How much is my TJ worth?

[StreetRodder]

I'm looking to value my old Jeep. '98 tj with 4,500 miles. Never been in snow or rain.
I can't locate anyone who can tell me a value to insure it at full value.

Is there a resource for that information

 

[Chris]

Best bet is to check your local Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or any other places where TJs are for sale locally.

People always ask what they're worth but it's hard for us to say because it's largely based off the economy where you are, your local market, and whether or not the frame is in good shape and free of rust.

 

[TheBoogieman]

I'm looking to value my old Jeep. '98 tj with 4,500 miles.
I can't locate anyone who can tell me a value to insure it at full value.

Unfortunately, a 1998 Jeep with 4500 miles is still a 1998 Jeep in the eyes of insurance companies.

 

[Rut Row]

your best hope would be Haggerty's for insurance. Regular insurance companies will only insure at book value which isn't much. Heck, @TheBoogieman drinks more beer on a weekend than a '98 TJ's book value.

 

[ChadH]

your best hope would be Haggerty's for insurance. Regular insurance companies will only insure at book value which isn't much. Heck, @TheBoogieman drinks more beer on a weekend than a '98 TJ's book value.

wasn't there just a discussion somewhere about hagerty and people having troubles with them insuring Jeeps? I think Hagerty is meant for cars that basically sit in a garage right?

Unfortunately, a 1998 Jeep with 4500 miles is still a 1998 Jeep in the eyes of insurance companies.

I was just explain this to someone yesterday. insurance is such a scam

 

[HDRider]

I thought insurance used cash value, which is what you could sell it for, or how much it would cost to replace.

 

[Sensei]

wasn't there just a discussion somewhere about hagerty and people having troubles with them insuring Jeeps? I think Hagerty is meant for cars that basically sit in a garage right?



I was just explain this to someone yesterday. insurance is such a scam

Grundy insurance is another decent option similar to Hagerty. They probably wont give you the "classic" or "antique" rate for the jeep, especially the more you modify it. But considering yours has less than 5k miles and looks to be completely stock I think they will work with you. The way Grundy insurance works is basically you and the company both Agree on a value for the jeep, and based on that agreement, your coverage values, total deductible etc, they give you a rate. For my first jeep, I have an agreed value of around 25k, and paid 400$ annually for insurance. More recently, I added a 2nd jeep and they wont give me the classic rate anymore, even though it's almost identically built to my first one. I pay 1100$ a year annually for the 2nd one with an agreed value of 30k.

I mainly stick with Grundy for one reason, my 80-90s project cars. They are all antique classification, and I literally pay 50-100$ a year each to keep them insured.

 

[GregBelleville]

wasn't there just a discussion somewhere about hagerty and people having troubles with them insuring Jeeps? I think Hagerty is meant for cars that basically sit in a garage right?



I was just explain this to someone yesterday. insurance is such a scam

You have to appreciate the unique risk a Jeep that is approaching classic car status presents to an insurance company. A TJ isn't your typical classic because it is intended for off road use.

Good luck finding a classic car insurance company who will write you an agreed value policy on a Jeep that you off road with.

 

[cliffish]

American collector car insures my 05 with a $15K agreed value, but a friend of mine was just told by them they will not insure his 06 TJ. I must have been grandfathered in as they have been covering it since 2014.

 

[ez1putt]

I had to go thru SafeCo this year to get the type of policy you are after. Couldn't get it with Haggerty or American Collector. You tell them the value you put on it, and if they agree to cover that replacement value will set the policy rate accordingly. Annual mileage constraints can be a stickler, but you don't appear to have that issue.

 

[bucky]

Obviously not a DD. My 89YJ, 06TJ and my 04 04 Suburban 2500 4x4 are insured as recreational vehicles because of the low miles I put on them yearly. This gives me a very low price. I only do liability because I can easily cover the replacement costs myself. One thing to keep in mind is that if the other guy is at fault his insurance company is only going to cover book value and you’ll have to go after your company for anything more. You will have a hard time finding comps for your TJ because almost all 98 TJs had 4500 miles on them in the first 6 months.
Why don’t you drive that thing?

 

[GregBelleville]

The sticking point with virtually every single insurance company will be off road use of the vehicle.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

The sticking point with virtually every single insurance company will be off road use of the vehicle.

I have agreed amount coverage through Allstate on my rig. Likely not covered if I destroy it offroad, but that’s not my concern - if I wreck it I fix it. My main concern is theft, and being covered in that event.

