Miata Mailing List: May 1993, Message #85
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   From: (none)
Subject: Insurance Scams
   Date: (none)

Let's name names, shall we?  When I bought my 90 red B I was insured by The St
Paul and they continued to complete that term.  They then pulled out of Texas 
all together and when my independent agent shopped for coverage, he thought he
had me at a good rate at CNA.  When CNA discovered the Miata, they revoked the
coverage and my agent had to scramble to get other coverage.

I figured my wife and I were good risks, college degreed, home owners, no 
tickets or accidents in 3 years or longer (state guidelines).  So, I called up
the ladder at CNA to see what the problem was.  The chief underwriter in 
Dallas stated that the Miata was on their "target list" as a high risk car!  
No believing that I then called his superior in Chicago who said the same 
thing.  This was in 1990 when the Miata was new and there were no stats on 
losses or anything.  I even did some research to compare prices on replacement
parts such as headlights, hoods, fenders, windshields, etc and found that my 
wifes Honda Civic cost more as well as other cars like the Protege, Maxima, 
Honda Acord.  Now we even know that the average age for a Miata owner is over 
35.  I expected rates to fall once the data rolled in to the insurance 
companies (I know, I know, wake up and smell the coffee).

BTW, after telling my agent how to plead our case as a good risk, my agent 
finally found coverage through Maryland Insurance a division of American 
General at a cheaper rate than CNA would have been!  About $1100 per year for 
a now 91 Miata & 92 Ford Ranger PU.  The Miata is mine.  Go figure why my wife
wanted a pick up.