When does a car become 'Modified'??

Just considering some possible modifications to my Coupe, but wanted to find out what people classed as a modified car, and at what point the mods need to be divulged to the relevant Insurance company.

Cheers

Dan

When there not original parts????

You need to tell them everything thats not standard, they will determine what they charge you for.

Sometimes it may not increase your insurance, but carlt is right, tell them everything, even if you upgrade safety features such as brakes. If you're unfortunate enough to have an accident they can ask the garage for a report any modifications not declared makes your insurance void. You cars value will also be higher.

Some might say a car is modified the moment a non standard part is changed. This is probably true with the exception of tyres.

Insurance companies are also particularly interested in mods that increase performance or make the car more desirable. I find the safest approach is to declare everything that way your in the clear should the worst happen.

My insurance certificate has the following mods on it by the way:

Mods - Lips,side skirt, grill, induction kit, chip, S/S catback exhaust, HIDs, strutbrace, boost gauge, boost controller, non standard 17" alloy wheels, dump valve

Do you update it each time you add a mod, or on the renew date??

Each time obviously.

I dont think saying oh i didn't think i needed to mention this 2.4 600bhp conversion till renewal time. Now can i have some payout please?

No point fiddling insurance for a few pennies.

Want to mod, its not cheap.

Each time I add a mod otherwise the car wouldn't be covered if they found a mod you hadn't declared I believe

You declare your HID's Tartan??

Yes

put it this way, my insurance WOULDNT insure me on my plus as it wasnt modified.

(then i remembered about the ugly spoiler on the boot and then they WOULD insure me!!!!)

having said that they said a miltek exhaust didnt count

go figure, they are a law unto themselves.

personally i would mention everything

Er, what? They refused to insure you cos it wasn't modified?

Ok......

I haven't declared my HID's..

I declared EVERYTHING on the phone, then when my policy came through the list of mods had about 3 things on it

Is that a special colour pattern?

I declare everything, several pages worth and then still had to have a professional evaluation of the car's value.

John

I can remember with the novas having to write out about 5 pages of mods

Thing that annoys me is alot of 'insurers' don't even know what you are talking about...

ie "its got a flux capasitor that allows it to do warp factor 8"
"how much does it increase power by?"
"oh about 10%"
"ok"

etc

Brakes won't change ur premium, as though they make the car 'safer', insurer will counter if you need bigger brakes, you must be driving too fast...

I've also heard of insurance being void by sticking a daft sticker on the bumper...

HIDs you definitely have to state as there are concerns about the legality of them.


My insurance company have a lot of my stuff down as 'undisclosed engine modifications'.

When I was speaking to my insurance company it was like speaking to a 5 year old....

Me: I've fitted a chargecooler
Them: Is that like a supercharger?

To be honest I think my place ran out of boxes to tick and space in the notes, so we agreed on a % power increase upto 300bhp. This again is total crap, as I could turn my boost up stupidly high and get more (but it will probably blow up).

JohnS - your car is so non standard, its almost a kit car!

I think its especially important to mention the cosmetic mods.

Alot of garages would not know the difference between a GT28RS and an electric fan, but cosmetic modifications ie: bodykits spoilers wheels interiors etc are very easy to see and distinguish from a standard car.

If you are unlucky enough to write off your car it would be down to potluck if the car is modified as its difficult to know wether the insurance inspector has the slightest clue what they are doing.

I think if it was a kit car it would halve my insurance!! Mind you mine is now a reasonable £890 or something like that