Declaring Mods (why?!)

[DaveDreads]

Why do we have to declare mods?

Lets say worse case scenario, you write your car off and
your insurance company keeps the car in order to process your claim,
how are they going to know its been modified?

Obviously IKs, ITBs, body kits, non renault alloys are going to be noticed, but what about more subtle mods?

I have a 172ff thats slowly being modified for road/track,
im not going to go overbored on it, just a few simple things like,

ITG panel filter (already done)
Better springs
SS exaust
Inlet match
Remap
Cup alloys
Cup Spoiler

Im asuming OEM parts are ok, whos to say the origanal owner diddnt have them fitted to begin with as optional extras.

Panel filter, doesnt really improve power does it, just breathing,
or is it the case that anything that isnt standard counts as a mod?

Spings, Apex or Eibachs are a different colour to standard springs
so they will notice, but what about just painting them black?
Will they really count how many coils the springs have.

SS Exhaust, you can walk into any high street zorst place and get a SS replacement for your car, my mum had one years ago when I was a kid
for her MK1 Fiesta, she never declared it and that car eventually got knicked and her insurance paid out.

Inlet match and remap, If the cars written off are they really going to
RR it to see what BHP it producing? Or can they tell from the ECU?
If they can, then why not just dissconnect the battery for half an hour
the ECU will revert back to factory settings wont it?

I might be showing myself up as an ill informed goon, but Ive often thought about it, if anyone could clarify these points for me I would appreciate it.

Bit of a long thread sorry if I bored you.

 

[Cookie]

The engineers the insurance companies use are not stupid.

 

[rctempire]

Long Quote

1. Because you are driving a non standard car, thus making it more "nickable" and creates a larger risk for the company to insure you. Also means your more likely to crash in their eyes if it is modded.

If the person had them put on as standard when you bought it, you still have to declare them as its YOUR responsibility.

Coils - Yes the car will sit a LOT LOWER than standard. One more reason not to pay out.

Exhaust - Easy to notice, even easier to not pay out.

Remap, most are aftermarket, easy to spot and not pay out.

Basically if you manage to crash/kill someone, they will pay on your behalf, so long as you have insured your car as fit for purpose.

Its like a house, i bet if you got flooded you would ask for more money and "assume" you have more assets than you had. Its all about risk for insurance companies and by not delaring mods, you give them a reason not to pay out, and you facing FRAUD charges and possible prison time.

 

[-Leigh-]

Oh dear.

Anything that wasn't fitted to the car when it left the factory, is a modification.

All modifications need to be declared to your insurance company.

Fin.

 

[Mells]

Look up the definition of 'risk' and see how you think it relates to your insurance premiums.

Nice way of admitting you dont declare you mods mate. Hope you havent got your reg plate on any posts etc as they do check forums etc.

 

[Gumby]

The be-all and end-all of it is that an insurance company does not want to part with money. It will find any way it possibly can to avoid paying you!

 

[DaveDreads]

Fair enough! Just so as I know.
Im new to all these performance mods, so my knowledge is limated.

You dont know untill you ask.

 

[DaveDreads]

Look up the definition of 'risk' and see how you think it relates to your insurance premiums.

Nice way of admitting you dont declaire you mods mate. Hope you havent got your reg plate on any posts etc as they do check forums etc.

I dont have any mods except for the ITG.

 

[Hazza]

So if you changed ur interior door handles to the silver brushed effect ones then u have to delcare that?

 

[DaveDreads]

The be-all and end-all of it is that an insurance company does not want to part with money. It will find any way it possibly can to avoid paying you!

Good point mate, even if your cars not modified
I spose thy will still look for ways not to pay.

 

[-Leigh-]

So if you changed ur interior door handles to the silver brushed effect ones then u have to delcare that?

Yes 182punk

 

[alanc1000]

Because if it got written off and you wanted a like-for-like replacement, there would be nothing to stop you saying your car had 2k worth of extras if you didnt have to declare it originally, so they are protecting themselves.

 

[Limca]

anything u change thats not factory fitted needs to be declared. i.e exhaust, bodykit, lowering, engine mods etc...

 

[Davey C]

Companies will look for anything they can possibly find to avoid paying out for a claim as it keeps their profit margins up. Especially if it is a high worth claim.
Most employ teams of people who's job it is to void as many claims as possible so the chances of you being caught are relatively high.

The standard line is if you don't declare it and they find it, expect them to annul your policy, they are totally entitled to do that so if they don't either they havn't spotted it or you are extremely lucky.

