| Anyone who owns and drives a car is likely to be | | | | have been made to what was - in the majority |
| familiar with the process of arranging insurance | | | | of cases - a standard production model. The |
| for it. There are any number of insurers vying for | | | | extent and skilfulness of those modifications |
| your business and the cost of the annual | | | | frequently transform an ordinary motor car into a |
| premiums are likely to be determined by the age, | | | | vehicle fit for parading at a show ground or in one |
| make and model of the vehicle, the age of the | | | | of the many cavalcades of custom cars |
| driver, the extent of any no claims discount, the | | | | increasingly seen around the country. |
| likely annual mileage, and so on. Customised car | | | | However extensive those modifications and |
| cover involves many of these same principles, but | | | | whatever the customised outcome, however, it is |
| with one or two very notable exceptions. | | | | almost certain that the vehicle is likely to spend a |
| - Specialist insurers - the first most probable | | | | large part of its life in the garage or work-shop |
| discovery is that the insurer who is only too glad | | | | where the alterations are to be made. Naturally, |
| to cover the family runabout may not be so able | | | | such projects might take months, or even years, |
| to arrange custom car cover. Indeed, some | | | | to complete. |
| insurers may be likely to decline the opportunity | | | | Throughout that time - throughout the period that |
| to arrange insurance for a custom vehicle (or | | | | customisation is a "work in progress" - appropriate |
| "street rod", "rod", "American", or even "dragster", | | | | insurance typically needs to be in place to protect |
| as they might also be known). The alternative, | | | | the owner's investment against such risks as |
| therefore, is to search online for specialist insurers | | | | accidental damage, fire or theft. Specialists in the |
| who have made it their particular business to tailor | | | | provision of custom car cover are usually |
| cover specifically for most kinds of car; | | | | accustomed to ensuring that the insured vehicle |
| - Specialist valuations - one of the principal | | | | remains fully protected, however long the |
| reasons for turning to a specialist insurer is the | | | | customisation project might last; |
| need to agree upon a valuation for your particular | | | | - Specialist clubs - custom car enthusiasts find |
| car. Almost by their very definition, no two | | | | that they gain a great deal of support, advice and |
| custom cars are the same and their insurance | | | | shared wisdom from like-minded souls through |
| values, therefore, are also different. Insurers who | | | | membership of one of the several custom car |
| specialise in custom car cover, therefore, typically | | | | clubs set up in the UK. These include the National |
| need to agree a current valuation for the modified | | | | Association of Street Clubs, the National Street |
| vehicle as the first step in arranging suitable | | | | Rod Association and the Association of Car |
| insurance cover for it; | | | | Enthusiasts - and who may offer introductions to |
| - Specialist modifications - what makes a car a | | | | members to insurers providing suitable, specialist |
| custom car, of course, are the modifications that | | | | custom car cover. |