[DeTomaso] BJ Insurance Experience

Wed Jan 27 22:12:35 EST 2010

Julian,

Very cool, glad to be of service to the group, the folks at BJ have been
super to work with and I unfortunately have the
residual limp ( when it rains ) to prove it ( how long does this last?).

Michael

Feel free to mail all $ savings to

Michael's Second Pantera Fund
Savannah, Georgia 31405

On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 6:58 PM, Julian Kift <julian_kift at hotmail.com>wrote:

>  Well based on your experience and the fact my insurance policy is due for
> renewal Feb 1st I gave BJ's endorsed insurer a chance to quote.....
>
> They came back with a quote almost half my current insurer (American
> Collectors) and in addition the mandatory $1K deductible on the 'kit'
> cars that American had has been reduced to zero, plus I incresed the agreed
> values by a combined total of $30K as American also imposed a limit on
> certain cars which didn't cover the full replacement value of the Ultima.
>
> Interestingly the BJ insuranc is split into two policies a iability portion
> and a classic collection physical damage.
>
> Gonna read the fine print and likely sign on the dotted line......
>
> Julian
>
> > From: michaelsavga at gmail.com
> > Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:30:56 -0500
> > To: detomaso at realbig.com
>
> > Subject: [DeTomaso] BJ Insurance Experience
> >
> > I referred to this in an earlier email today, so here's the whole story.
> >
> > Early last year I received a flyer from Barrett-Jackson that they were
> going
> > to start insuring (through a partnerships with others) Classic Cars.
> > Since my Hagerty Insurance would be expiring in a couple of months I
> thought
> > I would give them an opportunity to provide a quote.
> > They were super polite, eager to have my business and seemed overtly
> excited
> > about cars and the people who drive them, a very different experience
> than I
> > was accustomed, even with Hagerty personnel.
> >
> > Their quote was approximately $300.00 per year LESS for my small
> collection
> > of 4 "Special Interest" cars, the Pantera, the MB 450SL, The 944 and the
> > 1970 Mustang Mach 1.Then I asked if they also wrote insurance on regular
> > cars, the answer was again YES, I asked them to quote the Magnum RT, the
> > Excursion and my wife's CRV, they saved me another $300.00 per year over
> > AllState. Then I asked if they could also provide Motorcycle Insurance,
> > they said yes! I was with Progressive Insurance, The BJ quote was 50.00 a
> > year cheaper PLUS I now had agreed upon value, since the bike cost
> $12,995
> > new and I added a bunch of stuff to it ( about 4K total ), I selected
> > $13,199 in agreed upon value coverage given that the bike was already 5
> > years old, Generous to be sure, but it only had only 2,700 miles on it).
> > Then I asked if they wrote Business insurance and darn if the answer
> wasn't
> > YES again, in fact, their insurance referral person worked with me for
> over
> > a week to ensure that I got everything I wanted for a very specialized
> type
> > of business, it includes $2,000,000 liability, water, fire, theft, E & O,
> > vandalism and $250,000 in contents plus $2,000,000 inland marine ( for a
> > production company ) for general insurance, equipment rentals, projects
> in
> > production and location coverage. All combined was over $2,000 per year
> > cheaper than what I had been paying. Still not finished, our house
> > insurance was coming up for renewal, AllState again, and I gave BJ an
> > opportunity to quote it as well. They came back with a quote with more
> > coverage, including riders for guns, jewelry and cameras and were still
> over
> > $2,000 per year cheaper. The only thing they wouldn't insure was my
> wife's
> > fancy sewing machine/computer ( Bernina ) because they said they didn't
> have
> > any history with a $15,000 sewing machine on which to base their quote.
> >
> > To say that I am believer in BJ's new insurance program would be an
> > vast understatement, within 6 months they had all of our insurance
> coverage
> > except for life and health,. All combined as a result of switching to BJ,
> I
> > am saving over $4,500 a year.
> >
> > Doubters out there, keep reading. All well and good since the money was
> > going one way so far. Then came October 3rd.
> >
> > Some of you may remember that I reported a motorcycle mishap in TN, the
> VTX
> > was damaged and my ankle broken.
> > I called BJ the next day from TN, they asked if I was OK first. Sweet!
> > Then we talked about the bike, I explained what happened and they said to
> > get a quote for repairs, so I took the bike to a local Honda dealer
> > in TN while I was there to get a repair quote.
> >
> > I had no idea my ankle was broken, I just knew that it hurt. I make the
> > drive back to Georgia with the VTX on a trailer
> > (same way it got there) and parked it in my garage. BJ called again after
> I
> > sent the quote and photos to them and informed
> > me that they needed to send an adjuster to see the bike in person since
> the
> > repair quote was over $5,800.
> > No problem, he was coming in 2 days, he came, he inspected, he took
> photos
> > and was very, very nice.
> >
> > Meanwhile, my ankle had now turned black and blue I finally went to the
> Dr.
> > 6 days later, had it X-rayed and to my surprise
> > my tibia was in 2 pieces! I was awarded both the "Ironman" award for
> > walking, riding and driving 14 hours using my broken ankle as the gas
> foot
> > and the "Moron" award for the same feats ( no pun intended).
> >
> > Two days later, BJ called me back and let me know two things, one that my
> > Dr. office called and I had 10,000 in medical coverage for my ankle
> expenses
> > and 2) that they were going to total my VTX since the book value was
> > now only 6,000.
> > If this had been Progressive several months earlier, I would have had a
> > $1,500 deductible and received approximately $4,500 and had to give up
> the
> > remains of my bike. Not much I could have done with that to replace my
> > bike.
> >
> > But this was BJ Insurance, I was told that I would be getting the agreed
> > upon settlement amount of $13,199
> >
> > My mouth fell open.
> >
> > I have never totaled anything in my life, my deductible was ZERO.
> >
