Hi All,

My insurance renewal came up and I finally took the time to read the contract to see what coverage is included for all the "crap" I have on my 4Runner. Turns out my carrier includes $1,500 of Special Vehicle Equipment coverage. The definition is non-OEM equipment permanently mounted to the vehicle and would cover the common things such as aftermarket stereo or wheels or perhaps a roof rack or a bed cover for a pickup. But, for those of us with a bunch of non-OEM things purchased and installed over the years, we are terribly under insured.

So, to insure all my crap I put a list together along with receipts totally $14,000 (the RTT was the biggest offender) and now I am insured for all this extra crap for an extra $200 per year. It seems pretty reasonable adder which I would otherwise hate myself if the truck got stolen or totaled in an accident.

Just sharing.....

Just curious but are you covered if you're out in the middle of a desert and shit happens? I thought i've read something that they can deny your claim if youre not on a US road.

What insurance carrier are you with?

just read your plan, most of the language is standard by state so it's pretty easy to read through the exclusion section

my plan in NC for example only excludes speed exhibitions and says nothing about being off road, so in your example if you were desert racing they could deny the claim but if you are just driving in the desert it's not excluded. I am with farm bureau now but neither my previous GEICO or State Farm plans excluded off road driving.

but this only applies to my insurance, the only way for you to answer your question is for you to read your own plan. you can probably download all the documents online if you didn't save them.

(my plan has similar limits to add-on coverage and requires that i list even equipment within the allowable limit. aftermarket radios or stereo equipment mine doesn't and won't cover)

Why not just talk to your agent. His/her job is to answer those questions to make sure you are covered. A yearly review is also a good idea for all policies: auto, home, etc.

This is a must if you ask me.

insurance aint what it used to be.. there's no loyalty discounts anymore.. the rates just go up and up.. i basically switch yearly

When my 14 was totaled due to circumstances after a hurricane rolled thru the immediate area, I pointed out the aftermarket items on my T4R, most, the insurance paid me for or they allowed me to remove a few things they didn’t have comps for.
I found that very reasonable.
Oh, I did supply photos of those items installed on my T4R, pre crash. They definitely made a difference!

I really think it's more about coverage and keeping your agent up to date on changes and additions than it is about cost. All documentation is helpful; like pictures with date stamps, receipts, etc. That is, if you have a real agent. Online insurance companies are not something I'd consider for obvious reasons.

I have Wawanessa insurance to the post who asked. They have very good rates but they do not advertise much.

The way I understand the contract, if you have not paid for additional coverage they are not going to reimburse you even if you show pictures and things to make your case. Makes sense to me. The rate you are paying is calculated off the vehicle replacement value so you have to pay more if you want more.