Car & Classic is extending its role beyond the world of classic cars with the launch of its own insurance offering for classic and specialist vehicles. This takes the well-established online marketplace from listings and auctioning into what has historically caused annoyance for classic car enthusiasts: slow and offline processes.
The new product, which is titled Car & Classic Insurance, enables classic car enthusiasts to purchase specialized classic car insurance entirely online, making use of the company’s quote-to-purchase process. The product was designed entirely in-house to ensure the company could be in control of the notion of customer management.
Why Classic Car Insurance Has Lagged Behind
Classic car insurance is different from top car insurance in a number of ways, including agreed values rather than market values, limited annual mileage, and factors such as repairs, spares, and storage.
Despite these apparent nuances, many still rely on phone-based quoting and manual underwriting. However, for an owner who already researches, buys, sells, and owns a vehicle altogether through an online experience, these inconsistencies might be a hassle. According to Car & Classic, after repeated queries from their community, it became very clear that insurance had become the weakest link in the experience.
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A Digital-First Insurance Experience
The newly introduced service by Car & Classic is described as being completely digital, which means that quotes, choice of policies, and making purchases can be done through the web without the need for making phone calls. This makes the process faster and more customised, considering that classic cars are crucial.
By building it internally, they avoid third-party tools and third-party solutions, which enables them to control how the data, valuation, and underwriting are done in the quoting process.
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Leadership and Insurance Expertise
To run the new insurance business, Car & Classic has appointed Ian Bubb, who was previously director of motor insurance at Covéa. He has extensive knowledge in underwriting as well as regulations, which he is bringing to a business that is centered around technology.
The hiring indicates that Car & Classic plans to run the service, or at least the driving-related part, as a real insurance company rather than a referrer or comparison service.
The Role of Vehicle Data and Valuation Accuracy
Car & Classic’s data advantage is central to the launch. Its chief executive, Tom Wood, was formerly the founder of Cazana, supplier of advanced vehicle intelligence to UK insurers.
With that background, the insurance platform can take advantage of detailed valuation insights, vehicle history, and market trends. Class-leading car owners enjoy more agreed values with fewer follow-up questions, and for insurers, the ambiguity about risk assessment is minimized, along with pricing.
Early Adoption and Market Impact
Car & Classic reports strong early adoption of the service, suggesting pent-up demand for a faster, more transparent insurance option among classic and specialist vehicle owners. If that trend continues, it may put pressure on traditional providers to modernise their customer journeys.
More broadly, the launch reflects a shift in how insurance is distributed. Platforms already embedded in vehicle ownership and enthusiast communities are increasingly positioned to integrate insurance directly into the lifecycle of buying, owning, and protecting vehicles.
What This Means for Classic Car Owners
For owners, the immediate benefit is convenience. Insurance becomes a digital extension of the same ecosystem used to buy, research, and maintain vehicles. For the industry, Car & Classic’s move challenges the assumption that niche insurance must remain manual and fragmented. The launch suggests that even highly specialised markets can support fully online, data-driven insurance models without sacrificing the bespoke coverage that enthusiasts expect.
