Hi chaps,

A quick question. Hopefully someone has been in the same situation as me before.

Bought a Stilo 1.6 3dr Dynamic with the side skirts and the 17" alloys 6 months ago. Insurance is up for renewal and so as yer do, ive been shopping around. I wasnt aware of this before, but it seems that my alloys and skirts, although factory fitted, are being classed as modifications, and as such is pushing my premium up by around 70 -100 quid!!! Has anyone else been in the same situation as me? Call me stupid, but I was always under the impression that when insurance co. ask about modifications to the car, that they refer to non-standard items. Any advise appreciated!!!

Stu.

Stilo 3dr Dynamic 17" 'ers and the skirts!

Not good, i've just agree'd to buy a set of Alloys for my Stilo but they won't be getting fitted if they are classed as Mods!

Try a few other insurance firms, i can rate Lancaster Ins highly enough, they insure my lightly modded Mini Cooper for a very reasonable price. I personally wouldn't recommend Adrian Flux, i had bad dealings with them!

Live life a little, get a Fiat, pick a Stilo, watch it fail, book it into a arsehole dealership, having no repairs carried out, get an ulcer, suffer depression, get a baseball bat, get f**kin even!!!

I think I will shop around a bit. Just interested to know how many people have got a similar spec and have just got it insured without stating the changes because they are of the same belief as me???? Would appreciate some more feedback from anyone else...

Ta

Stilo 3dr Dynamic 17" 'ers and the skirts!

When I got my insurance, they said anything factory fitted does not make a difference, however, retro fitting stuff which was a factory option does[xx(]

So the skirts I was after, the alloys your after Stiloboy, and anything else like that are mods

Funny enough though, roof racks, towbars etc aren't counted, they just want to spoil our fun really[}]

Stilo TURBO!!!!(diesel)

I think ive been unfortunate in ending up talking to a dumb ass who doesnt know what their talking about....I will try again....

Stilo 3dr Dynamic 17" 'ers and the skirts!

James - I just phoned yet another insurance co. and got told the same thing. Which insurance co. told you that it would not affect it - I wouldnt mind giving them a call....

Ta

Thats what annoys me with call centre's, its pot luck, one time you might get a complete numpty, then others someone who can't do enough for you, lets start a campaign to sack all numpties of to their own special island

Stilo TURBO!!!!(diesel)

Hi, do what I did, go on Confused.com, fill out the online form, it includes a mods list, then you get a return quote from companies who will cover mods, I went with Elephant who cover factory fitted options as standard, give it a go!

FIAT Stilo Sport. Pretty Much Bog Standard Really. Rear Roof Spoiler,
Sill Protectors, Aluminium Foot Pedals, Eibach 30mm Drop Springs.

If you buy factory option alloys whats to say when you come to renew that they weren't fitted as options when you first bought the car!

Live life a little, get a Fiat, pick a Stilo, watch it fail, book it into a arsehole dealership, having no repairs carried out, get an ulcer, suffer depression, get a baseball bat, get f**kin even!!!

Cheers mate. I will do just that. As it happens ive just been speaking to a manager at tesco insurance after loosing my rag with the thicko call taker. Ive now been told that the alloys wont affect the premium because they are factory items, IE Fiat badged and so less desirable to nick than other types of alloy. The sideskirts, on the other hand, are classed as a mod that does make the car more desirable for theft and so they still pump up the premium. I will check out confused.com (cos I bloody am) and see where that takes me.....

The fact of the matter is, with locking wheel nuts fitted it will be harder to steal the alloys than it would to steal the plastic wheel trims! Thats what i'll tell my insurance firm anyway!

Live life a little, get a Fiat, pick a Stilo, watch it fail, book it into a arsehole dealership, having no repairs carried out, get an ulcer, suffer depression, get a baseball bat, get f**kin even!!!

Aye, but they might be more likly to nick the car

I thought the same as you really, how will they know there not factory, but then I thought again, knowing my luck....

I'm insured with direct line, very cheap, but TBH I wouldn't recommend them, they are definitely hit and miss depending who answers the phone[!]

Stilo TURBO!!!!(diesel)

How did you get on Stuie?

FIAT Stilo Sport. Pretty Much Bog Standard Really. Rear Roof Spoiler,
Sill Protectors, Aluminium Foot Pedals, Eibach 30mm Drop Springs.

Yep I went through these questions with my insurance company on 2 separate calls... why two calls well basically to see if I got the same answer..... both answers were the same so the opperators were at least playing with the same book!

What I was told and also told by my sister who did work in the insurance industry is that if ordered as a factory fit from the options list that is fine... but once its built if you add anything its a modification and possibly subject to a higher premium!


My insurance company is eSure.. they are good if you have full no claims and no points.... my quote on an Abarth manual with a few extras is £470 with protected no claims.

