Are my car mods going [Removed] (Insurance)

Gothen12345

Hello,

So I enquired to Tesco box insurance about the possibility of acquiring an ecu mod. They came back with a big fat NO.

I thought nothing of it, now Tesco want me to take photos of the entire car to prove I have not modified it. :mad:

Though I have not modified the car in any conceivable way that I believe would invalidate my insurance I've no idea whether I am about to screw myself royally by sending in photos that will make it seem like I am taking the [Removed]. :think:


So here is a list of mods on the car, are these going to lose me my insurance policy?:

Cosmetic Mods
-Aluminium Exhaust Tip (screwed on with an allen key)
-"Objects in mirror are losing" stickers on wing mirrors
-Wing mirror eyebrows to reduce rain accumulation on mirror surface
-Enderman glued to the dashboard
-Replacement Gear knob
-Blue Metal Dust caps for wheels
-Pink bobble attached to front grill underneath Subaru badge

Other Mods
-Additional Cup holders to go into door pocket
-600watt 12v inverter
-Low gauge wire from battery (with fuse), through firewall to boot for inverter
-Aftermarket stereo
-Subaru forester dash tray (under stereo)
-Subwoofer cable underneath carpet to boot of vehicle
-Subwoofer in boot of car
-Missile switch to activate relay for powering inverter
-Dash Camera

Are any of these mods likely to get my insurance policy cancelled? :eek:

I can't really afford to lose my policy, I don't want to extend the use of this darn black box any longer than necessary. :wall:

Browntoa

It's normally performance mods , wheels , suspension , ECU etc

AndyMc.....

Gothen12345 wrote: »

Hello,

So I enquired to Tesco box insurance about the possibility of acquiring an ecu mod. They came back with a big fat NO.

I thought nothing of it, now Tesco want me to take photos of the entire car to prove I have not modified it. :mad:

Though I have not modified the car in any conceivable way that I believe would invalidate my insurance I've no idea whether I am about to screw myself royally by sending in photos that will make it seem like I am taking the p*ss. :think:


So here is a list of mods on the car, are these going to lose me my insurance policy?:

Cosmetic Mods
-Aluminium Exhaust Tip (screwed on with an allen key)
-"Objects in mirror are losing" stickers on wing mirrors
-Wing mirror eyebrows to reduce rain accumulation on mirror surface
-Enderman glued to the dashboard
-Replacement Gear knob
-Blue Metal Dust caps for wheels
-Pink bobble attached to front grill underneath Subaru badge

Other Mods
-Additional Cup holders to go into door pocket
-600watt 12v inverter
-Low gauge wire from battery (with fuse), through firewall to boot for inverter
-Aftermarket stereo
-Subaru forester dash tray (under stereo)
-Subwoofer cable underneath carpet to boot of vehicle
-Subwoofer in boot of car
-Missile switch to activate relay for powering inverter
-Dash Camera

Are any of these mods likely to get my insurance policy cancelled? :eek:

I can't really afford to lose my policy, I don't want to extend the use of this darn black box any longer than necessary. :wall:

You do realise your ice will not be covered for theft?

unholyangel

I think every insurer I've ever been with class it as any deviation from how the car comes from the manufacturer although only those that affect your risk should result in a change to the premiums.


Cosmetic mods won't affect performance but they may well increase the risk of your car being stolen by making it more attractive to thieves so can affect your premiums.

John-K_3

Some insurers will ramp up the policy for those mods, and yes, some will refuse to cover them.

epninety

unholyangel wrote: »

Cosmetic mods won't affect performance but they may well increase the risk of your car being stolen

Having read the list above, it would be hard for the ins.co. to make this argument with a straight face :rotfl:

unholyangel

epninety wrote: »

Having read the list above, it would be hard for the ins.co. to make this argument with a straight face :rotfl:

Not sure why you found it funny - I was pointing out it doesn't have to affect performance to count as a modification that you need to tell your insurer about. Even something simple like adding a roof rack, decals or having your windows tinted can increase your premiums.

John-K_3

unholyangel wrote: »

Not sure why you found it funny - I was pointing out it doesn't have to affect performance to count as a modification that you need to tell your insurer about. Even something simple like adding a roof rack, decals or having your windows tinted can increase your premiums.

It was funny as the mods sound as though it means that any self-respecting thief would walk on by and find something else.

I think everyone understands that the insurer does not view it that way...

Joe_Horner

epninety wrote: »

Having read the list above, it would be hard for the ins.co. to make this argument with a straight face :rotfl:

:rotfl: They wouldn't need to.

Assuming none of the mods were declared when the policy was taken out (which is a fair assumption, or the OP wouldn't be worried about them finding out now), they'd be entitled to void the policy for breach of trust as long as there's no claim outstanding.

Tesco tend not to quote at all on modified vehicles so they may also have the option of voiding on the basis that they wouldn't have offered cover if they'd known.

AdrianC

When you go to Tesco's website for a car insurance quote, before you even start to get to the detail, they say...

Can you answer 'yes' to these statements about you and your car?

• My car hasn't been modified in any way from the manufacturer's standard specification. It's OK if you have optional extras fitted by the vehicle manufacturer from new or modifications made solely to allow use by a disabled person.

If you have been unable to answer 'yes' because of the 3 reasons above, call us ... and we'll see what we can do.

If you went through a comparison engine, they ask a very similar question, and offer very clear explanations of what they mean. For example, the Meerkats ask...

Has your car been modified in any way?

When you hover your mouse, a pop-up explains...

A vehicle is considered modified if it has been changed in any way since it was first supplied by the vehicle manufacturer.
This would include: Changes to the body work, suspension or brakes, cosmetic changes and changes to the engine management system or exhaust system. If you are unsure whether changes to your vehicle are classed as a modification, please check with your chosen provider before purchasing.

So, with all that in mind, were you absolutely 100% honest - truth, whole truth, nothing but the truth - when you took the policy out?
What did you say to those questions? Because, let's face it, your mods do not really allow you to say it's unmodified, do they?

They're all utterly trivial stick-on tat (what is an "Enderman", and why is it glued on?), but you still need to be absolutely honest to your insurer. Add them together, and you have a situation that implies something about the policyholder's demographic and their likely attitudes. And THAT is why insurers - especially of young drivers - ask.

unholyangel

John-K wrote: »

It was funny as the mods sound as though it means that any self-respecting thief would walk on by and find something else.

I think everyone understands that the insurer does not view it that way...

Well yes, insurers will generally use anything they can to protect their profits.

What they do doesn't always make sense either. My cousin gave his car to his mum when he got a new one and found that no insurer would allow him to be insured even as a named driver on the old one due to the modifications he had made when it was in his ownership.