Grundy Worldwide has insured collector vehicles since 1947, when Jim Grundy Sr. wrote the first-ever insurance policy that was tailor-made specifically for an antique automobile. The insurance policy was based on the Agreed Value of the vehicle, and the rates were incredibly low because such vehicles are used so sparingly, in comparison to “daily driver” autos which are used for everyday transportation. 

The specialized coverage and low rates were well-received by the collectors of that era, including Jim’s father-in-law, Sam Baily, who is recognized for being the first to restore a vehicle for collector purposes.

Sixty-three years after Grundy wrote that first insurance policy, car collectors still admire and appreciate the work that agency does to help preserve and protect the collector car hobby.  Our policies are still customized to fit collector cars; we still offer Agreed Value coverage; and, our rates are still incredibly low. Because of these factors, along with outstanding claims ratings and customer service, collectors who insure with Grundy can rest assured, knowing they are protected by a reputable insurance agency that will step to the plate when needed.

Grundy customers stay happy.

In fact, we have noticed that our customers are so happy and satisfied that they are quick to urge their friends to insure their hot rods, muscle cars, antiques and classics with the insurance company they trust. We have found that most of our customers come to us after a friend recommends they check us out.

For this issue of the Grundy Gazette, we’d like to share feedback from some of our customers.

“Big Al” Liebmann: Feels Part of the Grundy Family

“Big Al” Liebmann says that he found out about Grundy Worldwide about eight years ago, while at an event.  His hot rods were insured with another collector car insurance agency, but he quickly made the change to Grundy, when Chuck Wasoski, the company’s vice president of the Collector Vehicle Insurance Program, quoted him with a yearly premium that was one-third of the cost that he had been paying for his insurance. Al went home and logged onto the Internet to check out reviews of the company, and he says that he liked what he read.

Since making the change over to Grundy, Al says that he feels like he became part of the company’s family.  Al travels to many car shows across the country and takes photos for HotRodHotLine.com.  While at these shows, he often sees and mingles with the Grundy folks – especially Chuck Wasoski, who still attends a variety of car shows, eight years after Al first met him at one. Both Al and Chuck are hotrodders, based out of New Jersey; they have become close friends throughout the years.

Al says that he feels comfort in knowing he can count on the company in case of any misfortune with his collector cars. He explains that he had a claim, a handful of years back. He says that an adjuster assessed the damage within 48 hours of the incident, and he had a check in his hands within four days.

“If I have a problem, I know who to go to,” he says. “I will be taken care of. I have never had an issue.”

Al highly recommends his insurance company to friends, because he knows that Grundy is reliable, quick and efficient. He sings praises for the customer service, good ratings, prices and the fact that there are “no loops holes.”

“I have probably referred over 500 people to Grundy,” says Al. “The customer service is great.”

Al says that his advice to his hotrodding friends is: “Compare and save.”

Dick Lippert: “Wouldn’t Recommend Anyone But Grundy.”

Dick Lippert says that one of his fellow car club members recently asked a question about insurance for collector vehicles, using an e-mail roster that lets club members communicate back and forth, electronically, with about 120 other members.

“And, of course I wrote in,” says Dick, who responded to the e-mail with information about Grundy.

Dick has insured his ’29 Ford Roadster with Grundy for about five years.  He switched to Grundy, after his insurance agent explained that the roadster was not properly insured if it was not covered with an Agreed Value insurance policy; the agent urged Dick to move his collector car to an agency that specializes in collector vehicles.

Dick found Grundy.

“It was very easy,” he says, in regard to making the change.  “I went onto the Internet; the premium sounded reasonable; and, I filled out a form. It was only a matter of doing some paperwork and sending a check.”

Dick continues to say that he made the switch just in time. Soon after he signed up with Grundy, a huge chunk of tire got in his car’s path, while driving home to Upstate N.Y. from the Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Ky. His car was significantly damaged.

“I was sick,” says Dick. “I couldn’t believe it.”

But, Dick says that within 48 hours of the incident, an appraiser was with his car; and, two days later, he got the phone call that made him a believer in Grundy Worldwide.

“They said: ‘Mr. Lippert, your check is in the mail.’ There were no hassles, no haggling,” he says.  “So why would I ever change?”

Bob White: State Safety Inspector for NSRA Feels Safe with Grundy

Bob White, Western Pa. State Safety Inspector for NSRA, explains that every year, NSRA gives away a new street rod at the Louisville Nationals event. In 2003, the giveaway car was a 1932 Ford Coupe, built by Street Rods by Michael out of Shelbyville, Tenn.

“Different builders donate time to build the car,” he explains. “And, I’d say that 80 per cent of the parts and labor are donated by the sponsoring companies that build the parts.”

He goes on to say that “on Saturday night, all registrants need to be in the auditorium to see what number is picked. And, that year, there were about 12,000 cars that were registered at the event.”

Bob and his son attended the drawing, to see who the lucky participant was… only to learn that he had won the vehicle! He explains that, at that time, another insurance company was present at the event, so he insured his vehicle with them. But, Bob says that the other insurance company would not insure his vehicle for the true value, which he estimated to be $100,000; they would only cover the car for $60,000.

