What mods or upgrades warrant informing your insurers?

DB_SamX

DB_SamX

DB_SamX

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I was basically thinking of checking and if needed, changing my panel air filter from the standard one to a K&N one on my Celica TSport. I know it's hardly going to make a big difference, but I hear some good things on the CCUK forums.

From my insurance docs, "You must tell us as soon as possible if ....changes made to your vehicle improve its value, performance, handling or attractiveness to thieves."

From reading other forums, I keep reading that a simple panel replacement doesn't have to be reported beause it can count as a consumable?

But where do you draw the line; you could argue using better quality petrol, oil, etc can improve performance/handling but you wouldn't tell them about it? Another example: if you simply changed your indicators to clear ones from orange, that would make your car more desirable.

What do you think?
 
You should NEVER give your insurance company an opportunity to not pay out in the event you need them to.
A five minute phone call:

"Hi, I've fitted a new air filter that may slightly improve performance"
"Noted. No increase in premium"

Conversation over, worst thing happens and you get a payout.
Surely that is better than no phone conversation and then finding it was something they should have been made aware of.

You're right, oil & petrol would be silly.
But anything "physical" and not part of routine maintenance I really would declare.
 
"Hi, I'm thinking about adding an induction kit to my car, how would this affect my premium?"

"Sorry sir, though you are 25, the other driver on your policy is 24 thus no modifications are allowed"

Yeah, its not all love and bunnies. Was a case of obscenly cheap insurance vs leeway on mods. Ill be changing next year.
 
FYI, fitting a K&N Typhoon short ram intake on my Corolla T-Sport added £40 ish to my premium. Not sure what a panel filter would do, that was with Admiral.
 
When I had my subaru impreza it had quite a few modifications, however they were all done at the factory/dealership: STI panel filter, Miltek exhaust, Prodrive (Eibach) lowering springs, Speedline/Prodrive PFF7 wheels, PPP remap. When I phoned the insurance company and said it had come like that from the factory they said it wouldnt affect the premium as it was OEM part and not aftermarket mods.
 
Adding a roll bar to my policy increased it by £130 that was a 26% increase! IMO honesty is definitely the only way with insurance companies.
 
panthro said:
When I had my subaru impreza it had quite a few modifications, however they were all done at the factory/dealership: STI panel filter, Miltek exhaust, Prodrive (Eibach) lowering springs, Speedline/Prodrive PFF7 wheels, PPP remap. When I phoned the insurance company and said it had come like that from the factory they said it wouldnt affect the premium as it was OEM part and not aftermarket mods.
Click to expand...

Taking your case at example, what does everyone think would happen if you took a standard impreza and later added the exact same mods? Or if you bought a car from someone who had a few small mods done, as a buyer you could pretend not to know, or genuinely not know if they were oem or not.

I believe Toyota Team Eurpoe did Eibach lowering springs as an option for TSports (correct me if I'm wrong), and I would imagine if I were to add them now, I'd have an increase in premium.

I fully understand my position wrt the the panel filter, but it's just the overall insurance and mods picture that got me thinking over the last few days.
 
Hmmm is it worth mentioning to insurers about a new stereo?

I think mine give up to 750 replacement included in the policy (Elephant) - have to say it slipped my mind...
 
half the insurance assessors i've seen check over a smashed car dont even lift the bonnet, especially if the thing is totalled. Other times i've seen them not even bother to check the car over, they just go by the estimate for repairs we give them and they just say no, too expensive to fix, write off.
As far as insurance, I told mine about my pipercross viper, stainless exhaust, none standard alloys, on the old workhorse civic and they asked if it improved performance and by how much, i just said no idea which was honest and I was told if i didn't have proof of the current increase in bhp then they couldn't quote me for an increased premium so they were just going to add the list to my details but not change the price.
 
I am wondering the same thing, I just bought a Celica last week which has different alloys, on my current insurance which is up for renew at the end of the month I have not declared this as a modification, do different alloy wheels count as a modification?
 
Daveangle said:
I am wondering the same thing, I just bought a Celica last week which has different alloys, on my current insurance which is up for renew at the end of the month I have not declared this as a modification, do different alloy wheels count as a modification?
Click to expand...

Yes
 
realscot said:
half the insurance assessors i've seen check over a smashed car dont even lift the bonnet, especially if the thing is totalled. Other times i've seen them not even bother to check the car over, they just go by the estimate for repairs we give them and they just say no, too expensive to fix, write off.
As far as insurance, I told mine about my pipercross viper, stainless exhaust, none standard alloys, on the old workhorse civic and they asked if it improved performance and by how much, i just said no idea which was honest and I was told if i didn't have proof of the current increase in bhp then they couldn't quote me for an increased premium so they were just going to add the list to my details but not change the price.
Click to expand...

someone of the Focus ST forums didnt get a payout cos he hadnt declared a remap, yes the insurance assessor managed to check the ECU on a totalled focus ST and found the remap!
 
If you make a claim for the "going rate" for a vehicle then the chances of a full inspection are very slim.
But you cannot claim "No modifications" or "Didn't know about them" if you are subsequently attempting to claim around £2k over the going rate to cover all of the modifications.

Think ahead.
You can only claim for what you've declared.
Claim for any more and they will tell you these modifications were not declared and they aren't paying.
So you'll have to take a hit should the worst thing happen.

Checking the ECU for a remap is an extremely easy thing to do.
Plug in diagnostic tools, a few seconds later it will tell if the ECU has ever been messed around with.

Basically you'd be a fool to not declare anything and everything - insurance companies love to not pay out and you're giving them every opportunity.
 
Every tiny little thing no matter how small/cosmetic it is, I even told them about my wing mirrors & steering wheel although the wheel is understandable.
Adrian Flux loves modded motors anyway or is it that I am so old now nobody cares. :(
 
There is one very simple answer to this anyone who tells you otherwise is full it.

You declare EVERYTHING

Insurance companies will do anything and everything in an effort not to pay out and an undeclared panel filter is a reason not to, not only that if you crash into to someone else and they need to claim off you and your car is modified and you havent declared the mods then you can potentially put yourself in a whole world of grief
 
Yeah if you find the right company they won't load your premium much or at all unless it drastically increases performance, so it's worth mentioning everything, no matter how small. HIC (brokered to Highway) only charged me once I told them about the supercharger
 
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