Miata Mailing List: September 1992, Message #38
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   From: (none)
Subject: Insurance
   Date: (none)

When I first insured my 90, I was with St Paul and had been with them for ten 
years so coverage was not a question.  Then they pulled out of Texas and my 
independant agent shopped coverage at CNA out of Chicago.  They refused 
coverage on my Miata and my wife's 90 Honda Civic.  Initially they said it was
because my then 28 year old college educated, professionally employed wife had
one ticket in 3 years.  She did and it would drop off record in 3 months.  I 
had no tickets in over 4 years and no collision claims, thus, I did not buy 
their reasoning and wrote several letters.  

What finally was revealed as the REAL reason for denying coverage was that I 
had a Miata.  It turns out that the Miata was on their TARGET list.  That was 
their word, TARGET.  I argued that just because the car is a convertible was 
not justification for that designation.  Especially when you consider the air 
bag and the low horse power.

This may have changed since demographics are showing the median age to be 
about 35 years.  In Austin, I pay about $600 annually with $500 collision 
deduct and $100 comp. deduct.  Which is what I paid for my new 86 Ford Turbo 
Coupe FAMILY SEDAN.  Sorry for the long wind and the soap box.  My advice is 
to shop through an independant agent who understands you as well as his 
business so he can sell you to the insurance company as a GOOD RISK even 
though you have a "dangerous sports car".