Kei Truck Insurance: What It Actually Costs and Who Will Insure Yours

You just dropped $7,000 to $12,000 on a perfectly imported Suzuki Carry or Honda Acty, paid shipping, handled customs, sorted out your title — and now you need to call an insurance company and explain what a kei truck is to someone reading off a script. Good luck getting them to find the VIN in their system.

Insuring a kei truck in the US is not complicated once you know who to call and what to ask for. But most owners waste hours bouncing between agents who have never heard of these vehicles, getting quoted based on book values that do not exist, or settling for liability-only coverage that would leave them with nothing if the truck gets totaled. If you are still figuring out whether a kei truck is right for you, our beginner's guide covers the basics.

This is everything you need to know about kei truck insurance: actual dollar amounts, the companies that will write you a policy without a headache, and the one policy type that most owners get wrong.

What Kei Truck Insurance Actually Costs

The good news is that insuring a kei truck is cheap relative to almost anything else you could drive. The bad news is that "cheap" can also mean "inadequate" if you are not paying attention to the policy details.

Here is what real owners are paying across various coverage levels:

Liability only from a major insurer: $20 to $30 per month ($240 to $360 per year). This is the floor. State Farm, Progressive, and USAA will typically write these policies. One owner on the Mini Truck Talk forums reported paying just $72 per year through Progressive for basic coverage on their Carry.

Full coverage from a major insurer: $300 to $500 per year. Progressive forum users have reported policies around $400 annually for full coverage. But here is the catch — "full coverage" through a standard insurer bases your payout on actual cash value, and there is no US book value for a 25-plus year old right-hand-drive Japanese import. Your truck could be worth $10,000 on the import market and the insurer might value it at $1,500.

Agreed value through a specialty insurer: $175 to $400 per year for a truck insured at $8,000 to $15,000. Grundy Insurance has publicly stated that a collector policy for a $10,000 vehicle typically runs $175 to $200 annually. Hagerty policies fall in a similar range, though their acceptance of kei trucks has been inconsistent — more on that below.

Farmowners policy: Varies by carrier, but this is reportedly the cheapest and easiest route for owners using their kei truck on agricultural property. Farm Bureau and similar agricultural carriers frequently cover kei trucks without the confusion that mainstream insurers have with VIN formats and vehicle classification.

For context, the average American pays over $2,000 per year for auto insurance. Even the most expensive kei truck policy is a fraction of that. The compact size, low horsepower, and limited top speed all work in your favor with actuarial tables.

Which Insurance Companies Will Actually Insure a Kei Truck

Not every insurer can handle these vehicles. The two main problems are the non-standard VIN format (Japanese VINs are 10 to 12 characters instead of the 17-digit US standard) and the fact that kei trucks simply do not exist in most US insurance databases. Here is a company-by-company breakdown.

Hagerty

Hagerty is the biggest name in collector vehicle insurance and they do insure kei trucks — sometimes. Their Guaranteed Value policy is the gold standard: you and Hagerty agree on a value, and if the truck is totaled, you get that full amount with no depreciation games.

The catch is eligibility. Hagerty requires that the vehicle cannot be your daily driver. You need a separate regular-use vehicle insured in your name. Mileage limits typically sit at 3,500 to 7,500 miles per year. Storage should be in an enclosed structure like a garage or barn. And critically, some owners have reported being turned down by Hagerty for kei trucks specifically — one Mini Truck Talk forum user bluntly stated they "struck out with Hagerty." Reports from Arizona suggest Hagerty has declined kei truck applications in that state.

Best for: Owners who use their kei truck as a secondary or weekend vehicle and want ironclad total-loss protection.

Grundy Insurance

Grundy is the under-the-radar choice that deserves more attention. Their agreed value policies are straightforward: tell them what you believe the truck is worth, send photos, and their team works with you to set the value. Once agreed, that number never gets reduced unless you ask for it.

Grundy offers unlimited pleasure-driving miles (a major advantage over Hagerty's mileage caps), no deductible in most states, spare parts coverage up to $500, and trip interruption coverage up to $600. Their collector policy for a $10,000 vehicle typically costs $175 to $200 per year. They also offer an MVP program that can cover your collector vehicles and daily drivers on one policy, all at agreed value.

Requirements include keeping the vehicle in a locked garage and having a separate daily driver. All household drivers must be 25 or older.

Best for: Owners who want agreed value without strict mileage limits. Particularly good for kei trucks that get regular weekend and project use.

Progressive

Progressive is the most commonly mentioned mainstream insurer among kei truck owners. They will write policies, and their rates are often the lowest available. The challenge is that their standard policies use actual cash value — which, for a vehicle with no US market comparables, means your payout after a total loss could be insultingly low.

Progressive also offers classic car insurance through a partnership with Hagerty, which can provide agreed value coverage. If a standard Progressive agent cannot find your kei truck in their system, ask specifically about the classic vehicle program.

