Whilst trawling the web looking for insurance I came across the usual question regarding modifications. As this subject comes up here quite a lot, I thought I would check the 'yes' box for the heck of it.
Up pops a screen with a list of modifications which they expect you to tick - towbar, reversing sensors, tints, sunroof, alloys, etc.
On another insurance site I did the same thing only to find that they don't list half the stuff that was listed on the first site.
To be honest, I have never considered the addition of a towbar to be a modification (although thinking about it logically, I suppose it has to be).
Some insurers even included a new radio as being a modification.

So, whilst you might not consider the addition of a 'go-faster stripe' to be a modification, it's always worth checking the 'yes' box to see what the company thinks - just to be on the safe side.
In the event of an accident, if your insurance company discovers some undeclared mods - they might not want to pay out!

tbh any mods i ring up my company and declare after the qoutes from comparison sites its much easier and safer that way

could you plead ignorant though for example my step dad has fitted a tow bar, im not sure if he has told the insurance company, probably not because he doesn't see it as something they need to know about

jip0 said:

, probably not because he doesn't see it as something they need to know about

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Exactly why I've never declared mods but exactly the reason why I started this thread.
Insurers have us by the short and curlies as it is but to have an accident and the insurers refuse to payout because of undeclared mods would be a nightmare.
In this day and age it is worth covering all the bases - just to be on the safe side.

sludgeguts said:

Exactly why I've never declared mods but exactly the reason why I started this thread.
Insurers have us by the short and curlies as it is but to have an accident and the insurers refuse to payout because of undeclared mods would be a nightmare.
In this day and age it is worth covering all the bases - just to be on the safe side.

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tbh its just plain annoying and damn crafty of them things like tow bars really don't need to be declared, if anything they protect the rear of the car a bit more

what if a little old lady needs to buy a new car coz her ancient citroen ax has given up, she finds a nice cheap corsa previously owned by a young driver who put some aftermarket alloys on and some minor other changes, chances are little old lady isn't going to realise these and almost definitely isn't going to declare any mods on her policy

she is then in an accident and the insurance company look at her car and void the insurance hardly fair is it

i agree some mods need to be declared but it all seems a bit crafty to me

jip0 said:

tbh its just plain annoying and damn crafty of them things like tow bars really don't need to be declared, if anything they protect the rear of the car a bit more

what if a little old lady needs to buy a new car coz her ancient citroen ax has given up, she finds a nice cheap corsa previously owned by a young driver who put some aftermarket alloys on and some minor other changes, chances are little old lady isn't going to realise these and almost definitely isn't going to declare any mods on her policy

she is then in an accident and the insurance company look at her car and void the insurance hardly fair is it

i agree some mods need to be declared but it all seems a bit crafty to me

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you should be aware of what is standard and what isn't standard on the car
If you are aware there not Standard alloys - either put standard ones on or say alloys are added

I do agree tho - she'd be stung with the best of them
But Dear old granny, might get away with it tho

Ziggy

My Punto is being traded in tomorrow - it has 14" Fiat alloys which for all the world look like they could be standard as they are the same size as the steels and badged by manufacturer.

Does Granny know that the basic spec Punto Mk2 never had those alloys as an option? Will the garage point it out to her?

Probably not. She will trust the garage man to sell her a car, and he will do so.

Would a young driver buying it as a first car with no particular interest in cars as such know?

Probably not. I didn't declare them at first because I didn't realise either.

Granny might get away with it in a crash, but would the young driver?

Probably not. Granny is harder to characterise as a chav cheating the insurer out of a few pennies by not declaring her pimped out wheels.

There are mods that should need to be declared, and mods that are surely irrelevant for insurance purposes. My insurer is fine with the alloys, only wants another £10 a month for the new 1.6 turbo diesel, but will void my policy for any interior mod.

I personally consider a vast increase in engine performance more likely to cause an accident than a blue LED, but there you go..

I declared all my modifications, it took 2 pages, and my premium jumped from a huge £ 85 to a massive £150! Dont you just love classic insurance

A towbar. it only bolts on, and facilitates use of the car for other things.
its like saying. diffrent tyres, almost

its an essencial part to working the car.
I tried to decalre my radio 5 times, with CK its done automatically. 150 for audio
most annoying thing its not worth claiming a radio. only cost me a tenner

jip0 said:

tbh its just plain annoying and damn crafty of them things like tow bars really don't need to be declared, if anything they protect the rear of the car a bit more

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Or causes 5 times more damage to the car you reverse into