In the last 5-10 years, we’ve seen the values on some vintage sleds climb higher than anyone ever dreamed. So when you have one or more of these high-buck sleds, just how do you get it insured?

Way back when I got some of the first sleds in my collection, I was asking this very question. At the time, they were all just tucked away in a garage that could have been broken into, or worse, caught fire. I often wondered what would happen if crashed with my trailer, or the sleds were stolen from the trailer.

It was never the money I lost sleep over. It was the time I put into them that would be gone.

Vanished. Wasted. Gone. That often kept me up at night.

So I called my insurance company that does my house, car and some other insurance for me. They couldn’t touch it with a stick, saying only I could raise the amount of coverage for belongings in the garage but that anything with a motor would not count. No help there.

So I checked in with Loyds of London, known for insuring, well, anything, including celebrity body parts. Nope. Wouldn’t come near it. Next I went to Haggerty Insurance, known for their coverage of rare collector cars, boats and more. Surely they could help? Well, I did find someone there who was really, really interested in it. They called me several times, sometimes with many people on the other end, to ask questions. One person there was very keen on starting a new program for snowmobiles. Months later, he called with the bad news: “We just don’t know enough about them.”

So for the longest time, I just got the extra coverage for personal belongings. Until this spring, that is.

Enter Travellers Insurance. Turns out one of their underwriters is a vintage sled collector himself. He started calling me and several other people in the vintage sled hobby and found out there was a definite needs for some insurance.

I’m happy to tell you that you can now get the insurance through the Empire Company.

Highlights of the policies are:

• Stated Value valuation, which is the Limit of Insurance shown in the declaration provided by you.
• Loading and Unloading of a snowmobile onto a trailer.
• Coverage for the snowmobile while it is being restored.
• Off-Premise coverage for the snowmobile while it is at a show, exhibition or a museum.
• Transit coverage while snowmobile(s) is being transported.
• Parts in Transit.
• Parts while they are at other locations being repaired, serviced or refurbished.
• Books, manuals and memorabilia.
• Coverage for snowmobile while being restored
• Loading and Unloading of a snowmobile onto a trailer
• Off-Premises coverage for the snowmobile while it is at a show
• Fire, Theft and Wind are a few of the standard perils covered offered
• Basic policy premium is $250.00, covering $20,000 worth of your snowmobile collection
• If you have a public museum, we can insure your Fine Arts, including Snowmobiles and Snowmobile Memorabilia

Note that appraisals are required on any sled valued over $15,000. Contact us here at Vintagesleds.com, and we can help you with that.

For more information, visit the Empire Company website.

I got my collection insured through them, and the process was as easy as could be. Well worth the money!