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Thread: Insuring a 109 wagon Question?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Haddonfield NJ
    Posts
    23

    Default Insuring a 109 wagon Question?

    Dose anyone have issues with getting insurance on a 109 Series III wagon? I am trying to work with Allstate and they mentioned that any vehicle over 10 is considered a BUS and can't be insured under a personal policy?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    The Granite State (NH)
    Posts
    3,435

    Default

    If you ever actually tried to fit 12 people in it, you'd see DEFINITELY know that the number was simply the number of crew+passengers the factory had to meet in order to avoid the hefty taxes on lower-capacity vehicles.

    The only difference between a "normal" 5-door 109 and the "12-seater" was that the center seats were moved up so that there is all of ten inches between the middle row seat base and the front row seatbacks, meaning that only people under 4-foot 7 can fit in the middle row, and the rear bench seats were lengthened ever so slightly so that 3 Kate Moss's could squeeze themselves onto each bench if they fasted for a week and lubricated their hips first.

    Bragging that it's a "12-seater" to your friends is great, but it's not a very realistic number, and certainly something your insurance company doesn't need to know. I mean, how would they ever know if you didn't tell them? Certainly not by looking at it.

    Allstate had no problems insuring my 109 on my personal auto policy when it was still a 12-seater. Never once did they ask if it held more than 10 people, nor did I ever try to convince them that it could. In fact, 10 is a more realistic number, so long as the 3 in the center row are small children.

    If you're worried about it, just remove one or both rear benches. They come right out.
    --Mark

    1973 SIII 109 RHD 2.5NA Diesel

    0-54mph in just under 11.5 minutes
    (9.7 minutes now that she's a 3-door).

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    The Granite State (NH)
    Posts
    3,435

    Default

    Oh, and congratulations on your 'new' 109.
    --Mark

    1973 SIII 109 RHD 2.5NA Diesel

    0-54mph in just under 11.5 minutes
    (9.7 minutes now that she's a 3-door).

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Mountains of Western Pennsy.
    Posts
    592

    Default

    I don't know how they do things in CT, but in PA I had to take several pictures for the DMV to get titled as a station wagon. The one pic that clinched it was the 'Land Rover Station Wagon' plate on the rear. At first they wanted to title it as a one ton truck (big difference in the title fee and yearly registration). The insurance folks accepted the title designation. Mine's a two door so I have two bench seats on each side in back, it's considered a 10 passenger. Back when I was getting a title for a big school van, I just took out all but four rear seats and had a form filled out at the inspection station to certify it was 9 passenger, and thus a station wagon.

    '95 R.R.C. Lwb
    '76 Series III Hybrid 109
    '70 Rover 3500S

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Haddonfield NJ
    Posts
    23

    Default

    Thanks for the tips, I am waiting to hear what Allstate comes back with. The last I heard they mentioned that they needed to add the truck in manually as they didn't have it in the system. I will mention the wagon approach rather then going the Truck route.
    I am new to the Rover and learning as I go. Thanks!
    John

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