Insured by Direct Line - Under 25 With Metalic Paint? You're Insurance may be VOID!

tinkerbell84

Erm, is there a single black car on the market now that isn't metallic? Or silver?

raskazz

Just to mention, as it is where the thread kicked off, in reality I have not seen a single case where a policy has been void on the grounds of metallic paint alone. Pearlescent paint, decorative paint jobs or multiple colours, yes, but not metallic alone. Insurers do use common sense, despite rumours you may hear about them. But nevertheless the fundamantals remain the same - if you are asked the question, answer it correctly; do not make assumptions; and if you are unsure then call the insurer to clarify things or speak to someone who knows about cars. If you do all of these then you will not encounter any problems.

anewman

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

I'd have to remove the dashboard, steering wheel, stereo and gearbox housing to remove mine!

not an easy modification at all

It's not worth stealing then is it :rotfl:

raskazz

finbow wrote: »

This obviously means many people (myself included) drive around without having declared this, when getting a quote from direct line online they do not ask if your car is modified in fact I couldn't find anything whilst having a quick review of my paper work that in anyway defines a modification.

Before you can buy a Direct Line policy online it presents you with a page headed "IMPORTANT STATEMENTS" which warns you in bold writing:

"Please ensure that the information provided by you and the statements on this page are correct. Should you decide to buy this policy, these details will form the basis of the insurance contract between us. Incorrect information could invalidate all or part of the policy."

It then goes on to give several statements including one on modifications:

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

Then to purchase the policy you have to click a button that says 'YES I AGREE'.

finbow

raskazz wrote: »

Before you can buy a Direct Line policy online it presents you with a page headed "IMPORTANT STATEMENTS" which warns you in bold writing:

"Please ensure that the information provided by you and the statements on this page are correct. Should you decide to buy this policy, these details will form the basis of the insurance contract between us. Incorrect information could invalidate all or part of the policy."

It then goes on to give several statements including one on modifications:

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

Then to purchase the policy you have to click a button that says 'YES I AGREE'.

Ah yes your right I didn't go past the quote stage (which doesn't allow you to declare modifications).

It doesn't seem very clear on what it means by altered/modified in anyway and seems to insinuate being "pimped" rather than having air con etc put on it in the factory. Not sure why its not in their interest to make this statement clearer??

Their priorities seem to be that its more important your no claims come from a satisfactory source??

Saying that I've never had any problems with direct line, infact their call centre staff are among the best I've encountered.

darich

I'm being a bit of a devil's advocate here but if my car leaves the factory with a few options that differ from the basic model then why is that classed as modified? It has left the factory and not been changed from its original specification and has never been modified since manufacture.

Also, again devil's advocate, what is a standard car? Is it the model with all the whistles and bells for extras and the modified one is the base model which has been strippped to make it more affordable or is the base model the standard version with the options added making IT the modified version?

My car has not been changed since it left the factory but it does have numerous extras on it that other models don't. None of the extras are non-standard though and all were fitted by the manufacturer when the car was made. Surely the definition of "modified" is to change something and since mine has never been changed it's clearly not modified.

I'm also wondering that if I don't replace the original tyres from the factory with the exact same ones, then using some of the logic stated here (ie modified is more permanent, accessory is temporary and easily removed) my car has been modified? Must I tell my insurance that I've changed the tyres?
How do I know what the original tyres were on my car if I bought it and it's 10years old with 100k on the clock?

Any time I've been asked about modifications it's along the lines of "has the car been changed from the manufacturer's specification in anyway?" I'd answer no because it's not. I may have options but they're specified by the manufacturer and I've chosen to have them. The options have not changed the manufacturer's specification although it may make my car a different spec from the next one.

tinkerbell84

darich wrote: »

I'm being a bit of a devil's advocate here but if my car leaves the factory with a few options that differ from the basic model then why is that classed as modified? It has left the factory and not been changed from its original specification and has never been modified since manufacture.

Also, again devil's advocate, what is a standard car? Is it the model with all the whistles and bells for extras and the modified one is the base model which has been strippped to make it more affordable or is the base model the standard version with the options added making IT the modified version?

My car has not been changed since it left the factory but it does have numerous extras on it that other models don't. None of the extras are non-standard though and all were fitted by the manufacturer when the car was made. Surely the definition of "modified" is to change something and since mine has never been changed it's clearly not modified.

I'm also wondering that if I don't replace the original tyres from the factory with the exact same ones, then using some of the logic stated here (ie modified is more permanent, accessory is temporary and easily removed) my car has been modified? Must I tell my insurance that I've changed the tyres?
How do I know what the original tyres were on my car if I bought it and it's 10years old with 100k on the clock?

