Can you ever run a de-cat exhaust and actually be insured? Somewhat of a grey area?

[norm]

It's fairly easy to spot a car on the public road running a de-cat due to the rich smelling exhaust, or in the case of a diesel the stench.

But is it the case that all de-cats render the car uninsured? I know from searching various Google results on motoring forums the standard response seems to be "no catalytic converter, equals not roadworthy, therefore uninsured". However a car can be unroadworthy for a multitude of reasons but still be insured.

However that's neither here nor there if you haven't declared to your insurer in the first place the exhaust modification?

I know some insurance companies aren't that explicit as to what exhaust modification have been carried out, allowing you to select "cosmetic and performance", however again looking at motoring forums people who have explicitly stated 'de-cat' as a modification are point blank refused a quote for insurance.

Obviously the correct answer is don't run one as it's breaking the law, but the question is are those who do invalidating their insurance as well? There's little anecdotal evidence around saying insurance company didn't pay out on claim because of de-cat which you would expect to see, as it's not an entirely uncommon modification with modified cars.

 

[norm]

It's highly unlikely it will be road legal so that means no insurance, no mot & big legal trouble if you get caught (the noise will get you noticed fast as well BTW!).

Yeah but having a brake light bulb out is not road legal either but that wouldn't invalidate ones insurance.

And you can actually run a de-cat with the backbox still fitted so it won't be obnoxiously loud either.

 

[norm]

The reality is that one is a deliberate modification which has a material bearing on the likelihood of you successfully obtaining an insurance policy, the other is an oversight or a minor lack of maintenance. If your insurer can demonstrate that they would not have insured you (for any amount of money) with the modifications made to your car, you're stuffed.

You'd have to be unimaginably stupid to run a car with a decat on UK roads these days. The extra noise/power isn't worth the gamble of having your entire life ruined by anything more than a minor accident.

Well the same would then apply to cars with DPFs removed, of which there will be many that carried out this modification before the change in MOT rules came about.

I just recently renewed my insurance and I told the insurer I have an EGR bypass fitted, and that wasn't questioned and was still quoted, when in effect it's an emissions regulation device just like the Catalytic converter, so why is one allowed and not the other?

 

[norm]

Decatting is illegal, it will fail the MOT, if you have an accident when your decatted, your insurance is invalid

I don't believe you can say that definitively, it would be at the insurers discretion. If the proposer has declared a performance modification to the exhaust but not what specifically, why would the fact it's a decat make them at any more risk?

I mean this is the ludicrous nature of insurance, you can swap all four tyres on your car for some cheap Chinese ditch finders and not declare it, and that doesn't alter your risk profile of a crash, but other relatively innocuous things do.

And plus most people would get a valid MOT certificate, and swap the exhaust afterwards.

 

[norm]

why would an insurance payout when they don't need to? If you were in a moderate accident you can't exactly sneak into the impound yard and put a cat back on.

To save a heap of counter litigation? They can't expect not to pay out and that be the end of it.

Ultimately if they chose to insure someone with a 'performance exhaust modification' without asking for further details you would reasonably expect to be insured. The fact that it doesn't meet emissions criteria is largely irrelevant.

 

[norm]

Are you willing to take the risk that they'll cover you because they're feeling "nice". We are after all talking about insurance companies.

No personally I would not take the risk.

But if it's the case that cars with de-cats are without question uninsured why aren't the police taking a stricter approach with them, and people having their insurance cancelled. Given that's it's not hard to spot from the smell/noise.

 

[norm]

just my take but surely if you have a exhaust fitted to your vehicle that makes it illegal (ie not able to pass current mot laws) then the vehicle is not fit for the road.

Well take my car for example, I have told the insurance company it has an EGR bypass fitted on it, they still chose to insure it. Yet the EGR valve is an emissions device, and if it's not present on the car it should fail an MOT, mine passed because the garage didn't look or care.

So in essence that's no different than not having a catalytic converter fitted.

So why is one allowed and not the other?

I'm more of the opinion that insurance companies can't condone the use of de-cats, but if the car has one and the modification is stated under more general term of performance modification I don't think they care.

 

[norm]

Because the Cat is a MUCH more important emissions related item vs an EGR valve...

Because its an item to actually check on the MOT... and an EGR valve is not...

Incorrect, see below.

8.2.2. Compression ignition engine emissions​

8.2.2.1. Exhaust emission control equipment​

You only need to check components that are visible and identifiable, such as diesel oxidation catalysts, diesel particulate filters, exhaust gas recirculation valves and selective catalytic reduction valves.

If a diesel particulate filter has clearly been cut open and rewelded, you should reject it unless the vehicle presenter can show evidence that there was a valid reason to cut it open, such as for filter cleaning.

Defect	Category
(a) Emission control equipment fitted by the manufacturer missing, obviously modified or obviously defective	Major
(b) An induction or exhaust leak that could affect emissions levels	Major
(c) Evidence that the diesel particulate filter has been tampered with	Major

 

[norm]

Does anybody know if a Sports cat would suffice for an MOT test, because from reading the rules it would not because it's not fitted by the manufacturer?