...many (if not "most") insurance carriers will allow you to insure your car at a "stated" (or otherwise "determined") $ valuation. This general statement does not take into consideration factors based upon the specific insurance laws in each state: for example...
In Oregon I can have comprehensive insurance in force on all my cars/trucks/motorcycles year-round. I can have any (or all) of them "on the road" with the required liability, medical, uninsured motorist, etc. coverages for as little as a month at a time, as long as it is at least 30 days since I last took them "off the road". I can have collision on them or not. Have a deductible, or not. I do not have to "surrender the plates" on a vehicle when I don't have liability insurance in effect like in some states, I just can't (not supposed to) drive it that way... Plates go with the car: we don't have a sales tax, either.
This means I can insure & use my SuperCab Ford & camper as I choose, mostly in the warmer months: I can have the SVX available everyday or a month at a time: I can ride one or both of my motorcycles (but it is very hard to ride them both simultaniously!) or "turn off" the insurance if we are going to be out of town or out of the country. Back to the subject...
Often you have to provide some kind of documentation as to the desireability or collectability of the vehicle type or model in general, and details re: your specific vehicle in particular. This can range from an appraisal, photos, repair and modification bills, etc.
Remember that two considerations are generally used to determine what the insurance company is going to charge you for coverage: you & the vehicle. If you have a good driving record & fit into the correct underwriting scenerio, insurance can be very reasonable: this includes where you live, age, previous claim history, years with the same company, etc.
As far as the vehicle is concerned they are basically looking at two concepts: what is the repair history, theft history of that kind/type of vehicle, in general, and what is the "value" of the vehicle as it relates to their exposure. More speeding tickets involving "sports" cars than vans? Maybe. Corvettes can go 175+ mph. Many older 86 hp Honda CRX's were notorious for being rated as "sports" cars because they only had 2 seats. An '80's CiviC Si had more hp, but seats for 4 (5?) and was rated as an economy car.
Value can be (usually is) the "book value" of that year, make and mileage car. Remember that "book value" presupposes that the vehicle in question is in "average" shape or condition, hense the "rub". They are very willing to make sure you pay rates (and they pay claims for repairs or establish a "totalled" $ figure) based upon the average value but by its very definition "average" means some are in worse condition and some are in much better condition than "average".
Simply put, when they (and YOU!) know what they are going to charge you per $1,000 of value, a premium based upon either their definition of book value or a policy based upon the agreed value of the vehicle only differs in the amount of their $ expo$ure. This is only with a few exceptions, by the way.
It doesn't really make any difference if you total a new $10K Hyundai, a used Cadillac worth $10K "book value", or an SVX that you are paying a premium based upon it having a stated value which happens to be $10K. Their max exposure is $10k. There may be some varience in the above example but it shouldn't be much.
It can be done, the better your driving record, the longer you have been with the company, the better it can be to take this route.
It is somewhat akin to the concept of "location" in real estate.
Cheers!
