Vehicle Modifications

vinylmusic

Does anyone know if any of the following modifications can neffect the cost of an insurance quote?
DRL's (Daylight Running Lights)
Parking sensors
Tow bar hitch

Rapished

No none of them, are you looking to bring it down by adding these?

vaio

Rapished wrote: »

No none of them, are you looking to bring it down by adding these?

"None" might well apply to the insurance company Rapished runs but for all the other companies out there you need to answer the questions they ask about modifications and they will tell you the effect (if any) on your premium.

Rolandtheroadie

Declared a towbar this year, cant remember if it was on the price comparison website or whilst checking the details with the insurer I chose, but a towbar was definately classed as a modification.

vinylmusic

scotsman4th wrote: »

Declared a towbar this year, cant remember if it was on the price comparison website or whilst checking the details with the insurer I chose, but a towbar was definately classed as a modification.

I'm sure about that but did it have any effect on the premium?

Rapished wrote: »

No none of them, are you looking to bring it down by adding these?

I'm not expecting to bring it down but before adding such modifications I'd like to know the liklihood of them increasing it.
While I expect the towbar to be a maybe I imagine DRL's and parking sensors shouldn't as they only serve to increase safety
Am I right or could I be wrong.
Please respond if you know such answers from experience

vikingaero

Most Insurers use a standard term to define modifications:

"Has the vehicle been modified from the manufacturers standard specification?"

If the car is a basic vanilla Fiesta Studio then ordering optional alloy wheels fitted by the factory is not a standard specified Fiesta Studio but a modified Fiesta Studio.

Of course some Insurers don't mind minor modifications such as alloys and those which are not performance enhancing. Some, especially the internet companies price gouge on it and charge additional premiums and yet won't even replace the modifications if they are damaged (cue Admiral Groups Standard Parts Replacement Clause).

Technically even floor mats, or the powered by Fairydust stickers are modifications but most of us are sensible enough not to declare them.

The problem here is advising people not to declare mods when there is no blanket answer. In general older drivers will be treated more leniently than young drivers if mods are not declared. If you are a young driver I would declared every pimple to be on the safe side.

artbaron

It's impossible to say without asking, there is no logic applied as far as mods go. With my car the premium for £3.5K of engine mods, increasing peak power by over 30bhp - £0. Refurbing corroded wheels using almost exactly the same colour - £39.38.

Although if you're asking if your premium will decrease the answer is more clear. It's no.

Iceweasel

And some silly sods of Insurance companies don't like you fitting winter/snow tyres apparently.

Totally ridiculous.

vinylmusic

I think I may have got my answer using comparison site although the results seem to be rediculous
Adding all three modifications : Tow bar, drl's and Parking sensors increased the resulting premiums by around £50
I then removed tow bar and got it down by around half that
then I removed DRL's and it came down slightly more with some insurers but not all
I noticed that without tow bar and DRL's some insurers dissappeared from the list and others appeared instead
I find such results defy logic
A tow bar I can somewhat understand Since I could dent another car in the unlikely event of reversing into it
But how am I supposed to be more at risk with DRL's and parking sensors? Surely such additions increase safety

scheming_gypsy

artbaron wrote: »

. Refurbing corroded wheels using almost exactly the same colour - £39.38.

.

why would you declare that you'd refurbed your wheels? it's not a modification but a repair, you wouldn't declare that you'd t-cutted a scratch out of the wing.

facade

vinylmusic wrote: »

But how am I supposed to be more at risk with DRL's and parking sensors? Surely such additions increase safety

They can increase your perception of invincibility and encourage you to take more risks.

"Don't worry, he can see me I have DRLs" (BANG!)
"I can reverse into there no problem, I have parking sensors" (BONK!, tinkle)