do you have to tell insurance EVERYTHING?

[beau]

hi everyone,

do you have to tell insurance every little modification? eg- clear side repeators, up-rated stereo and speakers, and colour coding and changing badges and removing stuff like trim, so would i have to tell them if i did any of that? or do they just want to know about drastic body kits etc and oh yeah, would i have to tell them if i fitted gt3 wheels?

and btw im talking about my sisters punto, so no comments about i cant get insurance yet!

 

[dazzdog]

don't tell them nothing, but youn are meant to

wanna buy some gt3 wheels off me? bought them yesterday and put them on this morning but my tipo wheels look better imo

 

[chaos]

Tell them everything. The stereo most probably is already covered. I doubt clear repeaters, colour coding etc will affect the premium but better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Helz]

Mine know everything although when i told them they did say they weren't particularly bothered by little things and optional extras. But like Chaos I say better safe than sorry, I wouldn't want them not to pay out if ever I needed them.

 

[jimbro1000]

Tell them everything. The stereo most probably is already covered. I doubt clear repeaters, colour coding etc will affect the premium but better to be safe than sorry.

On the contrary - clearly visual modifications can make a big difference. Generally works against the theft risk part of the equation. Performance mods tend to work against the general accident risk. The problem is that you can't tell what will and what won't make a difference.

If you know someone at a high street broker willing to punch in the numbers for you it is easy to work out what is killing your premium but if you do this yourself you can be pretty sure that the information is being stored against your name even if you don't declare it in the end. Better still if you do have the car stolen or it is in an accident they can decide that you did not declare the mods which basically leaves you uninsured. You don't want to go there...

 

[beastyjay]

different side repeators, colour coding, chaging/removing badges i wouldnt, theres not point

 

[chaos]

On the contrary - clearly visual modifications can make a big difference.

All depends on the mod concerned. I remember a member saying on here (stevepab IIRC) told his insurance co that he'd done some colour coding and their reply was 'Why are you telling us?' Of course stuff like bodykits will increase a premium.

 

[Bob in disguise]

Well I know i wouldnt bother telling them about mods that small, but insurance companies do try and weasel their way out of everything so if you wanna be on the safe side you probably should tell them.

I've only declared my wheels and exhuast as they aren't easily removed, where as the skirts i could just pull them off

 

[GhostWKD]

and skirts factory option

 

[gaz.d]

my insurance didnt give a monkies about my visual mods, when i told them i had mods, there reply was "is the engine capacity increased?" and "are you trying to make your car look like something else?"

i said no to both and even mentioned my exhaust and induction kit, but still they weren't bothered

the stereo cover on my insurance is (i think) £500 for standard equipment and £250 for non standard

 

[NumanR]

It depends what the insurance company sees as possibly effecting the risk to theft. Debadge a car and it could increase the risk of theft, as could putting a 16valve badge on a 8valve. Some companies are very much more picky than others. Some insurance companies will invalidate the policy if during an accident inspection a tyre is bald, others will only ask for it to be replaced before the vehicle is used on the road.

 

[Hellcat]

Where do you stand if you have bought the car with modifications but didn't know they were made?

Unless you did some pretty indepth investigations you might not be able to find the oem spec for your car.

 

[Trancendental]

best excuse ever. If ever they ask why didn't you tell us reply to them, I bought the car like this and know nothing about cars, It drove so I drove it.

Some insurance companies do want to know about colour coding and even factory kits.