Install variable frequency drive to old motor cause failure

Someone wants to upgrade his tomato packing plant so he installs VFDs on the motors that have been in service since 1963 when they were first installed. Run them on the new variable frequency drives and they fail in 12 months, (almost) every time.
Three things are motors enemies; heat, moisture, vibration. Older motors are probably Class B insulation and 1000 or 1200 volt level insulation. In addition it was probably abused and tired at best and then introduced to variable frequency drive power. The higher voltage spikes, dv/dt will additionally stress what insulation was left and cause a failure in the first few windings of the stator causing either phase-phase or phase-ground fault on the drive. Peculiar is that if the motor is allowed to cool and then meggered it could appear good but put back into service it will "fail" again after coming up to operating temp. The windings will grow with temperature and clearances decrease again causing the same failure to occur.

A 3 or 5% reactor on the output at the drive will reduce the damaging affects of reflected wave. Attention should be paid to the VFD manual for "long lead length" requirement. Some manufactures state as little as 25 meters to 100 meters. This would assume using a new motor with current MG1 insulation. If an old motor it is good practice to use every time, cheap insurance. This is just adding reactance to help reduce rise time, voltage levels, and clip or choke. Losses are minimal and shouldn't affect VFD performance.
Note if long leads over 100 meters are used it will be necessary to consult the manufacture of the VFD for recommendations. Line loss, capacitance coupling, etc come into play and special variable frequency drive cabling and possibly reactor/filters may be required.