On my last car i put a set of alloys on it and phoned up to add them to the policy. Insurance company (Bell) said there was a payment to add to the policy but because my insurance ran out within the week i would end up paying for them twice if i added them that day, so i said just add them for the renewal and leave them for now.
Of course with them already being fitted and it being cold and wintery there was no hope of me spending the time to remove them and refit within a week so i just hoped for the best.

Of course the inevitable happened. Driving home and a woman pulled out of a junction without looking and slammed into me, putting the car on its side, blocking a busy main road. Police arrived and the car was promptly removed by the insurance company (great service actually) with the alloys still on, (although significantly mangled).

I therefore had to spend a day and a half panicking thinking my policy was going to be void and i was going to be left with nothing because of a combination of the woman's stupidity and my own for not taking the wheels off or paying the difference.

The call came and the lady said "our assessor has noted on his form that there are a set of rather large alloys on the car that are not declared on the policy." *heart sank* "but we see you have added them for your renewal, did you put them on early?"
"Yes... i er, did."
"Well in that case, we'll not worry about it. Just nip down to the repairers and get them off before we officially declare it a total loss and that will be the end of the matter."

Great service. Though undeservedly lucky. I'm sure if i hadn't added them for renewal they wouldn't have been so forgiving.

Therefore i'd emplore you not to risk it, its not worth the hassle or the worry. You are much better to pay the extra for piece of mind.

 

[DaveDreads]

anything u change thats not factory fitted needs to be declared. i.e exhaust, bodykit, lowering, engine mods etc...

So I guess this includes the panel filter, best ring my insurance then.

 

[Scutch]

Companies will look for anything then can possibly find to avoid paying out for a claim as it keeps their profit margins up. Especially if it is a high worth claim.

That more or less sums it up.

 

[Timmay]

^ yep

 

[McBunny]

Oh dear.

Anything that wasn't fitted to the car when it left the factory, is a modification.

All modifications need to be declared to your insurance company.

Fin.

true ish


ANYTHING that wasnt on teh standard spec list of the car is a modification including all optional extras


there was a thing a while ago that mini owners that had the chili packs etc were just getting standard cars back because they hadnt declared them !

 

[DaveDreads]

Cheers for all the replys and for not biteing my head off.

Dont get me wrong I never said I wasnt going to declare my mods,
I was just curious about where it all stood legally.

 

[Dillsy]

A mate of mine worked for an insurance company - his and his colleagues' general opinion was that if you modify your car you are more likely to be a 'boy racer type' who rags the sh*t out of it at every opportunity and is therefore more likely to end up stacking it into a wall.

The flipside of the coin is that you are someone who takes pride in your car and keeps it well maintained at any cost, but as has been said before, insurance companies will generally look for any excuse not to pay out - best to declare all mods, just to be on the safe side

 

[fUbAr]

I don't bother insuring my car, its not worth all the hassle each year

 

[Andyman]

There not that bad!

My mate used to work for a accident repair centre dealing with all the insurance companys and it was never as bad as hunting over cars with a fine tooth comb finding reasons not to pay.

There was one story was a insurance company refusing to pay up because a customer didnt declair lowerd suspension but it was all resolved in the end after they came to a agreement and he got payed out.

 

[AlexS]

I don't bother insuring my car, its not worth all the hassle each year

Nah me neither, come to think of it I really need to get round to booking my test.

 

[MarkCup]

It's comes down to basic contract law.

They offer to insure your car based on what you tell them. The premium is affected by the risk - how attractive your car is to others, along with the risk you present as a driver.

If you fail to tell them anything that could change, alter, or affect their decision to offer you insurance or the amount they ask you to pay regardless of whether you are asked for the information or not, then you have in effect lied.

Lie to entice someone into a contract and that contract can be rescinded (cancelled) as though it never existed.

Apply that to motor insurance;

Is you car modified in any way from standard?

You answer either no or silence.

You have then lied, and the insurer if they find out, can cancel the contract as though it never existed.

 

[Dcds4]

So if you had cams fitted but not declared are they gonna open your engine up to find them?

Are they gonna plug your ecu in and have a copy of the original map so they can compare?

When i insured mine i told them i had a stainless steel stealth exhaust, she said if cant be seen and is a stainless steel replacement for original then it didnt need to be declared(that was elephant)

 

[MarkCup]

That's the risk you take.

I bet if you innocently caused a fatality, or put someone in a wheelchair for life and the insurance company was obliged to pay for the care for the rest of the life of that person, they would do anything and everything to avoid paying out.