Any time I've been asked about modifications it's along the lines of "has the car been changed from the manufacturer's specification in anyway?" I'd answer no because it's not. I may have options but they're specified by the manufacturer and I've chosen to have them. The options have not changed the manufacturer's specification although it may make my car a different spec from the next one.

Being a bit of a stickler, I have issues with the way you are defining things.

By definition:

"manufacturer's specification" is what that model should have without any options/extras. As soon as you add options, you've changed the spec!

"optional extras" are deviations from the original spec and as such could be classed as modifications (you insurer would need to be told and could choose to disregard but you should declare)

tyres are consumables and would never be considered to be mods. If you fit run flat tyres in place of normal ones, and you had an accident, your insurer would replace with normal tyres. Same with spark plugs, oil, fluids.........

(if an accident was caused by you fitting incorrectly sized tyres then the insurer could hold you responsible, as the car would not be roadworthy)

In answer to your first question, the basic, standard spec car is the normal one. Anything that's added, either before or after it leaves the factory could be classed as a modification and should be declared.

darich

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

Being a bit of a stickler, I have issues with the way you are defining things.

By definition:

"manufacturer's specification" is what that model should have without any options/extras. As soon as you add options, you've changed the spec!

"optional extras" are deviations from the original spec and as such could be classed as modifications (you insurer would need to be told and could choose to disregard but you should declare)

tyres are consumables and would never be considered to be mods. If you fit run flat tyres in place of normal ones, and you had an accident, your insurer would replace with normal tyres. Same with spark plugs, oil, fluids.........

(if an accident was caused by you fitting incorrectly sized tyres then the insurer could hold you responsible, as the car would not be roadworthy)

In answer to your first question, the basic, standard spec car is the normal one. Anything that's added, either before or after it leaves the factory could be classed as a modification and should be declared.

I can see where you're coming from but I'm going to continue being awkward!

Surely for the base model to be considered "standard" then it would have to be defined in the Terms and Conditions of your policy. Otherwise I could argue that my car left the factory with air con, elec mirrors etc and has not been changed. The ins co must surely have a reference point so they can state what's standard and what's not. If they have no model listed in the Ts&Cs then I think it would be difficult for them to later say the standard car is any particular model.

Incidentally, my ins co did ask me for a list of extras and i provided it from the data sheet the manufacturer was using the sell the car so I am covered but just curious about this whole scenario - I've never heard of an ins co voiding a policy because the owner didn't tell them it had power steering or elec mirrors etc.

tinkerbell84

darich wrote: »

The ins co must surely have a reference point so they can state what's standard and what's not. If they have no model listed in the Ts&Cs then I think it would be difficult for them to later say the standard car is any particular model.

You're confusing terms again. I used to have a Peugeot 306 XT. The XT indicated that it had power steering, electric windows, alloys wheels etc as standard. It had no optional extras. You could buy an XL (base model in the range) and add options, but the standard XL was different to a standard XT.

So when my car was written off, the insurers knew exactly what was standard for that model. Had it been an XL with options they wouldn't have paid out for the options.

Had my XT had extra options, they wouldn't have paid out for those either.

So it's the standard version of the model of the car, not the base model of the range that is used.

darich

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

You're confusing terms again. I used to have a Peugeot 306 XT. The XT indicated that it had power steering, electric windows, alloys wheels etc as standard. It had no optional extras. You could buy an XL (base model in the range) and add options, but the standard XL was different to a standard XT.

So when my car was written off, the insurers knew exactly what was standard for that model. Had it been an XL with options they wouldn't have paid out for the options.

Had my XT had extra options, they wouldn't have paid out for those either.

So it's the standard version of the model of the car, not the base model of the range that is used.

But both the XT and XL are standard - "It's the standard version of the model of the car" so options don't come into it. It's quite understandable to have a XL and the ins to refuse to pay out because it's an XT - that's a different model. But what about cars like mine where there is only one model but numerous options.

My car is a BMW Z4 3.0 SE. It has many standard features but mine has options such as heated seats, wind deflector, xenon headlamps, larger alloy wheels etc. All of which were fitted before the car left the factory.

Like I said, i was asked for a list of all the extras and provided it but i still think that unless the insurer states what a "standard" car is in the Ts&Cs then it's difficult to say later on.

Since my car has not been changed since it left the factory then it has not been modified. I know I've got several options fitted that aren't on every car so you're saying my ins co (who happen to be Direct line, hence my interest in this) wouldn't replace my larger wheels despite them being a factory fitted option if they were stolen? Or that if I have to make a claim they might not pay out because i have heated seats? Assuming I hadn't declared them of course!