Car lift ..inspections?

[just1more]

Hey guys,
I am installing a used 2 post Globe drive on car lift in my shop for personal use. A couple days ago, an insurance adjuster was out to look at some storm damage to another building on our property. When she saw the car lift in my shop (overhead door was open) , she asked me if I used it for business. I told her no, I will only be using it for my personal use. She just about had a fit.....wondering why I needed one for personal use?

THEN she told me I needed to have it inspected annually. I understand this, if I was using it in a business setting with employees, but dont know how this could be a fact in my personal shop.

Have any of you lift owners had any kind of hassles with insurance companies when used in personal garages? Do you get your lifts inspected?

 

[motofool33]

only for commercial use

 

[CJM8515]

Call the company, get another adjustor out there (if need be) and complain about this one to the company. What I do at my house for myself is my own business so long as it doesnt violate any laws or is a safety hazard.

 

[Cyberbear]

Ask your insurance company for something in writing and ask if this is a state requirement or merely the unofficial opinion of the insurance adjuster. It's a quirk of human nature that when some people are given a degree of authority, they will often try to expand that authority w/o the proper authorization from their employer. But ask for the written requirements no matter what happens. Don't let them coerce or trick you into volunteering away your personal rights. Insurance companies are not your friend, their racket is to charge you money for protected coverage, and then try to avoid paying any claims on a technicality. Tell them you needed/wanted one for safety reasons, that they should understand, business or no business.

 

[HoosierMark]

Insurance company has the right to make any requirements they want when they insure you. You have the right to go somewhere else for your insurance. They are accepting a risk and they want to know what the risk is. If they require you to have it inspected every year, it is their rule because they are insuring it. Sounds about the same way some handle wood stove insurance.

 

[macdabs]

Heck I have two lifts in my home shop and the insurance company State Farm said nothing. I have several classic car policies with them also . The agent herself is a car nut also so maybe that is why they never give me a hassle.

 

[SILVERPLATE]

And there will probably be the day they will want to make sure it is a certified lift.

 

[DodgeMech]

2 post drive on? never heard of or seen such a thing...and that one looks like it was an alignment rack too

 

[finn]

Insurance company has the right to make any requirements they want when they insure you. You have the right to go somewhere else for your insurance. They are accepting a risk and they want to know what the risk is. If they require you to have it inspected every year, it is their rule because they are insuring it. Sounds about the same way some handle wood stove insurance.

I have to agree with this. It's not a racket, it's just business. You ask them to cover your liability and they agree to take a risk for an agreed upon dollar amount with a set of rules you both agree upon.

If you don't tikes the rates or rules, you go elsewhere or take on the risk yourself.

Lots of cynicism here.

 

[just1more]

My insurance agent is on vacation this week. I will be talking with her next week to get more info, but was trying to find out if anyone else has had to have their personal hoist inspected yearly / or even at all? As of now, doesnt look like it?

2 post drive on? never heard of or seen such a thing...and that one looks like it was an alignment rack too

At one time it was an alignment rack.. still has the Hunter emblems on the ramps. I bought it from a high school that was closing it's auto shop. I couldnt beat the $100 price. I did end up buying a new power unit, but still in it pretty cheap.

 

[DodgeMech]

wow, that's pretty neat actually...does it have a "ALI" sticker anywhere on it?

 

[fabjunkie]

That is a Hunter D-Rack. The lift itself is another brand. Keep in mind, that the runways were designed to be used primarily sitting on the legs that flip down. You don't want to use the jacks if it's all up in the air. Personally, I would remove the hunter portion of it and get the actual arms to make it back to a normal 2 post. If you decide to keep it the way it is and need parts for the hunter portion of it, go to hunter.com and look up your local service rep.

As for the lift itself, look over the hoses, cables, and sheaves real good and replaced anything that looks worn. No need for an inspection on it.

 

[LX-Markham]

Two things:

A. The lift is a piece of equipment. Does the insurance company require your stove, your furnace, or your garage door opener to be inspected annually?

B. Is having you lift inspected occasionally really a bad thing? I mean, I would actually like to have mine inspected every two years or so.

 

[sublimate]

Cool lift, but not as safe for the average-Joe home user as a traditional 2- or 4-post lift, so I can see why they'd want it inspected.

 

[Oldb]

As said above the insurance company can require about anything. They are always looking to lower the odds. At work I get the hard sell from the lift companies themselves to pay to have them come inspect the lifts we use. We do monthly inspections, using the inspection guidelines from the manufacturers. I trust my guys, they are quite competent. But for commercial use the lift institute is pushing for inspections to be done only by certified inspectors. So that is coming.

B

 

[just1more]

Cool lift, but not as safe for the average-Joe home user as a traditional 2- or 4-post lift, so I can see why they'd want it inspected.

Safe or not for the average Joe, fact is this hoist was being used in a high school auto class, so a lot of teenage kids were around it in class.

The thing is, the insurance adjuster didnt even go in the shop to look at the hoist. The overhead door was up about 5 feet. I had my truck parked on it and she saw the ramps... She has no idea that it was originally an alignment rack, what brand it is, model number, if its new or used...nothing.

That is a Hunter D-Rack. The lift itself is another brand. Keep in mind, that the runways were designed to be used primarily sitting on the legs that flip down. You don't want to use the jacks if it's all up in the air. Personally, I would remove the hunter portion of it and get the actual arms to make it back to a normal 2 post. If you decide to keep it the way it is and need parts for the hunter portion of it, go to hunter.com and look up your local service rep.

As for the lift itself, look over the hoses, cables, and sheaves real good and replaced anything that looks worn. No need for an inspection on it.

Thanks for the Hunter info! The lift is a Globe. I was able to download the Installation, Operation, and Service Manual for the hoist itself which has been very helpful in the installation and adjustment.

I am in no way against safety when working around, and especially under vehicles. I am planning to make some new legs (or extensions for the existing legs-but probably new). Then it would be resting on all 4 legs, plus have the locking pawls.

For any work using the air jacks, the existing legs would probably be about the right height.

I did buy a new SPX Stone Fenner power unit...There are no hoses on the lift, everything is plumbed solid.

So, as of those posting above, no one has had to have their personal hoist inspected?

 

[Diesel Dan]

My insurance has no issue with my lift for personal use.

 

[sberry]

Is she your adjustor or agent. Ignore her dumb azz.

 

[just1more]

Is she your adjustor or agent. Ignore her dumb azz.

She was the adjuster.... We have had the same agent for years. Our agent was gone last week. I will be talking with her Monday or Tuesday.... just trying to get my ducks in a row before I do.

 

[sberry]

If,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it came up at this point very little of this conversation would be about lifts and more about exactly what this adjusters job actually is.