Car modifications and insurance

Try Adrian Flux, they are sensible about mods.  Is it a diesel?  They won't charge you extra for a remap

Hi BB

It is my understanding, that if you have any added extras on your car that would make it more attractive for a thief (ie. compared to a standard one), it makes it a bigger target....hence the extra charge.

This normally applies to bodywork, exhausts, stereos etc. and not parking sensors, which is just plain miserable.

I was told by AA that if it increase the value of the car, the performance, or the risk of theft, then it will cost more to insure.

Best to be honest, then shop around...car insurance rates seem to be as random as airfares these days.

You know that they'll take any chance they can to NOT pay an insurance claim, so don't give them potential ammunition.

(Like banks, they aren't in business for your benefit, just theirs)

Paul Hobbs wrote:

Try Adrian Flux, they are sensible about mods.  Is it a diesel?  They won't charge you extra for a remap

That's if you can get a decent quote out of them in the first place, I've tried them on a number of occasions over the last 20 years on various different cars including classics and at best they're usually twice the price of anyone else, I've no idea why, they just don't like me!

Not round here - parking sensors are to warn school-run mums to put their Starbucks into the cupholder before it spills on their nice new dress.

But who needs parking sensors - isn't that what the car behind is for?>)

Hi Big Boss when I get a quote if I dont like it I tell them that I will go elsewhere  that usually gets me abetter deal I never exept the renewal quote If I havn't  had an accident  then why should I pay more and not the same after all car insurance is not cheap:) :)   

Well I called my existing insurance provider (Tesco) & told them I was getting 25% cheaper elsewhere. They said they don't price match.

Thanks Paul, regarding Adrian Flux. Their quote is higher than my current one. Besides, I'm getting £25 cashback from Quidco. What is remap? Does it actually make a difference?

They change the software in the engine management system, it fetles with the torque curves and whatnot.  On petrol cars the difference is small but on a deisel it's quite sizable.  As an example, on the Skoda Fabia VRs it gives it an extra 30bhp and 60 lbs/ft of torque.  If you keep the revs low the fuel economy isn't affected, but obviously when you use the power economy will be worse!

Having worked in the insurance business for a short period, each company seems to have their own set of rules. I would just shop around and tell other companies about potential add-ons. It won't change the policy but at least your concerns are aired.

I had this happen to me a couple of years ago when I bought a new car. It was a demonstrator model and had a few bells and whistles, including parking sensors, but they weren't part of the standard spec for the car (however, you could buy them as an optional extra)

My insurance asked me on the phone if my car had them. When I said yes, they replied oh thats a modification and will cost extra. I replied that they were on the car when I bought it and were an added safety feature rather than a modification. I went on to add that the car also had alloy wheels that didn't come as standard and did they class those as a modification. They said no. I then asked therefore, what is the basis for the parking sensor theory to which the guy answered "I think you have a fair point sir, I'll just leave it as no mods".

At the end of last year I decided to change my van insurance to fully comp from 3rd PF&T. I wanted to stay with the same insurance company, but their quote seemed high, so I said I'd get back to them after I had tried some other insurers. 

I put my details in to compare the market and got lots of quotes at less than half what I was quoted by my insurer, and amazingly, a quote from my insurer at over £150 less than they had quoted me. 

I rang them back, asked why, and I'm not sure he should have told me this, but he said that new customers get better deals to try and draw you in, then they bump up the premiums once they've got you.

So my advice would be, never renew blind, always check to see if there is a better deal out there, because it seems, there almost definitely will be.

And by the way, my fully comp insurance is now less than my old 3rd PF&T, so happy days. 

Try Greenlight Insurance, which specialises in performance/modded cars and, IME, are very fair. For example, a strut-brace would incur zero increase and a remap that hikes mine from 210bhp/200lb-ft to 260bhp/270lb-ft would cost an extra £25pa.

BTW, remaps only worth it for turbos - petrol and d****l - and only use a reputable company - eg, Custom Code, Revo, APR. 

When looking for insurance I asked re fitting of winter tyres one wanted to charge £25 to mod the policy needless to say found one who would just update the details without charge.

Also I was with an  insurer for 3 years (best price so happy to stay) but it did annoy me that I had to cancel & buy on internet each year as they couldn't price match an online quote.

http://www.abi.org.uk/Information/Consumers/General/Winter_Tyres__The_Mo...

Surely not! The cads! You'll be telling me next you can't get this when you're an existing customer wanting to renew...