Forum users have reported quotes ranging from $72 per year for basic liability to around $400 for comprehensive coverage. Your mileage will vary based on state, driving record, and how the agent classifies the vehicle.

Best for: Budget-conscious owners who want a recognizable insurer and are primarily concerned about liability coverage.

State Farm and USAA

State Farm and USAA both reportedly insure imported kei vehicles, typically starting around $20 to $30 per month for liability. The same book-value problem applies. These are solid choices if you just need legal liability coverage and are not worried about total-loss payouts reflecting your truck's actual market value.

The experience varies dramatically by agent. Some State Farm agents will know exactly what a kei truck is and write the policy without blinking. Others will spend 20 minutes trying to enter a 12-character VIN into a system that demands 17 characters. If your first agent cannot figure it out, call a different office.

Best for: Owners who already have other vehicles insured with these companies and want to bundle for multi-vehicle discounts.

Farm Bureau and Agricultural Carriers

If you use your kei truck for farm work — and many owners do, since these vehicles are excellent for agricultural use — a farmowners policy through Farm Bureau or a similar agricultural insurer is reportedly the easiest path to coverage. Most agricultural carriers are familiar with utility vehicles that do not fit neatly into passenger-car databases, and farm policies often cover a wide range of machinery and vehicles under one umbrella.

Best for: Anyone using their kei truck primarily on farm or ranch property. Also worth exploring even if you are not a full-time farmer — some policies cover rural property owners broadly.

Other Options Worth Knowing

JC Taylor is a classic vehicle insurer that some owners use, though at least one Mini Truck Talk user reported JC Taylor declining to insure a Mitsubishi Town Box. American Collectors Insurance has been mentioned positively in forums. Traction Insurance specializes in JDM imports specifically — their carrier partners already know what kei trucks are, which eliminates the "we cannot find that model in our system" dance entirely.

Agreed Value vs. Stated Value: This Is the Part Most Owners Get Wrong

If you take one thing from this entire article, make it this: understand the difference between agreed value and stated value before you sign anything. These are not the same thing, and confusing them could cost you thousands.

Agreed Value (Guaranteed Value)

With an agreed value policy, you and the insurer negotiate a value for your truck before the policy is written. Both sides agree. If the truck is totaled, you get that full agreed amount minus your deductible. Period. No depreciation calculations, no market-value arguments, no surprises.

Hagerty calls this "Guaranteed Value" and it is exactly what it sounds like. If you insure your Daihatsu Hijet for $12,000 and it gets totaled, you get $12,000. The insurer already reviewed your documentation, photos, and possibly an appraisal when the policy was created. The value question is settled before anything bad happens.

Stated Value

Stated value sounds similar but it is dramatically different in practice. You state a value for the vehicle when you buy the policy. You pay premiums based on that stated value. But when you file a total-loss claim, the insurer pays whichever is lower: your stated value or the actual cash value they determine at the time of the claim.

Here is where it gets ugly. You state your kei truck is worth $10,000. You pay premiums based on $10,000. The truck gets totaled. The insurer's adjuster has never seen a kei truck, cannot find comparable sales in any US database, and determines the actual cash value is $2,500 based on... basically nothing. You get $2,500. You were paying for $10,000 in coverage and got a quarter of it.

This is not a hypothetical — it is the fundamental risk of stated value policies for vehicles with no established US market value. As experts have documented, stated value "masquerades as agreed value but it most certainly is not."

Which One Should You Choose?

Agreed value. Every time. The premium difference is not significant enough to justify the risk, especially for a vehicle that has no US book value. If you have a Subaru Sambar that you imported for $9,000 and put another $2,000 into, you want a policy that guarantees $11,000 — not one that might pay you $1,500 based on an adjuster's guess.

The documentation you need for an agreed value policy is straightforward: proof of import, a clean title, clear photos of the vehicle's condition, a list of any modifications or upgrades, and sometimes a professional appraisal. If you went through the import process properly, you already have most of this paperwork.

The VIN Problem (and How to Solve It)

Every kei truck owner who has called a mainstream insurer has experienced some version of this conversation:

"I need to add a vehicle to my policy." "Sure, what's the VIN?" "It's DA63T-123456." "That VIN is too short. It needs to be 17 characters." "It's a Japanese import. Japanese VINs are shorter." "Our system requires 17 characters. I can't proceed without a valid VIN."

Japanese domestic market vehicles use a different VIN format — typically 10 to 12 characters that encode the model, chassis type, and serial number. US systems expect the standardized 17-character format. Many insurance agents simply do not know how to handle this, and their software will reject the entry.

