Do Accessories Invalidate Insurance?

ninathedentist

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice as I am really worried.

I have fully comp insurance with AVIVA and 13 years NCD protected.

The brakes failed on my van whilst I was driving with my daughter. On a gentle hill, I T-boned a car which subsequently hit a parked car. No injuries thank goodness.

So incident was my fault and my van has been written off.

They are now enquiring that as I had put some furniture, a fridge and an awning on the van that these count as modifications and it is possible they will invalidate my insurance? On the aviva website, when putting down modifications, none of these were listed hence I didn’t put them on. No seats were removed (bought without any in the back), No bed, no cooking facilities, no washing/toilet facilities so not classified as a camper.

I am concerned now that a claim has gone in from a third party they may turn around and say that my insurance is invalidated and I am liable for everything.

Does anyone have any experience of this and in the case they do invalidate it what do i do? Do I have any recourse with the insurance company as it’s not related to the accident in anyway and I didn’t deliberately not declare - I just didn’t know!

born_again

Is the van listed as a camper van?

Baldytyke88

ninathedentist said:

They are now enquiring that as I had put some furniture, a fridge and an awning on the van that these count as modifications and it is possible they will invalidate my insurance? On the aviva website, when putting down modifications, none of these were listed hence I didn’t put them on. No seats were removed (bought without any in the back), No bed, no cooking facilities, no washing/toilet facilities so not classified as a camper.

I recall similar questions when I insured my van, it has no modifications, but who knows in the future.

They asked about shelving and sign writing, so I have made a point of not doing that.

You mention a fridge, I don't think that would be a modification, but perhaps an extra leisure battery would be a modification?

I have put a newer radio in, which technically would be a modification. My insurance was £300, when its up for renewal I may think about what cover I want.

I would have thought they would be asking why your brakes failed.

cw8825

ninathedentist said:

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice as I am really worried.

I have fully comp insurance with AVIVA and 13 years NCD protected.

The brakes failed on my van whilst I was driving with my daughter. On a gentle hill, I T-boned a car which subsequently hit a parked car. No injuries thank goodness.

So incident was my fault and my van has been written off.

They are now enquiring that as I had put some furniture, a fridge and an awning on the van that these count as modifications and it is possible they will invalidate my insurance? On the aviva website, when putting down modifications, none of these were listed hence I didn’t put them on. No seats were removed (bought without any in the back), No bed, no cooking facilities, no washing/toilet facilities so not classified as a camper.

I am concerned now that a claim has gone in from a third party they may turn around and say that my insurance is invalidated and I am liable for everything.

Does anyone have any experience of this and in the case they do invalidate it what do i do? Do I have any recourse with the insurance company as it’s not related to the accident in anyway and I didn’t deliberately not declare - I just didn’t know!

Do a dummy quote. Add on your modifications. 

If they will have covered it. You should be ok

if they wouldn’t then this could be an expensive mistake. 

It will be hard for you to claim these are not modifications. Personally think you could have got away with just an awning but not a fridge and furniture 

cw8825

the repairs to the others will be covered, the insurers have a legal obligation to cover the bill
the question is whether they then try to recover from you...

LightFlare

They may determine that the added weight contributed to the brake failure (unless they had also been upgraded)

It’s hard to claim for something on the policy that hasn’t been included,mentioned or listed

Best case scenario - they pay out for the vehicle only

DullGreyGuy

ninathedentist said:

So incident was my fault and my van has been written off.

They are now enquiring that as I had put some furniture, a fridge and an awning on the van that these count as modifications and it is possible they will invalidate my insurance? On the aviva website, when putting down modifications, none of these were listed hence I didn’t put them on. No seats were removed (bought without any in the back), No bed, no cooking facilities, no washing/toilet facilities so not classified as a camper.

I am concerned now that a claim has gone in from a third party they may turn around and say that my insurance is invalidated and I am liable for everything.

Does anyone have any experience of this and in the case they do invalidate it what do i do? Do I have any recourse with the insurance company as it’s not related to the accident in anyway and I didn’t deliberately not declare - I just didn’t know!

The relevant legislation is  Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012

The law basically says if its:

• Deliberate or reckless - they can void the policy and avoid the claim
• Careless and they wouldn't have insured had they been declared - they can cancel the policy and avoid the claim
• Careless but they would have insured - they must pay the claim but can reduce the settlement by the percentage of premium difference from what you should have paid if the items had been declared

A lot will come down to how the website you bought from works and what instructions it has about adding mods and what to do if you cannot find them on the list. 

As to experience? Yes, but from the claims handler side. Worst case we had was someone repaying a six figure sum with us having a charge on their home. That case involved injuries so the policyholder cannot declare themselves bankrupt to avoid them. 

In practice, insurers are often less strict than they legally have to be and some do just give you the option of paying the additional premium and then paying the claim in full.

Something just in the vehicle isn't a mod, but if its attached to the vehicle or permanently wired to it then its likely to be.

Baldytyke88

ninathedentist said:

Did dummy quote and furniture doesn’t appear on drop down list but a roof rack worth £5K is still insurable.

i don’t understand how furniture which is wedged in ie removable is classed as a modification. But yes, I’m gutted/anxious/upset. No concerned about my vehicle but rather the repairs to the others….

They want to know how the vehicle is being used, if it has a leisure battery and cupboards etc, it is being used as an occasional camper etc. that may or may not increase the cost to insure it.

DullGreyGuy

Baldytyke88 said:

ninathedentist said:

Did dummy quote and furniture doesn’t appear on drop down list but a roof rack worth £5K is still insurable.

i don’t understand how furniture which is wedged in ie removable is classed as a modification. But yes, I’m gutted/anxious/upset. No concerned about my vehicle but rather the repairs to the others….

They want to know how the vehicle is being used, if it has a leisure battery and cupboards etc, it is being used as an occasional camper etc. that may or may not increase the cost to insure it.

Mods also impact vehicle value and there is inevitably correlations between people who want a car with a remapped engine, lowered suspension etc and their driving styles. There can also be a correlation with thefts, a 106 X with a GTI bodykit will have more thefts/attempted thefts than a standard X level spec vehicle

ninathedentist

Had I been not so shaken up and tending to my daughter, given an hour I could’ve removed it all as not fixed to the vehicle…
re: weight - the additional weight was no different to 2 or 3 adults sitting on a back seat.