Collector car insurance at agreed value.
Specialty policies for classic, exotic and collectible vehicles, with coverage set at a value you and the insurer agree on up front.
By Sam Alishahi · CA Insurance License #4348151 · Reviewed November 2026 · How this page is researched
A collectible isn’t a daily driver
A standard auto policy typically pays actual cash value, which can fall far short of what a collectible is worth.
Collector car policies use agreed value and are designed for vehicles that are stored securely and driven occasionally.
- Agreed valueThe vehicle’s value is set when the policy starts, rather than determined after a loss.
- UsagePolicies generally expect limited, pleasure use rather than commuting.
- StorageCarriers usually require secure, enclosed storage.
- ExtrasOptions can include spare parts, restoration coverage and roadside service.
What underwriters will ask
Having these ready means I can go to market on the first call. The quote form asks for the same things, and anything you don’t know yet can wait.
- Vehicle: year, make, model and VIN.
- Value: appraisal or recent comparable sales.
- Condition: photos and restoration details.
- Storage: garage type and security.
- Use: estimated annual miles and events.
- Drivers: who drives it and their records.
Historical plates and what they allow
California's Vehicle Code 5004 creates two permanent plate series for older cars. Horseless Carriage plates go to vehicles built in 1922 or earlier and to pre-1965 vehicles with 16 or more cylinders. Historical Vehicle plates go to vehicles built after 1922 that are at least 25 years old and of historic interest. The statute defines that as a car a collector or hobbyist collects, restores, maintains and operates principally for exhibition and historic vehicle club activities.
The tradeoff is use. The DMV's registration manual limits these cars to operation or movement over the highway primarily for the purpose of historical exhibition, and it names parades and historic vehicle club activities as examples. A historical plate isn't a pass for everyday commuting. Before you apply, know this:
- The plates stay with the car. They're permanently assigned, can't be moved to another vehicle, and go with the car when it's sold.
- No vanity version. Historical plates aren't available as personalized plates, and an existing personalized plate can't be exchanged for them.
- Equipment rules still apply. Section 5004(e) keeps these cars subject to Vehicle Code 26709, 27150 and 27600.
- The application is the REG 17A, filed with the registration card in your name, the car's current plates and the fees due.
Plates don't change the insurance requirement. The DMV requires insurance on all vehicles operated or parked on California roads. When you tell me a car wears historical plates, I look for a policy whose use terms match how you actually drive it. Other states run their own antique and historic plate programs, and the rules vary by state. The California details are on my historical plates guide.
Laid up for a season or longer
A car that's being restored or parked for a long stretch raises two separate questions: what the DMV needs and what coverage you keep. California gives you two main filings.
- Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090). If a registered car isn't being driven and isn't parked on a California roadway, you notify the DMV before canceling insurance. Cancel first and the registration can be suspended. You can't file an ANU once the registration has expired, and if the car is still off the road at renewal, you pay the renewal fees or request Planned Nonoperation.
- Planned Nonoperation (PNO). Under Vehicle Code 4604, you certify under penalty of perjury that the car will not be operated, moved or left standing upon a highway until you apply to register it and pay the fees. The DMV accepts PNO up to 60 days before registration expires, or up to 90 days after with late penalties. If the car is operated or parked where it may be cited, full registration fees and penalties for that year become due.
- Historical and Horseless Carriage plates. Section 4604(d)(3) says cars under Section 5004 don't need the PNO certification; the owner may file a certificate of nonoperation instead.
None of these filings protects the car itself. The ANU lets you cancel insurance on a car that stays off the road, but a stored car can still be stolen or burned. The NAIC describes comprehensive coverage as paying for damage not caused by a collision, like theft, hail, windstorm, flood or fire. For a laid-up collectible, keeping comprehensive on the stored car is usually the first thing I look at. Tell me where the car is stored and for how long. Non-use filings work differently in other states.
Collector car insurance, answered
What is agreed value?
An amount you and the insurer agree the vehicle is worth when the policy starts, which is typically what’s paid for a covered total loss.
Can I drive my collector car to work?
Collector policies are generally for limited pleasure use, not commuting. Check the policy’s usage terms.
Does my car need to be old to qualify?
Not necessarily. Exotic and limited-production vehicles can qualify, depending on the carrier.
Do I need a separate daily vehicle?
Many carriers require one. Ask me about the specific carrier’s rules.
Can a car on planned nonoperation be driven or towed to a show or shop?
Not for regular use. The DMV defines PNO as a vehicle that won't be driven, towed, stored or parked on public roads or highways, and regular use requires paying the full renewal fees first. A Vehicle Moving Permit (REG 172) allows one-day movement for specific purposes, such as repairs or inspections.
Do I need insurance on a classic car I'm not driving in California?
The DMV requires insurance on vehicles operated or parked on California roads. If a registered car stays off the road, notify the DMV with an Affidavit of Non-Use (REG 5090) before canceling coverage, or the registration can be suspended.
Do you offer collector car insurance outside California?
Yes. Clients across the country send the same quote form. Sam Alishahi is licensed in all 50 states and Washington, DC and places policies there directly. The shopping across carriers works the same way. Rules, minimums and markets differ by state — see insurance requirements by state or high-value home insurance by state.
Official sources
- California Vehicle Code 5004 (historical and horseless carriage plates)
- California DMV Vehicle Industry Registration Procedures Manual 21.120, Historical Vehicle and Horseless Carriage License Plates
- California Health and Safety Code 44011 (Smog Check exemptions)
- Bureau of Automotive Repair, Collector Cars
- California Vehicle Code 4604 (planned nonoperation certification)
- California DMV, Planned Nonoperation Filing
- California DMV, Insurance Requirements
- NAIC, What Does Auto Insurance Cover?
- IRMI, Garagekeepers Coverage
- IRMI, Garagekeepers Extra Legal Liability
Tell me about the vehicle.
Year, make, model and an estimated value are enough to start.
Alishahi Insurance · Saman Alishahi, independent insurance broker, California License #4348151. General information, not a quote or a promise of coverage; coverage depends on underwriting and the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy actually issued.
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