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The Importance of Great Insurance (Jason Crashed his Rover SD1)  — The Carmudgeon Show Episode Ep. 197

The Importance of Great Insurance (Jason Crashed his Rover SD1) — The Carmudgeon Show Episode Ep. 197

The Carmudgeon Show Jul 22, 2025 82 min
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About this episode

Jason shares a personal story about crashing his Rover SD1 while driving to Jay Leno's garage, leading to a discussion on the importance of having great car insurance. He recounts the incident, the claims process with Haggerty, and how it contrasts with traditional insurance experiences. The episode highlights the significance of agreed value policies and the emotional attachment car enthusiasts have to their vehicles. Jason emphasizes that accidents can happen to anyone and the right insurance can make a significant difference in recovery and peace of mind.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Rover SD-1 B8

"...the upgrades that I made to the lovely, previously, lovely 1980 Rover SD-1B8. That's a first-while lovely. First-while lovely. There's been an incident. I incidented the Rover."

The Rover SD-1 B8 is a car made by the British company Rover in the late 1970s. It was designed to be a luxury vehicle with a unique look.

Car

Corolla

"In 1995, I smacked a curb in my Corolla. I did watch the cop get out of his car and slip and fall on the diesel oil that has been spilled in the intersection."

The Corolla is a small car made by Toyota, and the 1995 version is known for being very reliable and good on gas. Many people have owned one because they are affordable and practical.

Car

Land Rover

"...the history of this rover. And it's impeccable. Reliability record for for long distance runs like when we bought it in Edmonton, Alberta and drove it down..."

Land Rover is a brand that makes tough and luxurious SUVs. They're known for being able to drive in rough places and are often used for long trips.

Term

downshifting

"...the deal was so one of the most taxing parts of the journey on the car...I decided fifth gear, no downshifting, just chill out..."

Downshifting means changing to a lower gear in a car. This helps the car go faster or slow down more effectively, especially when going uphill.

Term

grapevine

"...one of the most taxing parts of the journey on the car, not on you is the grapevine. Which is a 4,000 foot climb..."

The Grapevine is a steep road in California that drivers often have to go up when traveling to Los Angeles. It's known for being tough to drive on because of the steep hills.

Car

Renault Wind

"...ontinuously slow down for no reason. And then you wind up with these clumps of people who are all travel..."

The Renault Wind is a small car that can turn into a convertible, meaning you can take the roof off to enjoy the sun. It's fun to drive but not very common in many places.

Term

blind spot

"And the way the pillar is you turn around and you can see a little bit, but you can't see into your own blind spot. So we stopped and bought stick on one-inch convex mirrors if you remember."

A blind spot is a part of the road that you can't see when you're driving. It's important to check these areas before changing lanes to avoid accidents.

Part

convex mirrors

"So we stopped and bought stick on one-inch convex mirrors if you remember. First thing we did, first thing we bought for the car at Canadian Tire was those mirrors."

Convex mirrors are special mirrors that curve outward. They help you see more of what's around you, especially things that are hard to see in regular mirrors.

Term

lane change

"Because remember our buddy was like, I can't make a lane change. I can't see anything in this goddamn car."

A lane change is when a driver moves their car from one lane on the road to another. It's important to check for other cars before doing this to stay safe.

Term

ride quality

"It's just very mild, but it's a magnificent cruiser with great, great ride quality, just relaxed power, great seats."

Ride quality is how comfortable a car feels when you're driving on different types of roads. If a car has good ride quality, it means you won't feel every bump and hole in the road.

Term

fifth gear

"Foot on the floor, fifth gear. A lot of airflow coming in, there's no one around."

Fifth gear is a setting in a car's transmission that helps the car go faster while using less fuel. It's usually used when you're driving on highways.

Term

I-5

"...the rightmost lane of the grapevine, which is I-5 south, is for trucks, and that's where I was."

