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

leviathan

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

Anything you pay more for should be declared - different insurers class different items differently, but you should DECLARE THEM ALL. If the previous owner added options or modded the car, you still have to declare it. It's not rocket science. :rolleyes:

Well five years down the line you tell me what on your car is an option or original.
Trim colour?
Blue dash lights instead of Orange?
Airbag safety switch on passenger side?
Cup holders!!!?

The monkey in the call centre seems to have the right idea. The muppet on the internet that calls themself levathian on the other hand.............. :rolleyes: :whistle:

<sigh>On the other hand, the stickler on the internet AKA Tinkerbell yet on a weight loss program.
I wonder whom the true Leviathan really is?
We can both name call lovey.

What do you drive? What are your REAL WORLD experiences with insurance companies?

You say you had them payout for a 306 XT over the XL
That the options would have made a difference to the price.
Sorry but you're wrong. Option extras like PAS or trim colour mean nothing to the value of the car. It doesn't make a jot of difference in Parkers either.


I've learnt that most of the big insurance companies are quite frankly full of s...

Ever ring up and get a quote on a car you've just bought to the same company it's insured with and be told they wont insure that car?
Ever been told quite blatently to lie about modifications to get a price?
Ever had their agents steal from your car whilst in their care?

Finally I've found a good company with people who are motoring enthusiasts on the end of the phone so know the realities of modifications to vehicles rather than the impractical BS that Direct Line seem to be passing around.
Just don't use them. Simple.

anewman wrote: »

Customer - " I have changed the wheel trims from the originals for some costing £4.99 from Home Bargains as the originals were broken."
Direct line - "I am sorry that is not in the manufacturer's specifications, your insurance is void."

raskazz wrote: »

Easy - They're both accessories not modifications!

raskazz, you mae a few good point except for that one.
You've changed the original specification wheel trims for some after market ones. Swapping out an OEM part.
erm... that's a modification by your own definition:

A modification is something that materially alters the value, appearance or performance of the car and cannot simply be fitted or removed quickly and easily.

Alters the appearance...
Do you by chance work for Highway? (an appropriate name for them, free mask with every claim!)

raskazz

leviathan wrote: »

erm... that's a modification by your own definition:

No, because I said:

"A modification is something that materially alters the value, appearance or performance of the car and cannot simply be fitted or removed quickly and easily"

Wheel trims can be taken off instantly or added instantly at will without the need for any equipment!

BTW, I don't work for Highway but have experience in delegated authority underwriting of their products, which as you may be aware includes an insurer scheme that basically accepts no modifications

leviathan

raskazz wrote: »

No, because I said:

"A modification is something that materially alters the value, appearance or performance of the car and cannot simply be fitted or removed quickly and easily"

Wheel trims can be taken off instantly or added instantly at will without the need for any equipment!

Yes they can. But you are still changing the specification of the car. It didn't come with those from the factory. The appearance has changed.
If I were to add something like these:

http://www.discountcarsupplies.co.uk/index.php?app=gbu0&ns=prodshow&ref=WTDIAM&sid=jkd6ecpyu8xy01d62a88le558u5s5fkk

You might say that the desirability of the vehicle has increased because now it looks like it has alloy wheels fitted (abite from a distance to a blind man) and therefore is more likely to be at risk from theft.

You can add racing stripes to a car easily enough, or stickers which you can peel off. Livery tape like the sky vans.
I'm sure that's considered to be a modification in the strictest of terms. However I doubt any insurance company would actually care.
That's the fine line between the letter of the policy and reality of not being a jobsworth.

The suggestion that it can be removed quickly perhaps should be followed with the words "in the event of a claim" because that's how it sounds.

raskazz

leviathan wrote: »

Yes they can. But you are still changing the specification of the car. It didn't come with those from the factory. The appearance has changed.

Yes, but you are ignoring the latter part of the definition I posted, so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make?

leviathan wrote: »

You can add racing stripes to a car easily enough, or stickers which you can peel off. Livery tape like the sky vans.
I'm sure that's considered to be a modification in the strictest of terms. However I doubt any insurance company would actually care.

They certainly do care. Decals are often modification that results in a declined quote.

tinkerbell84

leviathan wrote: »

What do you drive? What are your REAL WORLD experiences with insurance companies?

Currently? I have a Honda Civic Type R and a Honda CBR600 motorbike.