One day, while he was expressing his dissatisfaction with the amount for which his vehicle was insured, a friend suggested he check out Grundy. When he did, he learned that Grundy was ready and willing to set the Agreed Value at $100,000 – and, to top things off, Bob was pleasantly surprised to find out that his yearly premium would drop by $200. He asked around, heard about good experiences with Grundy and signed the paperwork.

“Grundy treats me really well,” says Bob.

Because he is pleased with the customer service, rates, Agreed Value policies and reputation, Bob says that he often recommends Grundy to his friends: “I just referred a friend to Grundy this weekend.”

Denise Sheldon: Needs Unlimited Mileage for Unlimited Pleasure Driving

Denise Sheldon loves to cruise in her 1947 Oldsmobile Series 66 Convertible, named “Big Olds.” In fact, during a conversation we had with Denise, during the summer, she mentioned that she takes the car to over 30 events, each year.

“Even in the winter,” says Denise, who lives in Michigan. “I fly to Pomona… to Texas.  I have three weeks of vacation each year, and I make good use of it.”

Because she travels so much, Denise says that Grundy’s unlimited mileage feature is one of the things she loves about her insurance policy.

She just enjoyed some time at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, and has already made plans to attend the Lonestar Rod & Kustom Round Up in Austin, Tex. and The Checkered Flag Jalopy Showdown in York Springs, Pa, this spring. In late-May, Denise will drive Big Olds to Southern California for a show in Santa Maria, Calif. She plans on leaving the car in a friend’s garage, on the West Coast, while she gets back to work in Michigan before returning to California for the L.A. Roadster Show that is held on Father’s Day weekend.

“I knew about Grundy for a while,” says Denise, who was originally insured with another collector car insurance company. “When I reviewed my old policy and the Grundy policy, it was less expensive to go with Grundy. It’s a wonderful policy with a fair premium.”

Denise can often be found recommending Grundy’s Agreed Value coverage on the Jalopy Journal’s H.A.M.B. online forum.  She says that she recommends Grundy to so many people, because she wants her friends to have “the best coverage available to them, so there is no heartache.”

“I stay with Grundy because I feel safe,” she continues. “My car is safe with Grundy. I can cruise with peace of mind, knowing my car is covered.”

Megan Boyd: Appreciates the History of Grundy Worldwide

Megan Boyd, of Canton, Ohio, has been familiar with the Grundy name for many years.  Megan was born into the car hobby and has been around old cars since she was little; when she was a teenager, she was very involved in drag racing and more recently, she has dived into the collector car hobby. Today, she owns a ’53 Chevy Belair, a ’63 Ford Falcon Ranchero and a ’31 Ford Model A Roadster.  She chooses Grundy for her insurance.

Like Denise, Megan enjoys that Grundy’s Agreed Value policies do not have mileage restrictions and that the rates are what she calls “the cheapest in the industry.” She says that she also appreciates some of the “perks” that she believes not everyone realizes comes with their Grundy insurance policies – like Inflation Guard protection, Auto Show Medical Reimbursement, Trip Interruption coverage and Towing and Labor coverage.

Megan says that she has been fortunate not to have a claim; however, she adds that she was with another Grundy customer when his car was totaled in an accident. She says that Grundy handled the claim “very very well.”

“They called me to ask me if I was okay,” she says. “And, that made me a believer in [Grundy].”

She adds that the people who work for Grundy are very personable.

“I’ve said that the people who work for Grundy must like their jobs, because they are always friendly. The customer service is excellent.”

Megan adds that she also appreciates the history of Grundy Worldwide and the fact that Grundy was founded with the intent to insure collector cars— She values the idea that Grundy was not an agency that specialized in something else and then decided to pick up collector cars somewhere along the way.

“Grundy knows and understands collector cars,” she says.

Lance Wheeler: Experienced a Near Total Loss and Grundy Saved the Day

In the Fall of 2009, Lance Wheeler contacted Grundy Worldwide to let us know that he was enjoying a gorgeous day in the Pacific Northwest, as he sat back, admiring his 1967 427 Corvette Coupe. Lance says that he has owned this car since 1990. Since then, he spent fourteen years restoring and perfecting the car, disassembling and reassembling every piece.

Due to an unfortunate accident in late 2008, the Vette was nearly totaled; and seeing all those years of hard work destroyed, left Lance and his family devastated. But, Lance says that his sense of devastation did not last too long because Grundy came to the rescue and was able to help him get his car back into tip-top shape in time to attend the 2009 Woodward Dream Cruise with his 86-year-old father, which had become a family-tradition that Lance did not want to break.

“I’m reflecting back to what might have been if it were not for you guys being there when we needed help,” he says. “With such a unique and sensitive claim, you handled [the claim] with a high degree of professionalism and sensitivity to my situation.”

He says that if it was not for Grundy’s Agreed Value insurance coverage, he does not believe he would have been able to get his car back on the road.

“For a bad situation, Grundy made it good,” says Lance.

To learn more about our custom-tailored polices, call 800-338-4005 or log-on to www.grundy.com.

Story by: Becky McLaughlin, Gazette Editor

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