I-5 is a big highway that goes up and down the West Coast of the U.S. It's important for getting from one city to another, especially in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Car

Nissan Sentra

"However, there is a white Nissan Sentra that's visible in the little tiny convex mirror."

The Nissan Sentra is a small car that many people use to get around. It's known for being budget-friendly and good on gas.

Part

bumper

"I fully expect to see a scuff in that 43 mile an hour bumper. I mean, like these bumpers are so big and they're on shocks or whatever."

A bumper is the part of a car that helps protect it during a crash. It's usually found at the front and back of the car and is made to absorb some of the impact to keep the car safe.

Part

headlight

"I missed the bumper completely and it just hit in the headlight effectively. So of course, then I walk right, I took one look at this and I'm like, oh no, I walk over and this guy is shell shocked."

A headlight is a light at the front of a car that helps the driver see the road when it's dark or foggy.

Company

Hagerty

"...and say, what headlight? What I realized was there is no, I am an employee of Haggerty, which is a classic car insurance company."

Hagerty is a company that offers insurance specifically for classic cars. They help protect older vehicles that might be more valuable or have special needs compared to regular cars.

Car

Honda Beat

"...they did, for example, pay out when I got rear end of the Honda Beat."

The Honda Beat is a tiny sports car made by Honda. It's very light and fun to drive, and it was made in Japan during the early 1990s.

Term

supercharged

"And they said, hey, do you, would you mind telling me what that other supercharged, at least that you sold, what that sold for? Because they're trying to give me 50 cents on the dollar of what the car was worth."

Supercharging is a way to make an engine more powerful by pushing more air into it. This helps the car go faster and perform better.

Car

Volkswagen Scirocco

"I went through this with the Shiroko. So in 2000, I had the car insured with pasture insurance."

The Volkswagen Scirocco is a small, sporty car that has been popular for its stylish looks and fun driving experience. It has been made in different versions over the years.

Car

Chevy Cavalier

"...somebody waved out a black Chevy Cavalier and just waved him out and I was coming."

The Chevy Cavalier is a small car made by Chevrolet. It was popular for many years because it was affordable and good for everyday driving.

Term

total loss

"...without question your car is total, right? The car's value was like $2,500..."

A total loss means that your car is damaged so badly that it's not worth fixing. The insurance company will pay you what your car is worth instead of repairing it.

Car

Chevrolet Impala SS

"This is the guy with the Impala SS. Yes, I've heard some stories about him."

The Chevrolet Impala SS is a sportier version of the regular Impala, which is a full-size car. It is known for being fast and having a powerful engine, making it popular among car fans.

Car

BMW E30

"Same thing with my E30. If I had had regular insurance on it when I hit that deer, it just would have been a disaster."

The BMW E30 is a popular model of the BMW 3 Series, known for its fun driving experience and classic looks. Many people love this car for its style and performance.

Term

market value

"...you don't necessarily insure a car like this for market value, because you have too much invested in it."

Market value is how much a car is worth if you were to sell it right now. It's based on things like how well the car is kept and how much similar cars are selling for.

Term

modifications

"...How many engines have you built? How much stuff have you done to it? Modifications."

Modifications are changes you make to a car to improve how it works or how it looks. This can be anything from adding a new engine part to changing the car's color.

Term

registration

"...make sure you're covered for sales tax and registration."

Registration is when you sign up your car with the government so you can drive it legally. You usually get a license plate after you register it.

Term

sales tax

"...make sure you're covered for sales tax and registration."

Sales tax is a fee that you pay when you buy something, like a car. It's added to the price and goes to the government.

Term

insurance

"...I had it insured for so much less than it's worth and that damage has got to be way in excess of $12,000..."

Insurance is a way to protect yourself from losing money if something bad happens, like an accident. For cars, it helps pay for repairs or damages.

Part

grill

"...I knew I needed fender, hood, fender, grill lights, bumper. There was just a lot of stuff."

