General Grande Punto - Modifcations Ideas

[PuntoHowTo]

that's worse than the Germans did long time ago...( don't mention the war, Basil...)

They tend to do it in areas where groups of young motorists congregate and cause problems for locals.

They have however been getting a bit over zealous on insurance recently, a few weeks ago a story his the news where they seized a guys car for driving home from work, when his insurance didn’t specifically cover commuting the car was otherwise completely well kept and safe, taxed and MOT’d and the driver had don’t nothing else wrong to warrant being pulled over.

On a Tv show recently they seized someone’s car mid takeaway delivery due to not having business insurance.

 

[g8rpi]

I saw the traffic police show with the business insurance chinese takeaway case and there was another one a couple of years ago with a parcel delivery driver. To be honest I fully agree with the police clamping down on this. There are now lots of food delivery businesses working through the internet. Many are using delivery drivers in private cars or on mopeds and I'm sure lots of them are not properly insured. It's a high risk mode of driving and if they do not declre it and pay more, everyone else has higher premiums.
The driving to work one is interesting, does "domestic" cover this? Also note if you drive for work other than from home to your normal workplace e.g. popping down the shops to pick something up or dropping mail off on the way home, you need business cover. Many standard policies from "better" companies include this, but you have to check. I always make sure I have business cover, even as an extra it does not cost me much more (might be more if your occupation was delivery driver and I don't have to worry about it.
Robert G8RPI.

 

[irc]

At least with some of the UK insurers, Domestic and Leisure usage does not cover driving to- and from- work. They seem to define it as "commuting". May also apply to train stations and park-and-ride too.
And if you have more than one workplace, and are reimbursed for travelling between them, you may need some level of business insurance. (I believe "responsible" employers are supposed to check before paying travel costs, but, again, maybe not all do)
Not sure if it is the same with all UK insurers though.
Probably best to ask first...

 

[portland_bill]

Until I got the Panda, all my insurance had covered commuting, and also use in connection with work, but excluding motor trade purposes.

Now being a driving instructor, my Panda insurance specifically excludes work use, even to/from a place of work. So even if I go to a company to carry out driver training there in their own vehicles, I cannot use the Panda. Seemed odd, but not a problem as I have the school car for that anyway.

The school car of course has 'business' insurance, but the AA franchise specifically excludes using it for non driving business. Apparently a few years ago some instructors were doing deliveries in them when learner business was light.

 

[digger58]

When and where were you a police officer? Times have changed. The insurance companies certainly can, and do, invalidate a policy due to an undeclared modification. They can't refuse to pay a 3rd party claim if they had not been aware of the modification at the time of the incident, but they will come after the policy holder to get back what they paid out. A simple stripe can make a car more noticeable to thieves. indicate a "boy-racer" mentality in the owner or even if innocent could make other less prudent road users try to race the car resulting in increased risk. They WILL question everthing, last accident claim I made (not my fault) on a classic car they tried to say a poor repair had been carried out previously. Ithey backed down when I provided evidence that it was done by an OEM approved bodyshop.
Unfortuntly like all things insurance related, one there is cause for a claim it's too late to go back and change anything. You could be paying out premiums for years thinking you were OK and then get a refusal.

Suffice to say Ireland and recently! I still do some work for insurance companies so decided to call one of my contacts. He confirmed my suspicions, adding a stripe (either stick on or painted on) makes no difference at all, IT IS NOT A MODIFICATION. An Insurance company trying to be a psychoanalyst due to a persons preference for stripes or other colour schemes is nonsense. As he said "I would not like to be the person who denied or cancelled a policy due to a stripe if it went to court" . Were you ever aked if you had applied a decal to your car or painted a stripe on it when applying for a policy? Were you asked the colour of you car? I wasn't, Occupation, age, NCB, use etc but not colour. Lets be realistic here, there is too much urban myth doing the rounds!

 

[digger58]

I'm not sure whether this is a question, a statement, or a request. And who was it aimed at? I'm puzzled.