> > I asked how much it would cost for me to buy back the remains of my bike,
> > they called back in two hours and told me $1,000.
> >
> > I said, yes to that and then the paperwork started to flow. All I had to
> do
> > was mail them my license plate and title and I would be paid in a few
> days.
> >
> > It took 9 weeks to settle the claim, 8 weeks of that was my fault and
> I'll
> > explain why.
> >
> > 1) I couldn't find the title ( stupid )
> >
> > 2) The lovely state of Georgia said that I could order a new title and it
> > could be there in 3-4 weeks......oh no, wait.
> >
> > Nope sorry, we can't do that either because we show that the bike has a
> lien
> > against it from American Honda Finance.
> >
> > I said that the bike was paid for in full 6 months after I bought it
> > and they said that before I could get a new title, I needed a letter from
> > American Honda showing payment in full - no faxes and no emails on AHFC
> > letterhead and stamped by a notary.
> >
> > So I called them and 2 1/2 weeks later, the letter shows up and was sent
> to
> > the good folks at the State of Georgia
> > and 5 weeks after that I got a new title. That was mailed to BJ with the
> > license plate.
> >
> > one week after that I got a check for $12,199.
> >
> > Meanwhile, I fixed the old bike myself for about $2,700 in parts (eBay
> and
> > my brother who can get Honda parts at dealer cost) and $700.00
> > for repainting the tank and fenders.
> >
> > The bike was set up with a sissy bar, saddlebags, etc. so that my wife
> could
> > ride with me, so the balance of the settlement payment went to
> > buy a new (year old model) VTX1800Neo (probably the last one in the
> country
> > since the VTX1800Neo was discontinued in 2008 that I found one on eBay
> from
> > a dealer who liquidates Honda's warehouse / closed out models) which is
> set
> > up as a single seater.
> >
> > So as a result of the accident, very unplanned, I now have 2 bikes (
> family
> > style and solo style ) instead of 1, a healed ankle and a heck of a story
> to
> > prove that BJ insurance rocks!
> >
> > And yes after the old bike was DMV inspected and given a new title
> > and plates, BJ accepted and insured it again.
> > I changed the stated value on it to $10,000, because now it's 7 years old
> > (even though it looks better than ever).
> >
> > My wife accused me of insurance fraud because she couldn't believe that
> it
> > all worked out the way that it did, esp. because now there are 2 bikes in
> > the garage instead of 1, and I'm smiling like the Cheshire Cat ( except
> when
> > it rains, then the ankle still hurts a bit).
> >
> > To answer the question asked earlier, if my car had been consigned to R &
> S
> > and been crushed under the collapsed tent this week,
> > I would have been paid $65,000 (my stated value coverage), less whatever
> the
> > buy back price would be if I wanted to get it back.
> >
> >
> > If I had bought a car at auction, it will be automatically insured for 14
> > days at the purchase price level until such time that
> > I request a different value and agreed to the quoted premium. So, if the
> > tent had fallen on my new purchase, I would not have suffered any
> financial
> > loss at all.
> >
> > Michael Shortt
> > Savannah, Georgia
> >
> > two more things,
> >
> > First, I highly recommend BJ Insurance, I would encourage all of you to
> let
> > them quote your toys and more. My new prem notice arrived last week and
> > it did NOT go up at all as a result of the reported loss, only by the
> amount
> > of the 2nd motorcycle that was added to the policy.
> >
> > Secondly, please know where your titles are located and make sure that if
> > you ever finance a car or bike that you not only notify the state DMV and
> > send a copy of the release, you should just go ahead and get a new title
> > issued that doesn't show any liens at all to avoid confusion in the
> > future. The title that you are sent by the lien holder after a pay off
> with
> > the cool little PAID or RELEASED stamped on it is NOT recorded with the
> > state DMV.
> >
> > After this whole learning experience, I took all of my car and bike
> titles
> > back to the DMV office and paid $8.00 each to have new titles issued
> showing
> > no history of previous owners, liens, banks, etc. Just in case...
> >
> > This is my BJ contact, she's amazing, sweet, thoughtful, very
> professional
> > and even called to check on my ankle recovery several times. Has your Car
> > Insurance agent EVER done that in your whole life?
> >
> > Amy Spengler
> > ASpengler at delpcompany.com
> > Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Ins.-Servicing Agent
> > The Delp Company
> > 1440 Arrowhead Drive
> > Maumee, OH 43537
> > 419-794-1080
> > 877-545-2522
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Michael L. Shortt
> > Savannah, Georgia
> > www.michaelshortt.com
> > michael at michaelshortt.com
> > 912-232-9390
> >
> >
> > This email is protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy
> > Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2510-2521, is confidential and may be legally
> > privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby
> notified
> > that any retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this
> > communication is strictly prohibited. Please reply to the sender that you
> > have received this message in error, then delete it. Thank you
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> >
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> >
> > DeTomaso mailing list
> > DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> > http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. Get it now.<http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390710/direct/01/>
>

-- 

Michael L. Shortt
Savannah, Georgia
www.michaelshortt.com
michael at michaelshortt.com
912-232-9390

This email is protected by the Electronic Communications Privacy
Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2510-2521, is confidential and may be legally
privileged.  If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
that any retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this
communication is strictly prohibited.  Please reply to the sender that you
have received this message in error, then delete it.  Thank you