The grill is the part at the front of a car that lets air in to cool the engine. It also adds to the car's look.

Part

fender

"...I knew I needed fender, hood, fender, grill lights, bumper. There was just a lot of stuff."

A fender is the part of a car that covers the wheels. It helps keep dirt and rocks from flying up while driving.

Part

spoiler

"Is, do I really want a paint? Fender, hood, fender, grill, spoiler, door, door, half the roof?"

A spoiler is a part on the back of a car that helps it stay stable when going fast by reducing lift.

Part

hood

"Is, do I really want a paint? Fender, hood, fender, grill, spoiler, door, door, half the roof?"

The hood is the part of the car that covers the engine. You lift it up to check or work on the engine.

Term

policy limits

"And she's like, no, no, no, it's going to be 85% of your policy limits. And that's not going to cover the damage."

Policy limits are the highest amount your insurance will pay if you have an accident. It's important to know this so you can make sure you have enough coverage for your car.

Car

Volkswagen Egolf

"...me. Of course, I have traditional insurance on my eGolf. Right?"

The Volkswagen e-Golf is a version of the regular Golf car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It's good for the environment and is a great option for people who want to save on fuel costs while driving a familiar car.

Car

Ford Mustang

"...bies. Ensuring everything from, you know, in 1965 Mustang that goes out once a month for ice cream to a 250..."

The Ford Mustang is a classic American car that people love for its speed and cool looks. It started being made in the 1960s and is famous for being fun to drive and a symbol of adventure.

Car

Pontiac GTO

"...that goes out once a month for ice cream to a 250 GTO that's worth, I don't know, you tell me $50 milli..."
Car

Ferrari 250 GTO

"...ang that goes out once a month for ice cream to a 250 GTO that's worth, I don't know, you tell me $50 milli..."

The Ferrari 250 GTO is a very rare and beautiful car made in the 1960s that many collectors want to own. It's famous for being fast and successful in races, which makes it worth a lot of money today.

Car

Chevrolet Spin

"I didn't pitman over him by mistake. He didn't spin out and get hit by a Mac truck. I didn't get hit ..."

The Chevrolet Spin is a roomy family car that is great for carrying lots of people and their stuff. It's popular in some countries because it's affordable and practical for everyday use.

Car

Ford Edge

"...nd it. And on the pickup, it was the extreme left edge of his bumper, so there's no support there. So it..."

The Ford Edge is a family-friendly SUV that has a lot of space and is comfortable to drive. It's popular because it has good safety features and modern technology that makes it easy to use.

Car

Lancia Delta

"To bring it to Michigan. And then I will probably delta my way there. It will be the most expensive car i..."

The Lancia Delta is a small car that was popular in the 1980s and 1990s, especially because it did really well in car races. People like it for its cool design and fun driving experience.

Car

Mclaren F1

"...an fire. I think it would be $3 million to make a McLaren F1. So why aren't people doing that?"

The McLaren F1 is a super-fast sports car that was made in the 1990s and is very special because of its unique design and incredible speed. It's so rare and valuable that it can cost millions of dollars today.

Car

Ferrari F40

"...his way. You know, you crash up, I don't know, an F40. Like, there were the string of crashes in F40 la..."

The Ferrari F40 is a super-fast sports car made in the late 1980s that is famous for being very powerful and lightweight. It's loved by car fans because it's exciting to drive and has a special connection to the founder of Ferrari.

Car

Porsche 911

"But a woman hit my car while she was parking, my 911, my first 911, and I ran downstairs and confronte..."

The Porsche 911 is a well-known sports car that has been around for many years and is loved for its stylish look and fast speed. Many people admire it because it's fun to drive and has a strong history.

Car

Ford Probe

"It is. And if I were driving a Ford Probe back in the day, I would have agreed."

The Ford Probe was a sporty car made in the 1990s that many young people liked because it looked cool and was not too expensive. It was fun to drive, but it isn't made anymore.

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