Parking sensors and insurance

ak3lly

Hi all
I called to renew my insurance today and mentioned to the agent that I had parking sensors on my car after having read on here that it can lower your premium. The agent asked if they came with the car as standard and that if they did it isn't a modification. I get that I didn't have this added to the car but do insurance companies not take these things into consideration as safety features? Or is it all a ploy to keep your premium as high as they can?

agrinnall

Well, it clearly is a modification, but what impact did that have on your premium? It could well be that it won't increase, and maybe it'll decrease (although I doubt it).

ak3lly

This is what is nagging at me. Her words were it came as standard with the car so it is not a modification. But it is a safety modification that has to count for something. I think I'm going to cancel my renewal and go with a different provider as I can save money doing it as a modification it's around an 8% saving

Mercdriver

ak3lly wrote: »

This is what is nagging at me. Her words were it came as standard with the car so it is not a modification. But it is a safety modification that has to count for something. I think I'm going to cancel my renewal and go with a different provider as I can save money doing it as a modification it's around an 8% saving

It costs more as a modification as it is something that is non standard that has to be repaired or replaced.

facade

Mercdriver wrote: »

It costs more as a modification as it is something that is non standard that has to be repaired or replaced.

They could also take the statistical view that as parking sensors are often used as a substitute for observation, rather than as a supplement to it, an accident whilst reversing is more likely.

Mercdriver

facade wrote: »

They could also take the statistical view that as parking sensors are often used as a substitute for observation, rather than as a supplement to it, an accident whilst reversing is more likely.

When I was dropping one of my nephews to a bike shop a few days ago, he asked me why I don't just use the reversing camera in my car when doing a bay park. I tried using it when I first got the Mazda 2 years ago, but decided using my mirrors was more reliable.

ak3lly

Don't get me wrong I am a mirrors first kinda guy. It just seems a bit silly that we have these added extras in a car only for the insurance companies to completely disregard them. If they are an optional extra surely they are a modification.

Nobbie1967

ak3lly wrote: »

Hi all
I called to renew my insurance today and mentioned to the agent that I had parking sensors on my car after having read on here that it can lower your premium. The agent asked if they came with the car as standard and that if they did it isn't a modification. I get that I didn't have this added to the car but do insurance companies not take these things into consideration as safety features? Or is it all a ploy to keep your premium as high as they can?

If they came as standard on your car then presumably the premium already reflected this?

ak3lly

I thought that but chucked it as a modification on a comparison site and premium came down by about 8%. I'm going to call my insurance company and have a chat about it ����

shaun_from_Africa

ak3lly wrote: »

If they are an optional extra surely they are a modification.

Not normally. With many insurers, A modification is something that is done to the vehicle after it has been first registered so factory fit options aren't modifications.

System

ak3lly wrote: »

I get that I didn't have this added to the car but do insurance companies not take these things into consideration as safety features?

In my opinion if the driver relies on them it tells me they've a poor standard of driving especially during low speed close proximity manoeuvres so are at a higher risk of hitting something when doing things like parking.