions on uses

Many vintage or classic types of cars may not be eligible for cover if it’s your main mode of transport. For example, some insurers may insist it be used as a second car and limit your driving to recreational weekend use. You may also have to notify your insurer if you plan to travel to a car-related event or hire out the vehicle for an event. This, of course, would be at the discretion of your insurer and would be made clear to you prior to taking out the policy.

Important to know

How much does classic car insurance cost?

What is the agreed value of my classic car?

What is a classic car in Australia?

How old is a vintage car in Australia?

Meet our car insurance expert, Adrian Taylor

Adrian Taylor
Executive General Manager – General Insurance

As Executive General Manager of General Insurance at Compare the Market, Adrian Taylor is passionate about demystifying car insurance for consumers, so they have a better understanding of what they’re covered for. Adrian’s goal is to make more information available from more insurers, to make it easier to compare and save.