And I worked in motor insurance for about 8 years.

leviathan wrote: »

You say you had them payout for a 306 XT over the XL
That the options would have made a difference to the price.
Sorry but you're wrong. Option extras like PAS or trim colour mean nothing to the value of the car. It doesn't make a jot of difference in Parkers either.

The XT had more kit, so was worth more than an XL. It cost more to buy, and so more to pay out.

leviathan

raskazz wrote: »

Yes, but you are ignoring the latter part of the definition I posted, so I'm not sure what point you're trying to make?

That it's entirely open to interpretation which is what you are doing yourself.

They certainly do care. Decals are often modification that results in a declined quote.

So sticking vinyl flowers on my Beetle is a mod but putting wheel trims on it is not?
Both of which are removable in seconds.
Both alter the apperance.

Doesn't make any sense.
I'd love to see some policy wording with reflects your opinion.



Tinker: Yes, they'd pay out extra for a model jump XL to XT, but they wouldn't pay any difference for an XL with PAS verses one without it.
Reading your post again it seems I'm arguing your point for you and not reading your post correctly. My apologies.

Tho I really cannot see a payout for an XT over a XL being a significant amount of money down the line. I guess that depends on the ages of things.
I hate new cars and so none of mine are newer than a 94 plate so tend to think in terms of people having older cars.
Conversely many people think having something that old isn't reliable (I've driven my disAstra to Bulgaria and back) or desireable (like the sports cars). But at this age the XL verses the XT is meaningless for values.

raskazz

leviathan wrote: »

That it's entirely open to interpretation which is what you are doing yourself.

Sorry, I still don't understand what point (if any) you are trying to make?

leviathan wrote: »

So sticking vinyl flowers on my Beetle is a mod but putting wheel trims on it is not?

In my opinion, yes.

leviathan wrote: »

Both of which are removable in seconds.
Both alter the apperance.

If you actually read the thread, you can revisit by brief definition of an accessory which defines an accessory as something that can be added and removed quickly and easily without any equipment. You cannot simply add or remove decals at will quickly and easily, and they do materially alter the appearance of the vehicle.

leviathan wrote: »

I'd love to see some policy wording with reflects your opinion.

It's not a matter of 'policy wording' at all, it's a matter of answering questions accurately and honestly at the quotation stage.

leviathan

raskazz wrote: »

You cannot simply add or remove decals at will quickly and easily, and they do materially alter the appearance of the vehicle.

My experience of the livery industry and of removing and applying vnyil decals to cars for corporate sponsorship suggests otherwise.

Also just to be a pedant. The old Rover 400/600/800 series required you to remove the wheel nuts before the OEM wheel trims could be removed. Many manufacturers secure them to the steel wheels as well.

We just aint going to agree on this.


As far as answering questions honest and accurately, you'd be safer to mention both your wheel trims and decals at the time of the quote.

I suspect they'd ignore the wheel trims, despite enhancing the look of the vehicle. Commonly done by the motor trade for that very reason.
Point is clearly made but here we go again.
It's open to interpretation as to what is and isn't a modification.

tinkerbell84

leviathan wrote: »

Tinker: Yes, they'd pay out extra for a model jump XL to XT, but they wouldn't pay any difference for an XL with PAS verses one without it.
Reading your post again it seems I'm arguing your point for you and not reading your post correctly. My apologies..

Accepted

leviathan wrote: »

Tho I really cannot see a payout for an XT over a XL being a significant amount of money down the line. I guess that depends on the ages of things..

It was barely 5 years old, so it did make a difference. Was about £2k between the models (had all other variables been the same)

leviathan wrote: »

I hate new cars and so none of mine are newer than a 94 plate so tend to think in terms of people having older cars.
Conversely many people think having something that old isn't reliable (I've driven my disAstra to Bulgaria and back) or desireable (like the sports cars). But at this age the XL verses the XT is meaningless for values.

raskazz

leviathan wrote: »

As far as answering questions honest and accurately, you'd be safer to mention both your wheel trims and decals at the time of the quote.

Exactly - I am in total agreement - this topic always pans out the same way, until the thread descends into ever decreasing circles of "what if I added this or that". What is beyond question is that if you disclose everything to the insurer then there will be no problems, as the insurer then has all the information on which to assess the risk, and if they choose to not apply any extra terms or premium loading for a particular feature then that is their decision - but at least you fulfilled your obligations in giving information.

I am an underwriter and can assure you that no insurer would class correctly fitted plastic wheel trims in the usual colour as a modification, they are merely an accessory.