Having Your Auto Customized or Restored

When your auto is being modified or customized by a shop, it is in that shop's care, custody and control. They are in control of whether or not the auto is kept safe during its stay at the shop. That is why reputable shops have insurance. Specifically, they have a policy known as Garagekeeper's Legal Liability which is standard for any auto shop owner.

If you're sending your auto into a restoration or customization shop for a major facelift, its probably going to be there, out of your control, for quite a while. This is not the same thing as taking it in to repair it -- repairs typically take a lot less time to complete, for starters. (Note: when you're having regular maintenance performed, coverage is not expressly excluded in that circumstance).

When sending the auto to a shop for a long stay, you are effectively changing its garage location. This new garage almost certainly doesn't qualify under Select program underwriting rules (or those of any other collector car policy). Our low rates and ironclad value coverages weren't meant to be used to cover a car kept in this sort of environment, so we exclude coverage from the policy in this circumstance. So do a lot of other insurance companies, if you take the time to read the policy in detail.

Help protect yourself: confirm your shop has enough insurance to cover you if the place burns down, or if a shop employee steals your car.

Ask for a Certificate of Insurance, (an industry-standard form your shop's insurance agent has plenty of, and is accustomed to giving out). Certificates are information-only documents that do not require any special effort to produce. If you hear any dog-ate-my-homework excuses about how the form can't be issued, go get your car immediately.

What if the shop routinely demands you sign a waiver absolving them from responsibility (read the fine print on the work orders)? We suggest you find another shop with no such requirement. While this may not be convenient, the alternative is a lot worse if something goes wrong.