Insurance Modification Question

SGWills · 26 Dec 2009 at 17:14

plus some insurance companies dont like it as the optional extra would be fitted by the manufacturer as aftermarket can be fitted by anyone

Berger · 26 Dec 2009 at 17:52

Gav said:
yes.

Ignorance is not a valid excuse for failing to declare modifications.

I know someone who was recently stopped by the police. He had a modified exhaust and lowered suspension. The police called his insurance company from the side of the road to confirm that he had insurance and also confirm that the modifications were declared....

Outcome: Vehicle towed away. Driver charged with driving without valid insurance.

The one time I was pulled over they were more interested in my tyre tread and making sure I had some, hadnt been drinking, and was who I said I was!

I was polite and a little nervous, got a talking to and let go.

Think it depends on the situation and if your a chav or not!

Lum · 26 Dec 2009 at 18:02

SGWills said:
plus some insurance companies dont like it as the optional extra would be fitted by the manufacturer as aftermarket can be fitted by anyone

A bit daft with wheels as chances are once the car's done over 20,000 mailes, the standard wheels will likely be fitted by anyone.

Meatball · 26 Dec 2009 at 18:05

I'm with Aviva atm and I was charged £60 more because my car has factory fitted parking sensors, 17" alloys and privacy glass

.

Rich1988 · 26 Dec 2009 at 19:17

junkjimmy said:
Be carefull when you phone insurance companies for a quote a lot of them now use voice stress analizers

source?

Gaygle · 26 Dec 2009 at 19:22

Rich1988 said:
source?

I've also heard this - particularly on Claim lines looking for false claims. I saw it on the news a while back and some insurance guy was saying a lot of false claims include people going into massive, unnecessary detail which is a telltale....apparently :confused:

. Apparently they have software which can also scan emails looking for "nervousness".

BYTEr · 26 Dec 2009 at 20:11

Does having different rear view lights and side repeaters count as modifications to insurance companies? Also small things like wheel trims and aerial? I'm with directline and just checking their website it states it doesn't offer insurance for modifications to anyone under 25, I'm 18 and haven't declared any of the above as a mate said they wouldn't be interested in small things like that but things like alloys etc.

Thanks in advance.

Biohazard · 26 Dec 2009 at 20:12

It all boils down to the vehicle engineer and if he notices too, i've not heard stories like ripping heads apart to check for kent cams etc since the 90's.

Peerzy · 26 Dec 2009 at 20:25

BYTEr said:
Does having different rear view lights and side repeaters count as modifications to insurance companies? Also small things like wheel trims and aerial? I'm with directline and just checking their website it states it doesn't offer insurance for modifications to anyone under 25, I'm 18 and haven't declared any of the above as a mate said they wouldn't be interested in small things like that but things like alloys etc.

Thanks in advance.

Rear view lights I'd say yes, the other stuff 50/50.

Gaygle · 26 Dec 2009 at 20:45

BYTEr said:
Does having different rear view lights and side repeaters count as modifications to insurance companies? Also small things like wheel trims and aerial? I'm with directline and just checking their website it states it doesn't offer insurance for modifications to anyone under 25, I'm 18 and haven't declared any of the above as a mate said they wouldn't be interested in small things like that but things like alloys etc.

Thanks in advance.

I wouldn't worry about it tbh. I can't see an insurance company throwing out your claim because of different side repeaters. I can't imagine a vehicle inspector would even notice them!

Same goes for wheel trims and aerials. Don't worry about it.

BYTEr · 26 Dec 2009 at 20:55

That was my thinking, I've not done anything under the bonnet or added bling alloys, and besides I'm not exactly going to put a claim in if someone snaps my aerial or if my wheel trims fall off

Thanks for the reassurance though.

Peerzy · 26 Dec 2009 at 20:58

Gaygle said:
I wouldn't worry about it tbh. I can't see an insurance company throwing out your claim because of different side repeaters. I can't imagine a vehicle inspector would even notice them!

Same goes for wheel trims and aerials. Don't worry about it.

Big Lexus lights on a Corsa for example would scream out at an inspector that not everything is right - even if it is.

Sport lights on an SE BMW would be a different story. Depends how obvious the modifications are.

[TW]Fox · 26 Dec 2009 at 21:01

Sport lights :confused:

West · 26 Dec 2009 at 21:06

I prefer to think along the lines of 'Better Safe than Sorry..' I think..

shauncr91 · 26 Dec 2009 at 21:07

[TW]Fox;15601175 said:
Sport lights

Think he means fog lights.

Peerzy · 26 Dec 2009 at 21:10

[TW]Fox;15601175 said:
Sport lights

shauncr91 said:
Think he means fog lights.

Yeah, couldn't think of a proper example so just grabbed randomly in the dark for words and got BMW and Sport.

Okay changing headlights from pre to post facelift shouldn't really make a difference and I wouldn't bother informing the insurance company but Lexus lights on the back of a Nova I would.

Gribs · 26 Dec 2009 at 22:34

BYTEr said:
Does having different rear view lights and side repeaters count as modifications to insurance companies? Also small things like wheel trims and aerial? I'm with directline and just checking their website it states it doesn't offer insurance for modifications to anyone under 25, I'm 18 and haven't declared any of the above as a mate said they wouldn't be interested in small things like that but things like alloys etc.

Thanks in advance.

It's always safest to declare everything and let them decide if it counts as a mod. Changing the rear lights will almost certainly count so either start looking for a new insurance company or get some standard ones. In the event of a claim your insurance is effectively worthless.

Gaygle · 26 Dec 2009 at 23:41

Gribs said:
It's always safest to declare everything and let them decide if it counts as a mod. Changing the rear lights will almost certainly count so either start looking for a new insurance company or get some standard ones. In the event of a claim your insurance is effectively worthless.

Agreed on the rear lights. But disagree on the final point.

An insurance company would really throw your claim out, say, if you skidded on a roundabout and hit something, because you had different rear lights??

I don't think so.

I've heard that most of the time, in the event of an accident, for most minor undeclared mods, the insurance company will normally pay out (as long as the mod hasn't contributed to the accident) but will normally make you pay the premium (+a lot more) that it would have been if the mods had been declared.

Anyone else heard this?

Joshy · 26 Dec 2009 at 23:42

[TW]Fox;15597825 said:
Actually the main issue is the increased risk of the profile of driver who would fit aftermarket wheels.

Doesn't come close to explaining why many insurance companies want to charge extra for factory fitted options though.

Exactly what can you tell about Meatball's profile to an insurance company going by the fact that the car he purchased had the boxes for parking sensors, privacy Glass and slightly larger alloy wheels ticked on the order sheet?

miniyazz · 26 Dec 2009 at 23:57

Joshy said:
Doesn't come close to explaining why many insurance companies want to charge extra for factory fitted options though.

Exactly what can you tell about Meatball's profile to an insurance company going by the fact that the car he purchased had the boxes for parking sensors, privacy Glass and slightly larger alloy wheels ticked on the order sheet?

Because the sort of person who would fit those mods (well some of them - privacy glass, large alloys) is also more likely to be the sort of person who would has a higher risk of crashing, and is also likely to be the sort of person who would buy a car with those mods because they think it looks good etc.

Factory-fitted options really should not count as mods though. Although.. how far can a 'mod' be taken? For example, is a 330i M-Sport simply a 'modded' 318i M-Sport? - i.e. different engine, different badge number, and any other minor differences there may be between the two.