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Many classic cars are expensive, highly desirable and might even be a cherished collectible, so if you own one, you’ll want to make sure it’s adequately protected. Classic car insurance, or heritage car insurance as it’s also known, is designed to do just that. It’s a specialist policy that protects vintage vehicles against theft and damage.
Classic car insurance is a type of car insurance policy designed to cover older cars that are typically driven less frequently and are usually used for leisure purposes, rather than commuting.
There’s no definitive age that makes a car ‘classic’, but as vehicles that were built or registered more than 40 years ago are exempt from vehicle tax, this is often used as a guide.
That said, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) a car is counted as classic if it’s:
On top of this, insurers will have their own definition of a classic car, which will depend on the vehicle’s age, make and model, so it’s important to check this when you’re comparing quotes.
Classic car insurance works in a similar way to standard car insurance, but there are some key differences. Some classic car insurers will require drivers to be at least 25 to 30 years old, compared to the 17 or 18 years required for a standard policy. Many classic car insurance policies will also include certain restrictions or limits – for example, your insurer might impose an annual mileage limit, which means you shouldn’t exceed this cap without first informing your provider. Always check this limit when you compare policies to ensure you’re happy with it.
In some cases, your insurer will ask you to commit to an agreed valuation before you take out a policy. This means the insurer will pay out a pre-agreed amount (minus the excess) if your car is written off or stolen, instead of the market value. This can be a good choice if your car is worth more than the average for a car of that age or model. However, you might have to pay more to add this option to your policy.
Overall, classic car insurance is often cheaper than other car insurance policies because the provider will assume you drive fewer miles in that car compared to a regular car (as classic cars don’t tend to be used for daily commutes or driving to the shops). Classic car owners also tend to take better care of their vintage vehicles and often store them in a locked garage, making them more secure. This reduces the chance of you making a claim on your insurance, which means insurers usually charge lower premiums.
The total cost of classic car insurance will depend on factors such as the make and model of your car, as well as its value. It will also depend on how often the car is driven on the road.
Classic car insurers will usually require a lower annual mileage, say up to 3,000 to 5,000 miles, and might cap it at this level. It’s important not to exceed this limit, but if you think you will, let your insurer know as soon as possible to arrange an extension. This will likely increase your premium, but if you don’t inform your insurer, you risk invalidating your cover.
To give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay for classic car insurance, the following table uses data from Uswitch to show the average classic car insurance costs for the 10 most popular classic car brands.
| Car brand | Median annual premium |
|---|---|
| Ferrari | £829.19 |
| Bentley | £606.94 |
| BMW | £449.60 |
| Aston Martin | £372.49 |
| Mercedes-Benz | £343.68 |
| Land Rover | £334.75 |
| Ford | £321.75 |
| Porsche | £311.75 |
| Jaguar | £216.61 |
| MG | £91.46 |
The make and model of your car will affect how much you pay for your classic car insurance. All cars are placed into one of 50 insurance groups, with those in group one being the cheapest to insure and those in group 50 being the most expensive. Your classic car might be in a lower insurance group if it’s small and is cheap to repair. But it might be in a higher group if it’s a higher value car with more expensive repair parts that are harder to get hold of.
If your car is older, it might not have as many safety features as a younger model and could be at a higher risk of theft. If that’s the case, your classic car insurance premiums are likely to be higher.
You’ll pay less for your insurance if you park your car in a driveway or garage overnight, rather than on the road.
If you’ve never claimed on car insurance in the past and you don’t have any motoring convictions (such as for speeding or dangerous driving), you should be rewarded with lower premiums. Note that classic car insurance policies don’t usually offer a no claims bonus.
Many classic car insurance policies will impose an annual mileage limit, which is usually fairly low. It’s important not to exceed this limit to keep your premiums down.
Classic car insurance policies vary in terms of exactly what they cover as standard. But as with regular car insurance, you will be able to choose from the following three levels of cover:
On top of this, you can pay extra to arrange additional cover for the following:
| Cover | Description |
|---|---|
| Roadside assistance | This form of breakdown cover provides assistance at the side of the road if your car breaks down. If your car can’t be repaired at the scene, it will be towed to a nearby garage (this will be chosen by your provider). The cost of any replacement parts won’t usually be covered. |
| At home breakdown cover | With this type of breakdown cover, your car will be repaired at your home or within a specified distance of your home if it won’t start or if it breaks down. |
| Vehicle recovery or national recovery | This is another form of breakdown cover and ensures an engineer will come out to repair your car if it breaks down on the road. If your car can’t be fixed, your car will be towed to a garage of your choosing, anywhere in the UK. |
| Courtesy car cover for onward travel | If your car breaks down, leaving you stranded, this form of cover helps you to continue to your destination. It might provide a courtesy car or cover the cost of public transport. It might also include overnight accommodation costs. |
| Legal protection | If you’re involved in an accident, this will cover any legal costs associated with the accident. |
| European cover | This covers your car if you want to drive it in countries outside the UK. Your classic car insurance might already include third party cover to drive in the EU, but it can be worth paying more to increase your cover to fully comprehensive to ensure your own car is covered. |
| Laid up cover | If your classic car is not being driven on the road, laid up cover protects it against damage, fire and theft. It will also cover your car if it’s currently being restored. |
| Track day racing | This protects your car against damage and accidents if you plan to drive it around racetracks. |
| Vintage car shows | If you want to display your car at fairs and shows, you’ll need to have this cover in place to protect it against damage. It will often include third party liability cover that will protect you in the event you damage someone else’s property or injure someone. |
There are a number of steps you can take to help reduce costs and find the cheapest classic car insurance quote. For example:
This will depend on your insurance provider. Cars older than 40 years are exempt from vehicle tax, and this is often used as a guide. However, each insurer will have its own set of criteria to determine whether a car is classic, and HMRC defines a car as classic if it is at least 15 years old and has a market value of £15,000 or more. This makes it important to compare policies carefully.
You won’t need to get an MOT if your classic car was first registered more than 40 years ago and no ‘substantial changes’ have been made to the vehicle in the last 30 years. These changes include replacing the chassis, body, axles, or engine. However, it’s still sensible to get your car regularly serviced, as it’s your responsibility to ensure your car is roadworthy and safe to drive. If you drive a vehicle in a dangerous condition, you could get a fine of up to £2,500, be banned from driving and receive three penalty points on your licence.
If your car is younger than 40 years old, you will still need to get an MOT.
You won’t have to pay vehicle excise duty (VED), or road tax, on your classic car if it’s more than 40 years old. However, this won’t be the case the minute your car turns 40. Instead, you’ll need to wait until the start of the following April. So if your vehicle was built before 1 January 1984, you can stop paying vehicle tax as of 1 April 2024. Your car’s tax-free status won’t be automatic, as you will need to apply for a vehicle tax exemption. You can do this at the Post Office and will need to take:
The DVLA will then send you an updated log book to show your vehicle is tax exempt.
Yes, if you want to drive your classic car every day, you’re likely to pay a higher insurance premium, as you’ll be driving more miles. However, keep in mind that classic car insurance policies usually impose an annual mileage limit, which is why they’re typically cheaper than standard car insurance policies. If you want to drive your classic car every day, you could exceed this limit and it might not be possible to take out a classic insurance policy. Instead, you might have to apply for standard car insurance, which will be more expensive.
