Insurance Problems - Factory Fitted or Modification

[DavidandAlex]

I have a Clio 197 2008. I have a problem with insurance. I had a small bump (not my fault) and I have had to claim on my insurance, damage to wing and Bumper (I have a zero excess policy). My insurer approved car repairer sent a photograph of my car to my insurer which showed the car had alloy wheels, spoiler and exhaust. My insurer said they are modifications and have cancelled my policy and not paid anything out. The Carvertical vehicle check shows my car had fitted at the factory, the extreme equipment pack, the look sport equipment pack and the braking equipment pack. I believe the extreme pack provides the car with lowered suspension and spoiler, the look sport pack provides the anthracite alloy wheels and Brembo callipers. The spoiler has RenaultSport moulded into it and the wheels have the Renault Logo. Can anyone provide me with the evidence I need to go back to my insurance company to prove that they were factory fitted and not modifications. My exhaust is completely original apart from a replacement rear box, fully baffled, standard pipe size and stainless steel. I could not find an original exhaust anywhere. I am unable to insure my 197 at the moment. I have had it repaired at my local paint shop and will have to sell it. Help please, Alex

 

[JamesBryan]

If they are factory fit items (which it sounds like they are, apart from the repaired exhaust) then the insurance are idiots and you need to argue it with them or get the ombudsman involved.

 

[Mr Squashie]

I would think a letter from a Renault dealership confirming they're OEM options would suffice. Surely it's on the insurer to prove they're aftermarket modifications though, they can't just cancel your policy without proof? I'd be tempted to send photos of the Renault logos on the wheels and spoiler first to prove they're genuine items and then escalate from there.

 

[Robbie Corbett]

Can you post the picture here?

 

[DavidandAlex]

Thanks for you replies. Photos attached. Insurer has had the photos but never replied. I am at the complaints stage at the moment. Does anyone have the email address for RenaultSport?

 

[Sir_Dave]

Thats just a 197 with the cup pack, inc. red calipers, speedlines and cup spoiler. Would have come from the factory like it.

 

[Louis]

Only mods are painted alloys. Everything is factory.

 

[R3k1355]

If they don't respond go straight to the Ombudsman, having a policy cancelled will give you issues getting insurance in the future.

 

[Clio_fool]

Only mods are painted alloys. Everything is factory.

They were available in black or white from Renault when new.
@DavidandAlex I'm sure if you search hard enough you'll find some post from 2008 when people bought new 197's in that exact spec. Who's the idiot insurer?

 

[Mr Squashie]

Who's the idiot insurer?

@DAN@ADRIAN FLUX

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

@DAN@ADRIAN FLUX

How can I help?

 

[Louis]

They were available in black or white from Renault when new.
@DavidandAlex I'm sure if you search hard enough you'll find some post from 2008 when people bought new 197's in that exact spec. Who's the idiot insurer?

I was just going off the fact the centre caps are a different colour, presumed the wheels had been painted tok

 

[seb]

I didn’t think a 197 had the option of those wheels. Those look like 200 wheels probably added at a later date.

 

[JamesBryan]

I didn’t think a 197 had the option of those wheels. Those look like 200 wheels probably added at a later date.

Yeah Speedlines were a 200 option I think.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Normal 197 may be different, but my 197 Cup had the wheels, spoiler & recaros from factory

 

[Louis]

Download the MyRenault app, put your reg in and it'll give you the full factory spec.

 

[seb]

Normal 197 may be different, but my 197 Cup had the wheels, spoiler & recaros from factory
View attachment 1695780

 

[Martin_172]

Technically they are all optional extras which are supposed to be declared. However I think that's a very strict thing for them to enforce. Especially when the cars not new, how is anyone supposed to know exactly what options a 15yr old car had from the factory

 

[Mr Squashie]

Technically they are all optional extras which are supposed to be declared. However I think that's a very strict thing for them to enforce. Especially when the cars not new, how is anyone supposed to know exactly what options a 15yr old car had from the factory

I've never known an insurer to care about OEM parts, even when they aren't from the same car. I phoned my girlfriend's insurers to tell them I'd put wheels from a 3rd gen Mazda 6 on her 2nd gen one and they didn't want to know.
Is there even a box to write down optional extras in? There's no way you'd write them in the modifications bit because they aren't.

 

[Martin_172]

It was always the case with all insurers and the question specifically said any modifications or factory optional extras but it seems some now include this as standard for extras.