If they did, and they found out, that's the end of your life/financial freedom.

 

[@Spoonie]

Is a ITG panel filter really a mod? Isn't it classed as a consumable?

 

[JoshE]

^ Surely this is true as air filters are replaced during services, an ITG panel filter just allows the engine to breath better and lasts longer?

 

[Kneel]

I learnt my lesson on undeclared mods when I had my clio. I had all of my mods undeclared and then got in a crash. Altogether I was very lucky in that they didn't void my claim, however because of undeclared mods I had to pay my £900 excess, £500 to add the mods to my policy, purchase a new set of wheels, new tyres, new sideskirt, new suspension arm, new suspension leg, new front bumper (had a non standard splitter on it) and had to get it all fitted and painted so that cost the best part of £1000. a very expensive ordeal considering to insure the modifications and have them replaced like for like would have cost £500 extra

 

[m88ejr]

ONE SIMPLE RULE OF HAVING A MODIFIED CAR.



DONT CRASH IT!!!!!

 

[fmp_]

ok guys, whats your take on this....

un-declared mods on a car insured third party fire and theft.

As in thoery if you crashed, the insurance company would never need to inspect your car, as they wouldnt be paying out for reapairs.

Or in a bad accident, would they still collect it and look over it?

 

[182joe]

ok guys, whats your take on this....

un-declared mods on a car insured third party fire and theft.

As in thoery if you crashed, the insurance company would never need to inspect your car, as they wouldnt be paying out for reapairs.

Or in a bad accident, would they still collect it and look over it?

but if you crashed and it was your fault and you wrote off a 57reg bentley, you would get turned away as your exhaust (or whatever) would be a 'performance' modification.

you'd be paying out for it yourself

and yes they would still look at it, unless it was blatently not your fault.

 

[-Leigh-]

Is a ITG panel filter really a mod? Isn't it classed as a consumable?

^ Surely this is true as air filters are replaced during services, an ITG panel filter just allows the engine to breath better and lasts longer?

May depend on insurance company, but I asked mine and got told if it's made to a different spec than OEM (different material) or if it is designed to increase performance (ITG's are), it has to be declared.

 

[MarkCup]

^ Surely this is true as air filters are replaced during services, an ITG panel filter just allows the engine to breath better and lasts longer?

Then tell them that.

I told my insurers about my ITG panel and K-tec stealth, but I stressed that they were fitted out of necessity and cost saving.

They beleived me, and there was no extra charge.

 

[Kneel]

What if a TP hit you, your car would need to be looked over and then they notice the mods and throw the claim out completely.

 

[@Spoonie]

or if it is designed to increase performance (ITG's are), it has to be declared.

I'd get better performance gains by taking a s**t before getting in the car.

 

[182joe]

or if it is designed to increase performance (ITG's are), it has to be declared.

I'd get better performance gains by taking a s**t before getting in the car.

Insurance companies just dont want to pay out though, they see it as a performance increase and save themselves the money.

 

[BMark]

Some insurance companys ask for any modiffications or OPTIONAL EXTRAS as stated earlier about the chili pack on minis. This also includes cup packs on a 182. I'm sure there are alot of people on here who might have problems. I'm not saying it definately would be noticed or that they actualy would care but some do. I was going to get a 182 but got my current car as direct line wouldn't insure me with cup packs until I am 25 and I wasn't going to lie to them.

 

[Initiale]

Oh dear.

Anything that wasn't fitted to the car when it left the factory, is a modification.

All modifications need to be declared to your insurance company.

Fin.

Anything fitted to the car which is not the manufacturer's standard specification (even factory options) should be declared according to some companies.

I never declared my modifications when I had my old car, most people don't bother so why be the only mug that does?

 

[Jaff]

on th epanel filter thing, where would you stand with tyres? those are consumables just like the filter, so my car came from the factory rolling contis, so going by this rule if you put a different type of tyre on your car you'd need to declare it. especially since alot of users here get them because they make the car easier to drive faster. i know fitting 'H' speed rating tyres onto a car which should have 'V' rated tyres can void insurance. but do you think tyres are concidered performance parts, also your brake disc and pads, do you declare them if you put say cross drilled discs on but keep the same calipers and braking system, would you need to declare that?

infact i should probably shut up before i give them ideas lol

another point, bell wont replace like for like only with standard parts so if i say had lowers susupension, and had a crash even though i paid an additional cost and declared it, and someone drive into me, i could end up with a car thats lowered on the corners? so why should i have to pay to have modified parts on my car, when i'm going to need to replace them my self any way!