I’m with you on the cost savings—no sense paying for miles you’ll never use. But I do get a little nervous about underestimating. Had a year where I ended up driving to a bunch of shows and blew past my cap. Adjusting mid-policy was possible, but it cost more than I expected. If you’re even a little unsure, I’d pad the estimate just in case. Better safe than sorry, right?
Padding the estimate is definitely the safer route, especially if your plans aren’t set in stone. I’ve seen a lot of folks get caught off guard by last-minute road trips or unexpected events—suddenly that “just enough” mileage cap isn’t so generous. Adjusting mid-policy can be a hassle, and yeah, it’s rarely as cheap as you’d hope.
One thing I always suggest is to look back at your past couple years of driving, not just the last one. Sometimes people forget about those outlier years where they did more (or less) than usual. If you’re on the fence, it’s usually better to round up a bit rather than risk those overage fees.
Out of curiosity, did your insurer let you roll over unused miles to the next year, or was it strictly use-it-or-lose-it? Some policies are more flexible than others, but most classic car coverage I’ve seen doesn’t really do rollovers. That can make estimating even trickier...
Mileage rollovers would be a dream, but I’ve never seen a classic car policy that actually allows it. Like you said, it’s usually “use-it-or-lose-it,” which always feels a bit unfair if you end up babying your car for a season. I remember one year I barely drove mine at all—just a couple of Sunday spins and a parade—and still paid for the full 2,500 miles. The next year, of course, I had a few more road trips and was sweating every mile toward the end.
If you’re on the fence, it’s usually better to round up a bit rather than risk those overage fees.
Couldn’t agree more. The overage fees can be brutal, and some insurers aren’t shy about tacking on extra charges if you go even a little over. I’ve heard stories of people getting hit with retroactive premium hikes, too, which is just salt in the wound.
One thing I’d add—sometimes people forget about club events or those random “nice weather” days that sneak up on you. It’s easy to underestimate how often you’ll want to take the car out when the sun’s shining and the roads are clear. I’ve definitely been guilty of telling myself I’ll only drive to shows, then suddenly it’s August and I’m using the car for ice cream runs.
I do wish there was a little more flexibility in these policies. Even just being able to adjust mid-year without a penalty would be nice. But yeah, until insurers get more creative, padding your estimate is probably the safest bet... unless you’re really disciplined (which I am definitely not when it comes to taking my car out for “just one more drive”).
Totally get where you’re coming from. The “use-it-or-lose-it” thing bugs me too, especially when life gets busy and the car just sits. I’ve had years where I barely hit half my cap, then the next year I’m double-checking every trip. You’re right—those sunny days are hard to resist. Honestly, padding your estimate is just smart at this point, even if it feels a bit wasteful sometimes.
Yeah, the mileage cap thing is a weird dance.
- I get why they do it—keeps premiums down, supposedly. But honestly, I’ve never once managed to guess my yearly miles right.
- Some years, my car’s basically a garage queen. Other times, I’m out every weekend just because the weather’s too good.
- Padding the number feels odd, but getting hit with a penalty would be worse. Still, part of me wonders if it’s even worth stressing over when you’re already paying top dollar for coverage.
- Maybe we should get “unused miles rollover,” like cell phone plans... Now that would make sense.