Extreme example but if I insure a Mégane trophy R, someone runs into the front corner and destroys my optional extra carbon wheel and carbon ceramic brakes, a £3000 fix is now a £20,000 fix

 

[DavidandAlex]

Thank you all for your support. My 197 clearly has the Cup Package - factory fitted. The Renault App shows it had the Black Anthracite Alloy wheels fitted at the Factory as an option (Thanks for this information Lewis). My car is identical to Sir Dave's car with the same Alloys, Recaros and Spoiler. My Insurance Company's definition of a modification is 'A modification is any alteration to the manufacturer's original specification for the vehicle which has been made since the vehicle was built' . Does this mean factory fitted options have to be declared - not clear at all. The carVertical factory specification shows i had the 'Look Sport Equipment Package,' the 'Extreme Equipment Package' and 'Brake package'. Can anyone tell me which of these would be the Cup Package? I am still waiting for my insurer to follow up on my complaint. Have had the bump repaired at my local paint shop and have now managed to get insurance through Admiral. Have declared the wheels, the Spoiler as modifications to ensure that I get insurance and can't be caught out. Also had to declare insurance cancelled and no fault accident. My insurance cost is now twice what it was last year. Is an exhaust repair with a new rear silencer and all the rest factory fitted a modification? - how is anyone supposed to know? If I am not able to resolve this I will follow up with Ombudsman. My old insurance documents also state that when they have a car repaired they are allowed to use non OEM spares and even recycled parts. How does that fit in with owners having to declared modifications when they reserve the right to do what the want when they have your car repaired !!!! Alex

 

[Martin_172]

Made since the vehicle has been built means you DO NOT have to declare optional extras.

If you look at the wording direct line use in comparison, they want options declared.

 

[DavidandAlex]

Dear All, After lodging a formal complaint with my insurer (Aviva) they send an engineer to inspect my Clio 197. The engineer reported that the only modification he could see was a radio. He accepted that the spoiler, alloy wheels and exhaust were factory fitted (which they were). Aviva have rescinded the insurance cancellation and have covered the cost of my repair and the additional insurance cost I have to pay. If you do have any after market modifications or are not sure do declare them when you insure your car, even if you think they may be factory fitted. This could have gone very differently. Changing your alloys, adding a spoiler, wheel spacers, stainless exhaust, larger tail pipes, high intensity lighting, colour change, decals, different seats, speaker in the boot, ecu mapping, lowered suspension etc could and probably would invalidate your insurance. Declare and be on the safe side. Thanks to all who responded to our request for support. David and Alex

 

[RSRowe]

Great result

 

[JamesBryan]

Good to see common sense has prevailed.

Ridiculous they refused in the first place.

 

[McGherkin]

It's amazing it went that far, but at least it's all sorted!

 

[CrippsCorner]

Crazy. I found Aviva to be quite modification friendly in the past. They've gone a bit s**t recently though, they wouldn't even quote me on a Fiesta ST despite it being a lower insurance group than my current car? We all know insurance is f**king weird sometimes.

Glad you got it resolved!

 

[BenCup]

Well this thread just cost me an admin fee. My car in my eyes is completely standard but last year the exhaust started blowing so had a stainless steel one made to the same specification as the Renault one from the cat back and being that its on a 172 and you cant see it so I didn't think anything of it but apparently this is a modification and is considered a cosmetic exhaust. Apparently this would have been grounds to refuse insurance.

CRAZY!

 

[seb]

I’ve had the pleasure of sorting 3 x insurance claims via work and my basic conclusion is the entire insurance market in the UK is the biggest farce and only really there to extract money from you and try at any oppourtunity to not pay out. Horrible industry.

I recently had to get some travel insurance. A company wanted me to disclose EVERY SINGLE GP appointment i had been on in my life. SRS. I don’t even have any under lying health conditions etc. was there in the small print. Outrageous

 

[R3k1355]

Just makes more work for the insurance Ombudsman, who have to investigate, then tell the company they need to pay up.

Should be able to issue additional fines or penalties when they are found to be acting in bad faith.

 

[McGherkin]

Well this thread just cost me an admin fee. My car in my eyes is completely standard but last year the exhaust started blowing so had a stainless steel one made to the same specification as the Renault one from the cat back and being that its on a 172 and you cant see it so I didn't think anything of it but apparently this is a modification and is considered a cosmetic exhaust. Apparently this would have been grounds to refuse insurance.

CRAZY!

Could have cost you a lot more though!

I’ve had the pleasure of sorting 3 x insurance claims via work and my basic conclusion is the entire insurance market in the UK is the biggest farce and only really there to extract money from you and try at any oppourtunity to not pay out. Horrible industry.

I recently had to get some travel insurance. A company wanted me to disclose EVERY SINGLE GP appointment i had been on in my life. SRS. I don’t even have any under lying health conditions etc. was there in the small print. Outrageous

It’s, to an extent, legalised, mandated, racketeering. The insurance companies never lose, they always make a profit.

They aren’t completely to blame, as they are legally on the hook every time a 17 year old takes his corsa full of pissed up mates and barrel rolls it through a school, and there definitely is an industry which makes a lot of money from insurance repairs simply by growing the repair bills over time to be just enough to not write the car off, but almost.

I don’t want to tar everyone with the same brush either, as Greenlight have been good to me so far. But there’s definitely a lot of min-maxing going on.