Insurance Modification Question

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.

But the point is that they were factory fitted options.
 
But the point is that they were factory fitted options.

Still, the person either specced them when they bought the car new or bought the car with knowing it had factory fitted tints etc...

I'm sure there are charts or whatever that show percentage of 40-60 year olds with small hatchback with tints and how often they crash compared with 17-21 year old with tints that crash and hence thats why the 17-21 year olds with tints, a 'zorst and Halfrauds alloys pay through the arse.
 
Still, the person either specced them when they bought the car new or bought the car with knowing it had factory fitted tints etc...

And how exactly does knowing the car has tinted windows make the driver more likely to crash?
 
Insurance is all about managing the cost and value of perceived risk. That perception changes with any number of factors - claims for an age group, a type of car, a modification, a post code etc etc.

The actuarial assumptions are complex, but even then there will still be an anomoly from time to time. Fact is, insurance wouldn't be so expensive if there weren't so many uninsured people driving around (and having accidents). I'm sure lots of these people would claim there is a catch 22, as insurance was too expensive for them...
 
And how exactly does knowing the car has tinted windows make the driver more likely to crash?

It doesn't. But as I wrote above, it is likely that cars with this modification are more prone to be involved in an accident, therefore if this box is ticked, the premiuim will increase.
 
And how exactly does knowing the car has tinted windows make the driver more likely to crash?

You're not getting me. I'm not saying the tints make the person crash, I'm saying the type of person who owns a small hatchback with tints, a 'zorst and other bits and bobs is more likley to be a twit, mess about on the road trying to impress the local 15 year old chavs and crash.

It'll be done on percentages and data, something like company insures 100 people ages 17-21 on small hatchback, 50 with bog standard car, 50 with chav'd up Janesy B style mess. 25 with the mess crash in the year, 10 crash in the standard car.

Statistically someone with tints costs an insurance company more, so if you get tints they will want to charge more.

Obviously this is a stupidly simple example, factor in age, car, location, mods, history etc.
 
You're not getting me. I'm not saying the tints make the person crash, I'm saying the type of person who owns a small hatchback with tints, a 'zorst and other bits and bobs is more likley to be a twit, mess about on the road trying to impress the local 15 year old chavs and crash.

But your missing the point here. We are talking about factory fitted privacy Glass, not a after fit jobbie done in a Burger Kind car park by a tracksuit wearing 19 year old called Wayne. Insurers are charging people extra for factory fitted options across demographics. Options that can't possibly be used to 'profile' the driver.
 
But your missing the point here. We are talking about factory fitted privacy Glass, not a after fit jobbie done in a Burger Kind car park by a tracksuit wearing 19 year old called Wayne. Insurers are charging people extra for factory fitted options across demographics. Options that can't possibly be used to 'profile' the driver.

Yes they can though. Different cars appeal to different drivers.

Edited - Just realised I wasn't talking to the OP anymore :/
 
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But your missing the point here. We are talking about factory fitted privacy Glass, not a after fit jobbie done in a Burger Kind car park by a tracksuit wearing 19 year old called Wayne. Insurers are charging people extra for factory fitted options across demographics. Options that can't possibly be used to 'profile' the driver.

I bet you that glass is more expensive to replace when Wayne puts a brick through it and the insurance have to pay for new glass.

Likewise when Kev the uninsured driver rear ends your car and breaks all your parking sensors, then buggers off before the police come.
 
In a Modern car that had it fitted as a factory option?

Please :rolleyes:.

you dont get it do you ?

the insurance company dont see it that way.

They have data that shows people with "a modification" of any sort are more likely to have a crash. This is due to the barryboy crowd street racing round mcdonalds car parks and having little mishaps.

Unfortunately, from the moment you tick that box that says "i have a car that is a different spec from when it left the factory" the insurance company tars you with that same brush and increases your premium.

Is it more likely just because you've got tints ? no. But the insurance company have no way of knowing if you're a chav boy racer frequenting mcdonalds car parks or not so increase your premium anyway.

They wont say "ah its a new car, so he cant be a chav" Because any chav can buy a new car on finance. I've seen a brand new 59 plate focus RS down at the local cruise, baseball cap the lot, doing burnouts etc... Not everybody grows up.
 
But your missing the point here. We are talking about factory fitted privacy Glass, not a after fit jobbie done in a Burger Kind car park by a tracksuit wearing 19 year old called Wayne. Insurers are charging people extra for factory fitted options across demographics. Options that can't possibly be used to 'profile' the driver.

They charge more for factory options as they can cost more to replace if damaged in a crash. A good example is Xenon headlights if I rear end a car and smash both they will cost around £1500 to replace the standard lights are £300, bigger alloys are slightly more expensive to replace as is Satnav or parking sensors the lists goes on.

The privacy glass will probably cost more to the insurance company as it will only be available from the car manufacturer with the right tint which will be more expensive than getting the glass from a 3rd party who won't stock it as very few people tick the option for factory tints.
 
They charge more for factory options as they can cost more to replace if damaged in a crash. A good example is Xenon headlights if I rear end a car and smash both they will cost around £1500 to replace the standard lights are £300, bigger alloys are slightly more expensive to replace as is Satnav or parking sensors the lists goes on.

These things make the car more desirable to thieves as well.


"Mainstream" insurers aren't the best people to go to if your car is highly modified anyway. I'm with a more specialist company and adding the charger, for instance, didn't increase the premium by a huge amount, and adding things such as suspension, brakes etc, doesn't increase it at all, yet all the mods are covered unlike someone like Admiral who would charge me £50 for adding the suspension yet not pay out for it if i claimed. :)
 
These things make the car more desirable to thieves as well.


"Mainstream" insurers aren't the best people to go to if your car is highly modified anyway. I'm with a more specialist company and adding the charger, for instance, didn't increase the premium by a huge amount, and adding things such as suspension, brakes etc, doesn't increase it at all, yet all the mods are covered unlike someone like Admiral who would charge me £50 for adding the suspension yet not pay out for it if i claimed. :)

exactly

im with chris knott, who covered all the mods on my vec and still for about £200 less than the best quote on any of the comparison sites and bell / elephant / direct linet etc... direct.
 
They charge more for factory options as they can cost more to replace if damaged in a crash. A good example is Xenon headlights if I rear end a car and smash both they will cost around £1500 to replace the standard lights are £300, bigger alloys are slightly more expensive to replace as is Satnav or parking sensors the lists goes on.

The privacy glass will probably cost more to the insurance company as it will only be available from the car manufacturer with the right tint which will be more expensive than getting the glass from a 3rd party who won't stock it as very few people tick the option for factory tints.

Wait, so i've got to declare my factory fitted Bi-Xenons? What happens if you have expensive optional extra leather in your car?

I'm not convinced...

I thought most insurance company's classed a "modification" as something that is added to the car after it left the factory.
 
Wait, so i've got to declare my factory fitted Bi-Xenons? What happens if you have expensive optional extra leather in your car?

I'm not convinced...

I thought most insurance company's classed a "modification" as something that is added to the car after it left the factory.

No thats right. My car when it was insured with admiral they had bi-xenons listed as rally headlights, leather interior was listed as interior modifications, nav system was audio upgrades, the list went on and on. I had to phone them up as I didnt believe they wanted all my factory options listed, they did. a lot of insurance companies are the same if you actually read the small print. Thats why as I said earlier I went with LV.com as after talking to them they stated that only modifications/options fitted after the build of the car must be stated.
 
Wait, so i've got to declare my factory fitted Bi-Xenons? What happens if you have expensive optional extra leather in your car?

I'm not convinced...

I thought most insurance company's classed a "modification" as something that is added to the car after it left the factory.

It can be any change to the standard spec. As a simple justification would you be happy in a full loss claim if they just offered enough to replace your car with one without any of your options or would you expect to get enough to replace it with one exactly the same?

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.

I've also heard of some doing this. I know Direct line will do this for over 25's but as they don't offer moddified policies for under 25's at all it's likely they'll just refuse the claim and try and recover any third party costs.
 
I'm almost too scared to call up the insurance company and tell them about my Xenon's :(

"Your quote at the moment is £800....oh...wait...sorry did you say you have Xenons? Your quote is now £1892632."
 
Wait, so i've got to declare my factory fitted Bi-Xenons? What happens if you have expensive optional extra leather in your car?

I'm not convinced...

I thought most insurance company's classed a "modification" as something that is added to the car after it left the factory.

Oh you better be convinced.

This is what it seems like people seem in this thread cannot wrap their heads around. We are no longer talking about people like me, a young male driving a 20 year old french hatchback that has been modified extensively several years after it left the factory. To an extent I can understand 'profiling' on these people because it can sometime work both ways, for example classic insurance is far, far cheaper than a normal policy (In my opinion) partly down to those of us who are willing to drive old, rattly cars are more likely to take care of them.

But now we are talking about a new type of declaring modifications. Factory fitted 'modifications'. I.E if your car didn't have it on the boggo Base Spec model you have to declare it. Yes, this includes your factory fitted Bi-Xenons, your factory fitted parking sensors, your 1inch larger factory fitted alloy wheels and factory fitted upgraded sound system.

Oh, and want to hear the bestest bit? Most of the mainstream insurers (well, all of the ones that I've heard of) that make you declare and pay for these options won't actually cover them like for like in the event of the accident. Ace! :rolleyes:
 
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