Car Insurance declairing modifications

dunstonh

Most manufacturer extras wont add a penny to the insurance and most of the time the insurance company wont care if they are noted or not (i.e. auto windscreen wipers etc).

However, the key areas they tend to be more concerned with are electrical extras, allow wheels and external modifications. Also, if you do have a total loss in the first year and get a replacement, if you havent notifed the insurer of the extras, they wont pay for them.

When I bought my car last year I added nearly every extra in the book. When I insured it I listed every extra it had and it didnt increase the insurance by a penny. A month ago I had the suspension lowered, wheels widened and an after market exhaust put on it. I phoned the insurance company and they noted it, sent me a new shedule confirming the changes (which werent specific but noted as suspension, wheels and exhaust modifications) and again it didnt cost me a thing.

Dont assume it will cost you more. However, failure to notify can cost you a lot more

daveonline

Biggie wrote: »

It's just that if I say I have modifications then on usual comparison websites most insurers refuse to quote me and I'm only left with a small number of uncompetitive quotes.

I have the same problem with alloy wheels, spoiler etc so i use the comparison sites to get a quote without modifications then working from the cheapest (Or best policy) phone each company to verify the modifications and obtain a reference or phone quote that i am happy with and the insurance company know the full facts.

raskazz

Biggie wrote: »

Not sure I agree.

Firstly not everyone is aware of the fact you won't be insured most people assumed modifications are for cars that have been supped up. i.e Turobos big after market alloys. Secondly I bet most people simply think that the alloys won't be insured if they don't tell their insurance company. Most people will have no idea that their insurance had been invalidated.

The questions are clearly and unambiguously worded so if the policyholder is stupid enough to (a) to place his own interpretation on it rather than answer the question as it is asked AND (b) ignore the clear warnings that are given regarding the potential outcomes of giving incorrect information then I don't have much sympathy for them TBH.

Biggie wrote: »

Secondly it appears to just be one big insurance scam, I personally think it's not clear enough that you have to specify these little extras to have a valid insurance policy so they use this to their advantage. If you do tell your insurance company then they slap on a inappropriate hike on your policy compared to the price of the extras.

It's not a 'scam' at all. The loadings are applied due to risk. It is a competitive market and different insurers have different attitudes to modifications - if you disclose everything as required you will find the best insurer to cover your circumstances at the right price.

Biggie wrote: »

Also of the main stream insurers refuse to quote for a car with MODS.

And?

nadnad

i think you'll find that when they ask about modifications they mean not factory ones. So if you have bought a new car with these upgrades they are not modifications. What insurance companies are more interested in are after fit sopilers, alloy wheels etc and generally this is because it is a good indication of whether the owner is something of a boy racer etc. If you do not decalre after fit modifications and have an accident and these mods are reported in the engineer report then the insurance company has the right to refuse the claim. ( i work in a claims dept)

dunstonh

i think you'll find that when they ask about modifications they mean not factory ones.

No. They also mean paid for options that are not standard on that model.

However, as you say, the primary focus is on options that increase the performance or make the car more likely to be stolen or have an impact on driving style. You are not going to get a claim rejected because you failed to mention you had climate control installed instead of aircon.

[Deleted User]

Having these factory fitted options makes your car more desirable - you pay extra for them, so what is to say that a thief won't find them more desirable? As has already been mentioned on this thread - insurers want you to be honest with them, not being honest is a sure fire way to help invalidate your policy.

FlameCloud

dunstonh wrote: »

You are not going to get a claim rejected because you failed to mention you had climate control installed instead of aircon.

Amended to say what I think you meant

nadnad

dunstonh wrote: »

No. They also mean paid for options that are not standard on that model.

However, as you say, the primary focus is on options that increase the performance or make the car more likely to be stolen or have an impact on driving style. You are not going to get a complaint rejected because you failed to mention you had climate control installed instead of aircon.

well i would ask your insurer or broker what they mean because any time i have got insurance and they ask re mods i tell them there are alloy wheels etc but they are factory fitted and each time the insurer will say no that doesn't matter. and as a insurance claims handler we were never bothered by factory fitted extras.

raskazz

nadnad wrote: »

well i would ask your insurer or broker what they mean because any time i have got insurance and they ask re mods i tell them there are alloy wheels etc but they are factory fitted and each time the insurer will say no that doesn't matter. and as a insurance claims handler we were never bothered by factory fitted extras.

In the case of alloy wheels then it could be the case that it doesn't matter - but only because that insurer would not have charged any extra premium once they had known about them. You cannot then automatically extend this to mean that all factory extras are fine to not be disclosed - if only because the rest of the market have a wholly different attitude - for example:

Confused.com:

"What are modifications?
These are any changes or factory-fitted optional extras which have been added to the vehicle and is not part of the standard vehicle specification. This would include such things as: alloy wheels / spoilers / engine modifications."

Direct Line:

"The vehicle ... has not been modified or altered in anyway (including wheels, suspension, bodywork and engine)"

Norwich Union:

"Your car is not valued at more than £50,000 or been modified (other than being adapted solely to cater for any physical disability)"

esure will not quote online if:

"..the car has been modified from the normal manufacturer's specifications"

Yes Insurance:

"A car is modified or adapted when the specification of the car has been changed or upgraded from the manufacturers specification"

I could go on.

The notion that factory-fitted extras are not disclosable is a fallacy. For example, adding a body kit to a car substantially increases the risk - regardless of whether it was fitted in the factory or later down the line. Hence why insurers do ask for all changes to be disclosed, optional extras or not.

nadnad

"manufacturers specifications" does include the extras. I still maintain that in my experience when an insurer (any that i have ever dealt with) asks re mods they mean afterfit as anything fitted when the car is being built in the factory is part of the "manufacturers specifications" its just a higher spec than a standard basic model. Like I said you should always clarify with your insurer but I have yet to come across one asking me to list every spec over and above the basic model of any vehicle i have owned.