insurance co. Changed the vin on my guzzi!

[sdcr]

So, after getting a 40 % rate increase on my MC policy,I changed companies. The new company had trouble with the 14 digit VIN on my 1983 Guzzi.  They said it wasn't compatible with their system.   Yesterday, I get the policy and insurance cards in the mail, and they added 2 extra 0's to the end of the VIN !
 Now I realize that it does not effect the title or Pa. Registration, but it concerns me if I get a LEO stop. The VIN on my registration doesn't match my insurance card.

  Has anyone else come across something like this, and any suggestions on what my best course if action is? I have not contacted my agent yet.



John

1983 Le Mans

[Kiwi Dave]

Why not get them to add the zeros in front instead?  This way both numbers could be interpreted as the same.

[rocker59]

Why not get them to add the zeros in front instead?  This way both numbers could be interpreted as the same.

Because a 17-digit VIN begins with letters only, would be the first thought that comes to mind.

ZGU, in Guzzi's case, is what the first three should be on a modern 17-digit VIN.

[canuguzzi]

Cop isn't going to care, it is easily explained. I've never had a cop check my VIN but the last time I got stopped was 1974. Leading or trailing zeros isn't a big deal. If they are concerned enough to look, they'll run your plate and check the VIN against your registration. The trailing zeros are probably way down on the list for them.

Be more worried about why they stopped you in the first place.

[Kiwi Dave]

Because a 17-digit VIN begins with letters only, would be the first thought that comes to mind.

ZGU, in Guzzi's case, is what the first three should be on a modern 17-digit VIN.

I guess I'm not very good at explaining what I mean.   

I meant before the group of numbers after the M (=Mandello), where only numbers exist.

[sdcr]

I guess I'm not very good at explaining what I mean.   

I meant before the group of numbers after the M (=Mandello), where only numbers exist.

If I understand your logic here, the added numbers will fall into a slot that does not contain the serial number sequence. I am going to speak to the Insurance company directly to see if I can get this sorted. 

Unrelated, but even though the rates are extremely competitive( cheap), my agent is not the most detail oriented.  Thanks.

John

1983 Le Mans

[Cal3Me]

I'd have to ask my agent why they only added two zero's instead of three to get 17 digits ? And from my experience with this kind of situation I ended up taking a picture of my VIN # for my agent and then got the correct numbers on my policy and ID cards.

[Cam3512]

DMV had to add a space then a letter or two to my '71 Ambo on the title.  Of course they were perplexed by the shorter 5 digit VIN, and they told me it was already taken by another bike - an entirely different model.  I tried to explain there very well could be 2 different 45 year old motorcycles with the same VIN.  No to mention, the PO had a valid title from PA that I gave them.  Morons!

Hope you have classic insurance on the LeMans?  I wouldn't worry about your insurance card.

[Triple Jim]

Agreed, if it were my insurance card/policy, I wouldn't give it a second thought.  Any cop or other official looking at it will immediately see that the numbers are the same, except for the extra zeros, and not care.  If asked about it, I'd say that the insurance company's computer couldn't handle the shorter number so it added some zeros, but I'd bet money that I'd never be asked about it anyway.

[TDF]

I've got an 82 Mercedes that was brought over from Germany, and only has a 14 digit, all numbers VIN.  Geico just puts 3 capital X's after the number.  The first few times I renewed my registration, the DMV would include a letter with my renewal that said I needed to get that straightened out with the insurance company, but because they would send me the new registration and stickers each time I just ignored them.  The last 5 years or so, they've not bothered to send the letter saying I should get it corrected anymore.  I've even been pulled over once in that car (7 over the limit on a gravel road, by a State Trooper, no less) only to get a warning, and he never even batted an eye over the insurance card having the extra X's.

TDF

[sdcr]

DMV had to add a space then a letter or two to my '71 Ambo on the title.  Of course they were perplexed by the shorter 5 digit VIN, and they told me it was already taken by another bike - an entirely different model.  I tried to explain there very well could be 2 different 45 year old motorcycles with the same VIN.  No to mention, the PO had a valid title from PA that I gave them.  Morons!

Hope you have classic insurance on the LeMans?  I wouldn't worry about your insurance card.

Yeah, I hear you guys. Nothing really to worry about! since Pa. Dept.Of Transportation got the VIN right on the title and registration (They may have seen me coming since it was the 9th Guzzi I've titled here.).

I just feel a little uncomfortable with a document that doesn't match the registration, if that makes sense.

John

83 Le Mans III

[Triple Jim]

I just feel a little uncomfortable with a document that doesn't match the registration, if that makes sense.

But it really does match.  I'd be concerned if the non-zero digits were wrong, but they're all correct as I understand you.

[rbm]

Shouldn't matter, at least it doesn't matter North of the border.  I once owned a 1987 BMW K-bike, built in Germany, with a very non-standard VIN, 0144862K100RS.  When I imported it to Canada and registered it, I had some trouble convincing the insurance company that was the real VIN.  Eventually won them over.  Come 2012, most Canadian insurance companies changed their systems so that it was no longer possible for them to even input a non-standard VIN in the system to get a quote.  I got refused coverage by almost every company I called because of this anomaly.  Eventually one broker took pity on me and manually issued a policy.  Next year I sold the bike to be rid of the problem.  The MOT and Police never challenged me on the VIN.

[rocker59]

I guess I'm not very good at explaining what I mean.   

I meant before the group of numbers after the M (=Mandello), where only numbers exist.

That is how Guzzi does it!   

[Demar]

I just imported a 1954 MG and the vin is 1 letter (G) followed by 8 digits. I added it to my Geico policy without issue and have received my insurance card from Geico. I have not tried to register it yet; that's next and I don't anticipate any DMV VIN issues.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 Pay no attention to it.  They only do that so they can weasel out of paying a claim.
 Insurance companies are in business to collect premiums, not pay claims.

[H-E-ROSS]

A year after I bought my Tenni , I began to wonder where the title was. It was not with the others when I put a new title for another vehicle away.
 I have directed most of my mail to my office to avoid the vortex that devours important papers in my home. Of course the DMV docs are not among those sent to the office. After accusing everyone in the household and questioning my own sanity, I decided to call the DMV to see if it had been sent. The shocking reply was that their system doesn't like the sequencing of the numbers on Moto Guzzi VINs so it gets spit out. He told me he would get it to me by the end of the week. Amazingly he kept his word.
As I relate this tale it occurs to me, the title for my GRiSO has yet to arrive....