If I destroy it offroad, I still have all the parts. Theft, not so much…

 

[TheBoogieman]

Heck, @TheBoogieman drinks more beer on a weekend than a '98 TJ's book value.

I had to stop the beer because of my meds. They cost much more than the value of a 98' TJ.

 

[jrfuda]

I tired both Hagerty and American Collectors and both denied coverage. I was honest with them that it would be driven maybe once a week with occasional offroad use and that I would not expect offroad damage to be covered. Also, it was interesting that American Collectors cannot do liability insurance in NC even through they could in the other 49 states. What's even weirder is that American Collectors is aligned, maybe underwritten by USAA and USAA is my current insurance company.

I also talked to several other companies that offered agreed value coverage, and they were all underwritten by Hagerty. I did not consider Grundy at all becuase my understanding is they only cover travel to and from shows and expect the vehicle to be garaged otherwise.

The reason I was completely honest with my use scenarios was because I read several threads on reddit and elsewhere where these companies denied claims because the incident occurred somewhere outside of the agreed usage restrictions. Some folks had accidents in a store parking lot and the insurance company denied the claim because they said the owner was running errands with the car. Others said they've been working months on a claim because the insurer wants more receipts and records to prove agreed value is valid and/or they need witness statements that the vehicle was not being used for commuting or errands. Pretty much a guilty until proven innocent scenario.

I'm sure USAA is going to pay me maybe 20% of what I have in my Jeep if I total it. 20% is better than nothing, they've always been Johnny on the spot when I've had a claim, and the process was painless. I figure if I ever total, I will buy it back and salvage the good stuff and sell the rest for scrap.

Has anyone here successfully filed an agreed value claim on a Jeep or other offroad vehicle?

 

[ChadH]

You have to appreciate the unique risk a Jeep that is approaching classic car status presents to an insurance company. A TJ isn't your typical classic because it is intended for off road use.

Good luck finding a classic car insurance company who will write you an agreed value policy on a Jeep that you off road with.

Well that depends on what you define "off road" vs what I define it as. That's a very subjective term without discussing specifics. Not everybody does hard core off road with their Jeeps, but thats something a lot of people here can't seem to understand.

 

[jrfuda]

Well that depends on what you define "off road" vs what I define it as. That's a very subjective term without discussing specifics. Not everybody does hard core off road with their Jeeps, but thats something a lot of people here can't seem to understand.

When I was searching for an agreed value company, after one of them denied "off road" use, I tried "dirt road" with another and was denied as well. These were all phone conversations required after providing all my documentation online.

 

[ChadH]

When I was searching for an agreed value company, after one of them denied "off road" use, I tried "dirt road" with another and was denied as well. These were all phone conversations required after providing all my documentation online.

Same. I asked my insurance, USAA, and they defined anything off of pavement as 'off road' and would basically not cover anything off a paved road. They also said under no circumstances would they cover anything more than blue book value and wont allow non USAA appraisers. And when I had the fully restored OBS F350, they valued it at only 12K, and the maximum 'agreed value' they would be willing to add was 8K but it was more than 60K to fully restore it. So I dropped my coverage with them to the most basic legally required option knowing they dont give a rats butt. Allstate was the same way when I had them several years ago. Insurance is just a flat out scam considering it's a government requirement but their payouts are total garbage. But they are for profit business so what does anyone expect.....

 

[GregBelleville]

Well that depends on what you define "off road" vs what I define it as. That's a very subjective term without discussing specifics. Not everybody does hard core off road with their Jeeps, but thats something a lot of people here can't seem to understand.

From the insurer standpoint, once you're off a paved road, you're "off roading".

 

[GregBelleville]

Same. I asked my insurance, USAA, and they defined anything off of pavement as 'off road' and would basically not cover anything off a paved road. They also said under no circumstances would they cover anything more than blue book value and wont allow non USAA appraisers. And when I had the fully restored OBS F350, they valued it at only 12K, and the maximum 'agreed value' they would be willing to add was 8K but it was more than 60K to fully restore it. So I dropped my coverage with them to the most basic legally required option knowing they dont give a rats butt. Allstate was the same way when I had them several years ago. Insurance is just a flat out scam considering it's a government requirement but their payouts are total garbage. But they are for profit business so what does anyone expect.....

Maybe call them back and say you're friends with this guy and would like another quote?