For those who use USAA:
Today, a company in Clearwater, Fla., called to make sure USAA's database has the correct information for our vehicles. They asked the usual questions; what do you have, how often do you drive them, et cetera.
The Speedster has always been wrong on the policy, despite harangue and good intentions otherwise. She's listed as a "1994 PORCHE SPDSTR" -- which means they don't have a reference car in their database. It was originally assembled in 1984, it's not a Porsche, and it's not a SPDSTR.
I have options for my VIN, but she's registered right now by the '73 Karmann Ghia donor riveted to the back of the door jamb. It could be registered otherwise, but it isn't my intention to misrepresent the car.
The company who called initially today wasn't USAA. It was a subcontractor, and when I asked if this was a good time for me to finally set the record straight on what the car should actually be insured as, they transferred me to Policy Services.
The lady who took over the other end of the conversation was very polite, had a sense of humor and really seemed like she wanted to be helpful, but was stuck. She had never run into a kit or replica question before.
Bottom line is, they wound up on the phone for more than an hour. I convinced them that I need the car to be insured for not more than $20,000 or the cost of 1) a '73 Karmann Ghia convertible or 2) the cost of a beat-up, daily-driver 356.
I told them how much I was into the car for, and they said (again) that they would have to bump this up to their underwriters for modification. Last time, it was months -- culminating in no movement.
Not what I was after, but it's what they do. My question for the membership here is pretty basic. Their line-item information is not accurate, and they don't know what to change it to.
Can some of you who use USAA for insurance on your Speedsters please look at the actual nomenclature used for the car on the policy?
Where mine read "1994 PORCHE SPDSTR," there have to be other alternatives in their system they can use as a basis for clearing that mess off of mine.
They're say they're going to call me back next Friday with the underwriter's advice. The car's insured for what I think it can be rebuilt for right now, not too far off of the cost of a Ghia or a driveable coupe, but I would like to have some knowledge in my pocket to compare with theirs.
Any help is appreciated. USAA's a great company, but I don't know that they'll dial this in without a lot more discussion.
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