The original poster asked a question.
Most of us replied to warn him of the risks involved, and potential insurance implications. Whilst this may seem negative, it was all intended to be helpful, to prevent him getting himself into trouble.
Then we got a negative post, arguing rather than contributing. Not helpful.
Sadly this happens occasionally, there seems to be an element who wish to argue, but not constructively.

Hopefully the OP will take the good advice and make the right decision.

I presume this dig is aimed at me! Thankfully this sort of thing doesn't bother me, but lets clear something up. The OP was speaking of changes to his car and he lists them, the topic of insurance came later so it was relevant to discuss and dispel some of the myths, If you think any post that you don't agree with is NEGATIVE then that's plain sad. I have found that people who claim that all other points are invalid and argumantative tend to be very small minded and not at all open to other ideas. The risks of what he wants to dois varied,
Lowered
- Tinted Back Windows
- Debadge the whole back (How hard is it to get the round Fiat logo off?)
- Black Alloy Wheels
- Takeaway the back window wiper
- Different Light Bulbs in the Headlights/Side Lights/Number Plate
Some would be notifiable to insurance others not, Tinting a window(Once the tint is not too much) there is a device called Tintmaster to test it, is not illegal or an excuse for dropping cover! Lets give him all the facts not just what some believe to be true! Some lightbulbs are road legal others not, the list is endless. I repeat, there is a difference between MODIFICATION and what needs to be declared,

 

[g8rpi]

<SNIP>

Suffice to say Ireland and recently! I still do some work for insurance companies so decided to call one of my contacts. He confirmed my suspicions, adding a stripe (either stick on or painted on) makes no difference at all, IT IS NOT A MODIFICATION. An Insurance company trying to be a psychoanalyst due to a persons preference for stripes or other colour schemes is nonsense. As he said "I would not like to be the person who denied or cancelled a policy due to a stripe if it went to court" . Were you ever aked if you had applied a decal to your car or painted a stripe on it when applying for a policy? Were you asked the colour of you car? I wasn't, Occupation, age, NCB, use etc but not colour. Lets be realistic here, there is too much urban myth doing the rounds!

Well things must be different in Eire to mainland UK.
I've always been asked the colour of my car by the insurance company (more recently they have verbally confirmed it from on-line data). This insurance broker has some guidance
https://www.keithmichaels.co.uk/modified-cars-insurance/car-insurance-modifications-guide/
They say you need to declare stripes but it will not normally affect the cost. A slightly less reliable site http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...n-car-modifications-insurance-costs-soar.html says a strip can add up to 22%

I still stand by what I said, tell your insurance company about anything that is a change from the orginal specification, if you have a claim it too late to tell them. You only know for sure when you have to claim.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[g8rpi]

@Dan at Adrian Flux

What's your view as a broker? Is adding a coloured stripe to the body of your car a modification that needs to be declared to your insurance company?

Robert G8RPI.

 

[Ben D]

My broker asked me if there was anything non standard. I was specifically asked about the colour of the wheels and if the windows were tinted when I took out the policy.

When I called to declare the changes I've made to my car, the broker told me all the things I have done, exhaust and cat, filter, lowering and change of colour to the wheels needed to be declared as they were classed as modifications. I was thanked for informing them.

The changes were run by the underwriter who decided that there was no increase in premium required (probably due to being nearly 40 and having full no claims). Had I been half the age with little or zero NCD, I think it may have been different.

I can well believe things are different in Eire.

Cheers

Ben

 

[digger58]

They have to justify their premiums, I'd love to see the facts from the underwriters, we pay huge premiums here anyway, some of the highest in Europe, maybe they are covereing us for all eventualities already. Anyway, I can paint or apply a stripe anytime I like and not tell anyone. Not that I want to OR ever did! I didn't have a choice in the colour of my car as it's 2nd hand, its blue, what does that say about me (except that I'm tight and let others take the hit in depreciation)?