Insurance for Hobby Garage Questions
 

My dilemma. I own a pole barn on a piece of property 25 minutes away.
I have cameras, but since no one lives there it is hard to get a policy to cover the building and contents. They will not offer vandalism or theft, just fire and wind damage. Also my project vehicles and various parts are not covered, only tools and shop equipment would be. Looking for a policy that offers more coverage.
Does anyone have any insight on polices that you have for coverage?
I have 35 project cars, (yes, too many) can't really afford to insure them all, I use a classic insurance policy for a couple, but they won't insure incomplete projects.
I would hate to lose them if something happened.
Thanks in advance for any comments.

Sounds like you have a lot to lose and sorry it's proving difficult to protect against it.

A neighbor was a car dealer and had to get some kind of business license to sell an occasional car from his home... cost him ~$25/month.

Makes me wonder if you could get access to commercial insurance if you formed a business around your hobby at that location?

The only suggestion I can give you is ask your agent if you could get a Farm policy. You don't have to have an actual working farm to get one. I moved out to a farm community, and the agent came out and looked at my property on 4 acres, and told me I would qualify for a Farm policy. It has many benefits especially for vehicles, and out buildings over a conventional policy.

I have no idea if this will be beneficial to you, but it cut my vehicle costs for insurance a good deal over my conventional insurance as well as covering the out buildings I have. I do however live on the premises. Maybe it will help you, but of course no guarantee it will.

I had insurance with Liberty Mutual for over 50 years, home and auto. I purchased a 1995 3500 HD chevy truck, and they would not insure it because of the GVW was 15,000 lbs. I asked them what was I supposed to do for insurance in light of the fact they wouldn't cover it for liability. Their answer was to look for an agent that would insure it. I did what they suggested and called an independent agent that handled at least 15 different companies. He came out to my house too get the numbers off of the truck, saw that I had multiple trucks and cars with 4 acres, and made the sugggestion of getting a farm policy. He did a quote for home, and auto, and it was hundreds of dollars cheaper. Thanks Liberty Mutual, for suggesting I try another company..................:thumbup:

I grew up in Erie PA and traveled extensively into W. NY for work, and know a bunch of dirt track racers from the Jamestown area. There are a bunch of farms in the area, so maybe they have farm policies available, but each state is different when it comes to coverage.