And if you buy a pre-registered car or second hand with factory options fitted later but before you buy the car what does this mean?

If you don't find out if they were fitted at the factory and then tell the insurance firm your comming fraud! Hmmm, fishy! very fishy!

I've fitted a 5-disc Blaupunkt into my car, its a factory option, i've not told the insurance firm but then my insurance is up for renewal in a few months!

Live life a little, get a Fiat, pick a Stilo, watch it fail, book it into a arsehole dealership, having no repairs carried out, get an ulcer, suffer depression, get a baseball bat, get f**kin even!!!

I had thos out with Direct Line over my wife's Astra SRi. It has the £950 optional sports styling pack fitted to it (Front & rear valance, sid skirts and twin exhausts). Come the finish, they agreed it was just an optional extra (like climate control or leather seat) hence there is no need to declare it. We're now with the AA and when asked if the car has been modified beyond the factory spec we said no. Hope this helps?

Simon
'03 Stilo 1.8 Dynamic 3 door, Crystal Green.

Originally posted by StiloBoy
And if you buy a pre-registered car or second hand with factory options fitted later but before you buy the car what does this mean?

If you don't find out if they were fitted at the factory and then tell the insurance firm your comming fraud! Hmmm, fishy! very fishy!

I've fitted a 5-disc Blaupunkt into my car, its a factory option, i've not told the insurance firm but then my insurance is up for renewal in a few months!

Live life a little, get a Fiat, pick a Stilo, watch it fail, book it into a arsehole dealership, having no repairs carried out, get an ulcer, suffer depression, get a baseball bat, get f**kin even!!!

Click to expand...

As soon as the car is built and delivered from the factory any additions wether they are in the options list or not are classed as modifications.

Now if you bought a second hand or pre reg car and didnt know the modifications were not factory fitted or not then I guess that could be a bit of a grey area.... as you have bought the car as seen! but if you yourself added them then its a modification to factory standard.


As for the CD changer... its a modification and would be subject to declaring toyour insurance company.... if fitted by a main dealer in the correct manor, would an insurance loss adjuster be able to tell if factory fit or not... dunno, but what I do know is every car from FIAT has a delivery note will all main options on the car listed wether they are a standard option or customer ordered.... so this leads me to believe that insurance companys may have access to thes documents ( but I maybe wrong )


I guess wether you tell them or not is down to how lucky you feel in not having to make a claim or be in a scrape?

Having worked in the insurance industry a few years ago as a motor underwriter, I'll give you my two pennies worth....

Declare EVERYTHING! Insurers do differ in what they will and won't charge extra for, but they also differ in what their definitions are.

One may say:

'Any modifications and/or factory fitted optional extras' and mean extras from the standard optional list only - i.e. sideskirts and the like out of the Brio catalogue are NOT included in this definition.

Others may say the same AND include anything and everything you had fitted at the time of order. In reality at the end of the day, a Stilo with a full body kit is going to cost more to re-instate to how it was than a completely standard one.

Second-hand with extras? Don't kid yourself. Again the onus is on you to declare anything you think maybe non-standard. If your unsure it's your responsibility to find out. Insurers don't accept ignorance as a defence just like a court of law doesn't.

Having said all that - don't just accept it if they try it on. If you've fitted extras which genuinely don't increase the risk (i.e. same size but different style alloys that cost the same to replace), argue with them. I've only ever paid extra for lower a car and that was fair enough - why? We live in speed bump/pot hole city. You'd be amazed at the amount of damaged sump/underside claims these can generate.

Hope this helps

1.6 3dr Dynamic.

Biaggi

I've got a question for you.

Say my Stilo Sport was stolen/burned, and I claimed on the insurance, they'd have to replace it, as it's only nine months old, correct?

But when I bought mine they didn't have spoiler, skirts and big wheels as standard, so when the insurance people made their payment would it be based on the latest model or the model of nine months ago?

TC.

FIAT Stilo Sport. Pretty Much Bog Standard Really. Rear Roof Spoiler,
Sill Protectors, Aluminium Foot Pedals, Eibach 30mm Drop Springs.

TC - most insurers will replace a vehicle within the first 12 months of registration provided your the first owner and the claim exceeds 50% of it's current market value.

Most - not all - check the print.

They would arrange replacement with the current equivalent model. If it comes with a few extras over yours then your onto a winner.

However, if you wanted optional extras you'd have to pay for them (unless you had declared them and the insurer agreed they formed part of your policy - not all do - they agree cover but will only re-instate to a standard spec) and be prepared for the insurers to re-assess you as a risk - your security/parking measures would be scrutinised.

In addition such a claim would lapse your current policy and therefore you'd have to pay a new annual premium and take a hit on your NCD if not protected.

Not considering anything are you???

1.6 3dr Dynamic.