Kit Car Insurance

What is kit car insurance?

Building a kit car is a brilliant way to drive something truly unique. For lots of drivers, the thrill of building a car is as good as driving it. Because kit cars are not built on a production line, it can be more difficult to get cover when it comes to insuring a kit car vehicle.

Specialist kit car insurance cover will mean that whether it’s a Caterham, Locost, Robin Hood or a Westfield you have your heart set on, you will be fully covered if anything goes wrong.

Why do I need a kit car cover?

As with any vehicle, driving on the road involves a degree of risk. You could be involved in an accident or damage third-party property. Building a kit car often represents a big investment, both in money and time. Having insurance in place can mean that you are not out of pocket in the event you need to replace parts, or the entire car if it is written off.

How to get a kit car cover?

Insurers calculate standard premium costs based on the value of a car and the degree of risk involved. With production line cars, gauging value is straightforward. With kit cars, assessing the true value of a vehicle can be much more difficult.

As no two kit cars will be completely identical, there are lots of variables in specifications. An insurer will need to know what make of car it is, along with the model. You’ll also need to know the engine size, and how many miles you plan on driving each year. All of these factors will affect your premium costs.

Types

Build up cover

Unlike with a standard car, you’ll need to make sure your kit car is covered even before it is fully built! The parts of a kit car can be very valuable. If parts are lost or stolen even before the car is fully functioning, you will need to replace them in order to continue building your car.

Goods in transit

Another part of the kit car build involves having parts moved or delivered. Again, damage during transportation is a risk, so many specialist kit car insurance policies will include goods in transit cover. It covers parts against loss or damage when they are in transit to you.

Cover for tools

Building a car from scratch means you’ll need tools. Replacing tools in the event of theft can mean high costs. If your tools are not covered on your home insurance policy, you might be able to add tool cover to a kit car insurance policy.

On the road cover

Finally, after all that building, you’ll need to make sure you’re covered to drive your pride and joy on the road! Insurers will usually need to know details of the car’s engine and bodywork as well as standard information about storage, security, driver and mileage.

So whether you’re using your kit car for track days, hobby driving, daily driving or green laning, be sure to compare quotes from a range of providers to ensure you have the right level of cover in place.

How can I get cheap kit car insurance?

As every kit car is unique, there are no hard and fast rules on how to lower premiums. General principles apply, such as:

• Try to reduce the overall risk of theft
• Secure your kit car off the road, or in a garage where possible.
• Install CCTV or security lights and alarms to deter would-be thieves.
• The lower your estimated mileage the cheaper the policy. If your kit car is only for weekend driving, or the occasional Sunday drive, make sure you are not paying for cover you don’t need.