insurance help :( undeclared mods

stuintheuk

Hi , I have an insurance headache and could do with some advice!,
I recently had a small bump in my car (into the rear of another car at a junction ) I have accepted liability as i hit the other car and rang my insurance , The insurance (churchill) have said that my insurance is invalid due to me not declaring modifications (aftermarket wheels & exhaust) to which i replied this is how i bought the vehicle (4 years ago ) they then told me that they would honour the insurance as long as i repay the extra premiums that i would have paid if they knew about these modifications ! a total of £1703.10 also they have raised my excess to £950 and told me they will no longer renew insurance on my car (2003 honda civic type r )
Basically this charge is greater than the cost of repairing my car so at best ill have to pay the difference and recieve my car back unrepaired , Any advice welcome , Stu

Steve1981

well they are pretty much the two options you have, were you not aware it was modified?? I mean the type of car it is did it not stand out as looking different?

mikey72

Get a quote for the car with the mods declared, under a false name, and see if it's the same cost.

raskazz

mikey72 wrote: »

Get a quote for the car with the mods declared, under a false name, and see if it's the same cost.

Not really much points in doing this. The insurer has rewritten the policy according to the terms that it would have applied at inception had the true facts been disclosed. Clearly, there is no reason why the terms that they would now apply would be the same.

mikey72

There is no reason to accept a huge increase on the whim of an insurance company, looking to cut their losses. It may be a valid increae, it may not.
There is no reason why the terms would have altered dramatically, and if there was, and the quote was a minimal increase today, the ombudsman could decide.

adamc260

If they were aftermarket wheels, surely you would of noticed it doesn't say 'Honda' on them =/

Judas

mikey72 wrote: »

There is no reason to accept a huge increase on the whim of an insurance company, looking to cut their losses. It may be a valid increae, it may not.
There is no reason why the terms would have altered dramatically, and if there was, and the quote was a minimal increase today, the ombudsman could decide.

The OP actually doesnt really have a choice in the matter. He didnt declare and the insurer can refuse to reinsure and increase premiums.

It could also backfire on the OP and the system refuses to quote thus giving them reason not to payout.

A type R with mods is bound to give rise to extra premiums. its a boy racers dream...

alisoninbristol

This is yet another case of having to be very careful about reading what you sign (sorry not much use after the event ). The insurance will have asked 'has the vehicle been modified' - not 'have you modified the vehicle' - sadly if you said No, then they are within their rights.

However I suspect there are an awful lot of cars out there where modifications it haven't been declared (either deliberately or unwittingly as in your case)

lisyloo

This is yet another case of having to be very careful about reading what you sign (sorry not much use after the event ).

Very useful to the many posters viewing Alison There are a lot of people lurking and picking up info.

I have minor mods on my motorbike (nothing boy racer) but I make sure I declare everything now thanks to this site.