Solutions that work:

• Ask for a supervisor or specialist. Most large insurers have a process for non-standard VINs; the front-line agent just might not know it.
• Provide your state title and registration. If your state DMV issued a title (check our state-by-state legality guide for details), the insurer can use that documentation to verify the vehicle.
• Try a different agent at the same company. This sounds absurd but it works. Agent experience with imports varies wildly.
• Go directly to a specialty insurer. Hagerty, Grundy, and Traction Insurance handle non-standard VINs routinely.
• Have your pre-purchase documentation ready. Import paperwork, EPA and DOT exemption forms, and state registration all help smooth the process.

Tips for Getting the Cheapest Kei Truck Insurance

Kei truck insurance is already cheap compared to most vehicles. But if you want to squeeze every dollar, here are strategies that actually move the needle:

Bundle with your regular vehicle. If you already insure a daily driver through State Farm, Progressive, or another major carrier, adding the kei truck to the same policy often triggers multi-vehicle discounts. Even if the per-vehicle savings is modest, it adds up.

Consider liability-only if the math supports it. If you bought a well-used kei truck for $4,000 and it is your farm beater, paying $300 to $400 per year for full coverage might not make sense. Liability at $72 to $240 per year covers you legally. Run the numbers on what you would actually receive in a total-loss payout versus what you are paying in premiums over time.

Use a farmowners policy if eligible. This is consistently cited as the easiest and often cheapest route. If you have agricultural property, ask your farm insurance carrier about adding the kei truck.

Maintain a clean driving record. This is obvious but worth stating: your driving history affects premiums on kei trucks just like any other vehicle. No tickets and no claims keep your rate at the floor.

Ask about low-mileage discounts. Most kei trucks are not daily driven. If yours sits at under 5,000 miles per year, many insurers offer reduced rates. Progressive's Snapshot program and similar usage-based programs can also help if your kei truck is an occasional-use vehicle.

Get an appraisal before you need one. Having a professional appraisal on file makes the agreed-value process faster and smoother, and it gives you leverage if an insurer tries to lowball the vehicle's worth. This is especially important if you have done modifications — the appraisal documents the added value.

Shop specialty insurers for full coverage, mainstream for liability. This hybrid approach is common among owners: carry liability through a cheap mainstream policy and add an agreed-value comprehensive/collision policy through Grundy or Hagerty. Not all insurers allow this split, but it is worth asking about.

For owners who daily drive their kei truck, insurance considerations change — you will need a standard policy rather than a collector policy, and that typically means mainstream insurers rather than Hagerty or Grundy.

What About Modifications and Lifted Trucks?

If you have put money into your kei truck — off-road mods, a dump bed conversion, engine upgrades, or cosmetic work — you need to make sure your insurance reflects that investment.

Standard policies from mainstream insurers will not cover aftermarket modifications unless you specifically declare them and carry a policy designed for modified vehicles. If your $8,000 truck has $4,000 in upgrades, a standard policy will pay you based on the base vehicle value and ignore your modifications entirely.

Agreed-value policies from specialty insurers are the solution here. When you set the agreed value, you include the cost of modifications in that number. Grundy, Hagerty, and similar carriers expect that collector and enthusiast vehicles have been modified, and their policies are structured to account for it.

One important note from Hagerty's eligibility guidelines: extreme off-road modifications including brush guards, roll bars, tool boxes, and lift kits with large off-road tires may not be accepted. If your kei truck is heavily built out for off-road use, verify eligibility before assuming you are covered.

Also be aware that some insurers — notably GEICO and Amica — have been known to classify kei trucks with flatbed capability as commercial vehicles, which changes the insurance category and can increase rates or limit coverage options. If you use your truck for any business purpose, be transparent about that with your insurer. A claim denial because you were using the vehicle commercially on a personal policy is the worst possible outcome.

Bottom Line

Kei truck insurance is one of the cheaper aspects of ownership, but getting the right policy requires a bit more effort than insuring a Civic. Here is the short version:

• Basic liability runs $72 to $360 per year through mainstream insurers like Progressive, State Farm, or USAA. Cheap, but your total-loss payout will be based on a value that probably does not reflect reality.

• Agreed-value coverage through Grundy or Hagerty costs $175 to $400 per year and guarantees your payout matches what the truck is actually worth. This is the right choice for any truck worth more than a few thousand dollars.

• Stated value is not the same as agreed value. Stated value policies can pay out far less than what you stated. Do not confuse the two.

• The VIN issue is solvable. Japanese VINs are shorter than US standard. A knowledgeable agent or specialty insurer handles this routinely.

• Farmowners policies are the hidden shortcut for anyone with agricultural property.

• Always declare modifications. Standard policies will not cover them.

Get your policy sorted before you take delivery if you are going through the import process. And if you are still in the research phase, check the r/keitruck community on Reddit and the Mini Truck Talk forums — real owners post their actual quotes and carrier experiences regularly. You can also browse kei truck dealers who often have insurance recommendations specific to your state.

The truck is the fun part. Insurance is the fifteen minutes of homework that protects the fun part. Do not skip it, and do not settle for a policy that would leave you holding the bag.