Do I need to declare this on my insurance?

Akagi

Akagi

Akagi

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Hi guys, I drive a 2002 VW Polo 9N, and it has had the newer style (genuine VW) 9N3 tail lights installed since I purchased it. It is all insured as completely stock because to be honest it never crossed my mind.

Am I fine to leave it as it is since the lights are perfectly designed to fit but are just from the facelifted re-release of my car, or are the lights technically non-standard and I should declare?

If i'm involved in an accident could the scumbag insurance company try and use the fact that the car is "modified" against me because it doesn't have the factory fitted lights? I would understand if they were non genuine parts, but they are not. I think they were fitted by the previous owner after a shunt. (the tailgate has signs of repair work and it was mentioned in the documents that came with the car)

Likewise if I were to replace the door cards and fit electric windows (genuine parts from a car identical to mine but with electric windows) would I have to declare that as interior modifications even though it would appear identical to (and would be identical to) a Polo 9N with factory fitted electric windows?

I am insured TPF&T.

Cheers. :)
 
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you want the legal answer: yes

in reality though I very seriously doubt an insurance company would even notice, let alone pull you up on it in the event of an accident.
 
Legally you should but I wouldn't bother for something as subtle as that. I'm sure someone will be along soon to tell you that if you have an accident, your insurance company will 100% find out, bankrupt you and ruin your life in general :p
 
If you replace parts with OEM parts that are offered as an option with the car from new, then I don't believe they need to be declared as they are still within the manufacturers specification.

But as yours has the lights from a different model, I believe the legal standing is that it should be declared.
 
bJN said:
If you replace parts with OEM parts that are offered as an option with the car from new, then I don't believe they need to be declared as they are still within the manufacturers specification.
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Does this apply for optional extra alloy wheels? I'm guessing not as I think I saw a box for optional extra wheels on the insurance form.

I will probably declare them regardless once I get my next no claims bonus (the lights) at the same time as some other mods I want to do. (40MM lowering springs and BBS style alloys) just to be safe.

Please dont kill me but I think it looks nice http://i48.tinypic.com/110kt8h.jpg :D
 
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Really best to call your insurance company about anything.
Some insurance companies want to know about factory fitted options over and above the standard model - so in theory every box you ticked when you were ordering your car needs to be mentioned. Others say anything at the factory is automatically included.
A murky area and your best defence - declare everything.
 
My insurance company wanted to know about the body kit my last Ibiza had. This is despite it being a Seat OEM part and fitted before I bought it (Used).

Sometimes they just want to know, your policy booklet should answer your question.
 
acme15 said:
Does this apply for optional extra alloy wheels? I'm guessing not as I think I saw a box for optional extra wheels on the insurance form.

I will probably declare them regardless once I get my next no claims bonus (the lights) at the same time as some other mods I want to do. (40MM lowering springs and BBS style alloys) just to be safe.

Please dont kill me but I think it looks nice http://i48.tinypic.com/110kt8h.jpg :D
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As mentioned above, it may be they simply want it on record to get an accurate description of the vehicle. In my mind insurance companies are money-grabbing twits that will bend you over at every opportunity. Best to mention it to them or just forget about it.
 
acme15 said:
Does this apply for optional extra alloy wheels? I'm guessing not as I think I saw a box for optional extra wheels on the insurance form.
Click to expand...

I queried this with my insurance company (Bell) on my old car (Punto).

I had a poverty spec Punto with the OEM Sporting bodykit (body coloured bumpers, skirts and spoiler) and OEM sporting wheels on. An although they were factory options / OEM parts, they had to be insured as aftermarket. The guy on the other end of the phone put it..."It has role out of the factory with the part fitted for them to count"
 
My Smart has various OEM extras, things like colour coded bits of bodywork, foot-well lights, cup-holders (not standard, LOL) and various lights that have been LED retro-fitted and it is insured total standard. After my Mrs' rear end shunt I thought about pulling it all out before the insurance picked it up but I didn't bother and they didn't even bat an eyelid during the whole repair process - they in-fact actually replaced a bit of the body coloured trim on the rear I had added!
 
Yarde said:
I queried this with my insurance company (Bell) on my old car (Punto).

I had a poverty spec Punto with the OEM Sporting bodykit (body coloured bumpers, skirts and spoiler) and OEM sporting wheels on. An although they were factory options / OEM parts, they had to be insured as aftermarket. The guy on the other end of the phone put it..."It has role out of the factory with the part fitted for them to count"
Click to expand...

This is the way I understand it too, from speaking to my last insurers (Admiral).
 
Phone them up and ask. Then you will have your answer as to what your insurer wants.

If they say you must declare it, then clearly you would need to.

unrealrocks said:
My Smart has various OEM extras, things like colour coded bits of bodywork, foot-well lights, cup-holders (not standard, LOL) and various lights that have been LED retro-fitted and it is insured total standard. After my Mrs' rear end shunt I thought about pulling it all out before the insurance picked it up but I didn't bother and they didn't even bat an eyelid during the whole repair process - they in-fact actually replaced a bit of the body coloured trim on the rear I had added!
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So as long as they don't catch you, it's okay? Let's apply that to other things.
 
bJN said:
If you replace parts with OEM parts that are offered as an option with the car from new, then I don't believe they need to be declared as they are still within the manufacturers specification.
Click to expand...

Some will ask for factory fit optional extras so it's not necessarily as clear cut as that, some want declaration of things that the car may have even had from new but was an option.

How they expect people to know these things by the time the car is 10+ years old I have no idea :p
 
Kenai said:
Some will ask for factory fit optional extras so it's not necessarily as clear cut as that, some want declaration of things that the car may have even had from new but was an option.

How they expect people to know these things by the time the car is 10+ years old I have no idea :p
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Who wants to know about optional extras?
 
I fitted the optional extra satnav to my car and its not declared as a mod, as far as im aware though, they will only repair the car how it was as standard unless declared otherwise. So in other words if someone went in to the back of you you would most likely find our car would get repaired with the standard 9N rear lights.
 
It all depends on insurer, I worked for one & had a guy call up with a Range Rover which had had some optional trim added to the vents on the front wings. This was a factory option.

I actually ended up arguing with the underwriters about it as they wanted me to rate it as a "Bonnet Scoop" on the policy and it was adding several hundred onto the guys policy, I thought it was absurd but they disagreed.
 
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