Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

How do I insure an old car?

I inherited a 1981 Ford F-150 from my grandmother. It's beat up, but it gets me where I need to go, and I want to keep driving it until it sputters out for good. How can I get car insurance for it? It's definitely older; does it qualify as a classic car?

avatar
Eric Schad · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“Congrats to your family on keeping a car going for so long! In all likelihood, a 1981 Ford F-150 that’s a beater (and presumably starting to rust, as is common for this era of the F-150), will not qualify for classic coverage—but you still have ways to insure it!
To get
classic car coverage
, your Ford F-150 needs to meet a certain set of criteria laid out by the insurer.
  • Car must be 25 years old or older
  • Must possess another vehicle for everyday driving
  • Proof of routine maintenance
  • Car must be classified as classic by the
    car insurance
    company
  • Typically needs to be garaged
As your car is a beater, you’ll likely have to go for normal types of coverage. Choosing the right coverage will depend on what you’re using the truck for, how much you drive it, and your sentimental attachment to it: in most cases,
liability coverage
is all you need, but you may want to add
comprehensive
and
collision
to keep the truck in good condition for the sake of sentimentality.
When you choose coverage, check out the
Jerry
app to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible! We’ll get you customized quotes from top insurers so that all you have to do is pick the plan that works best for you.
Congrats again on the timeline of that car, and may it live many more years!”
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings