neroden's NOT happy.

[rcc]

On the insurance question: do you not own a car and have it insured already?

I can see this being a problem if you don't already have insurance. But if you already have a car and are insured, your insurance should cover a newly purchased car as long as you notify them pretty soon after you've taken possession.

If that's not the case, I'd look into changing insurance companies.

 

[neroden]

Neroden, I'd be interested in hearing why you did go through with it? I'm pretty sure I would have passed given all the history here.

How simple can it get? I want an electric car with a 120 mile cold weather range. Unless I build one myself, this is the only one in the world (well, apart from the Roadster, but I'd rather not have a convertible). Now, there are limits to what I'm willing to deal with -- I'm not willing to sign away the rights of my "heirs, successors and assigns" in eternity just to get a car -- but to put it bluntly, what other long-range electric car would you recommend? :wink:

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On the insurance question: do you not own a car and have it insured already?

I do not currently own a car. Correct.

I can see this being a problem then.

Exactly. (Edit: I'm realizing it would have been simpler to buy and insure a $3000 junker just so that I had insurance in force. This is stupid, though.)

 

[rcc]

Hmm. You indeed have a chicken and egg problem. This is where it's worth calling around to different insurance agents/companies to see how they can help.

Lowest cost insurance isn't always the best. Service and commitment to helping the customer matter too. Insurance companies in particular prove their worth when you actually need their help. And it's not just the company: one agent vs. another can make big difference.

Now's a good time to find out who'll help you navigate this mess with the lowest amount of friction. Paying more could be worth it if you know they'll do their best when you need them.

 

[NigelM]

^ +1.

Any decent insurance company/agent will give you a quote if you have a VIN and an e-mail from them should be enough to keep Tesla happy. A good agent will then bind your insurance over the phone for the day you pick-up the car. I think this is basically the case for all 50 States.

 

[wstuff]

I can see where some problems have been created trying to nail down a delivery date. With the serious batching methods being employed being geography, batt pack, color and so on I'm sure not all employees at tesla are privy to the changing demographics. i can see someone who has never had car insurance trying to pressure tesla for a date that is fluid at best so you can satisfy an insurance co. just pick the insurance coverage and co you want have them send you the paperwork for your signature and advise them when you want to activate, when you get a call from your DS that you will get your car on the 8th, contact the insurance co. to activate on midnight of the 7th. I guess your asking questions based on real needs that aren't readily available or which might change. As this is the first car for you you will have to kind of go with the flow.

 

[NigelM]

just pick the insurance coverage and co you want have them send you the paperwork for your signature and advise them when you want to activate, when you get a call from your DS that you will get your car on the 8th, contact the insurance co. to activate on midnight of the 7th.

Good advice. FTR, I have a great State Farm agent who told me to call an hour before delivery and eventually activated my insurance at 9.30am for a 10.00am delivery.

 

[Todd Burch]

Neroden, for reference I'm not sure if what you're hearing from insurance companies is correct. It could very well just be a state-specific thing, but I drove and insured my Model S for 4 weeks before I ever had the title. VIN was all my insurance company (formerly USAA, now Geico) needed. Here in VA, getting a title requires having a "Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin", which arrived 4 weeks after the car. In the meantime, the temporary tags were sufficient (along with a letter to law enforcement from Tesla that came with the car and explained that the certificate of origin and title were not yet available).

 

[wycolo]

Just beginning this thread: no way did I see this coming!! I'm shocked, shocked I tell you . . .

Seinfeld: "Neuman !#!"

G.B.: "Neroden !#!"

@Neroden: you are the telltale at the top of our mast - indispensable and appreciated.
--

 

[neroden]

neroden is happier now -- Tesla responded!

neroden is happier now

I have a delivery date! Monday!

(Tesla has told me that going forward they are probably not going to offer personal delivery to people as far away from a service center as I am. But since it was promised when I reserved, I get it. :smile: )

With that, I was able to get my insurance start date set correctly (another 20 minutes on the phone). The done thing in NY is to get insurance with an arbitrary start date (a VIN is enough to *get* insurance) and then to change the start date once you find out what date the car will be registered. Changing the start date is not a quick operation, though.

I also got the NEW final MVPA, which is just fine and has none of the problems of the OLD final paperwork which upset me. So I'm FedExing that off and that's good.

One more piece of paperwork has to get faxed from Tesla to the insurance company (oy) but it looks like this is actually going to happen!

YAY

Yes, I'll supply photos as I drool over the car.

Neroden, for reference I'm not sure if what you're hearing from insurance companies is correct. It could very well just be a state-specific thing,

I finally talked to someone who knew what was going on -- the rules for insurance and registration are different in every one of the 50 states. And yes, this particular thing is a NY-specific thing -- here it's very important for everything to happen pretty much simultaneously, for whatever reason. He also shared with me that they are trying to deal with a catch-22 in Connecticut where A has to be done before B which has to be done before C which has to be done before A... every single state has a different set of specific issues.

Hopefully in a year or two Tesla will have someone expert in each state's procedure -- the problem is that when they started, they didn't, not even in the states where they have dealer's licenses. So nobody was able to explain the procedure because they didn't know it. They know it for NY now, I think.

 

[smorgasbord]

Good advice. FTR, I have a great State Farm agent who told me to call an hour before delivery and eventually activated my insurance at 9.30am for a 10.00am delivery.

Hmm. Out here in CA my State Farm agents have consistently told me that I'm covered for at least a couple weeks on any new car purchase, even if I don't tell them. In other words, I've got a couple weeks to tell them I just bought a car.

 

[bonnie]

Hmm. Out here in CA my State Farm agents have consistently told me that I'm covered for at least a couple weeks on any new car purchase, even if I don't tell them. In other words, I've got a couple weeks to tell them I just bought a car.

Same here. When I bought my Roadster, my Liberty Mutual agent told me to get him the paperwork within 30 days, but I was covered in the meantime. (And then he required a ride in the car. )

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

We are all happy that neroden's happy Congrats!

 

[Bradleybang]

Hmm. Out here in CA my State Farm agents have consistently told me that I'm covered for at least a couple weeks on any new car purchase, even if I don't tell them. In other words, I've got a couple weeks to tell them I just bought a car.

You are correct, that your current standard auto policy will cover a newly acquired or temporary substitute vehicle. However, being covered is one thing.

Registration is a complete separate deal. Yes, Neroden is correct. Each state has different registration rules. Most all require "proof of insurance" for new vehicle or transfer of tittle. Each has different ways of getting that proof. Here in California we get to just list the name of the insurance company and policy #. Some require a dec or evidence of insurance specifically listing the vehicle with vin#.

P.S. I am glad he is happy. Hope to see the Tesla grin.

 

[SCW-Greg]

We are all happy that neroden's happy Congrats!

+1 on this!

Now, Neroden... when you get the car, keep in mind it will not be perfect. But the consensus here is, there is no better car, certainly not EV. And certainly no company who cares more for their owners.

You can't do better than this... IMO.

Looking forward to your pics!

 

[brianman]

Mod request: Please make the 1 letter change to the thread title so that it is current. Thanks.

 

[Norbert]

With that, I was able to get my insurance start date set correctly (another 20 minutes on the phone). The done thing in NY is to get insurance with an arbitrary start date (a VIN is enough to *get* insurance) and then to change the start date once you find out what date the car will be registered. Changing the start date is not a quick operation, though.

I'd have thought Tesla could determine a date, in advance, on which they will be able to register the car (and on which it will also be possible to deliver the car to you). Then you get insurance for that start date. And then Tesla does their paperwork. Why is it necessary to use an arbitrary date at first?

 

[SByer]

Neroden, please follow up when you get the car, I want to know.

 

[montgom626]

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I do not currently own a car. Correct.

I must be missing a post that explains the problem/solution. Just get the VIN, and then get it insured. If you do not own a car, then what is the problem? Wait until you get the VIN and title and then insure it. You don't have a car. So waiting until you get a VIN/Title is not a problem. You don't have a car. So waiting is not a problem. It has no impact on your life, since you don't have a car.

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I was told "You cannot insure that which you do not own". Now, I can *get* insurance before I get title to the car, but apparently the insurance cannot become *effective* until I get title to the car -- the insurer needs an "effective date". This requires some sort of coordination and I've been having trouble figuring out how to make this happen. I also haven't been able to figure out when Tesla legally transfers title. I've been trying to find someone who can explain the procedure.

I am a simple person. Just ask the insurance agent what to do. Is it that hard?????? Why ask the folks here for a solution that any insurance agent can give you. Sounds like making a mountain out of a mole hill to me.

 

[dsm363]

I was able to activate insurance with USAA in less than 5 min once I had final MPVA which had VIN. Worst case would be you wait until the car is sitting right in front of you on your driveway and you make call then before driving it.

 

[montgom626]

I was able to activate insurance with USAA in less than 5 min once I had final MPVA which had VIN. Worst case would be you wait until the car is sitting right in front of you on your driveway and you make call then before driving it.

Seems like what any reasonable person would do.