I too have a healthy mistrust of insurance companies. but that means I believe that they wouldn't take kindly to non-disclosure ... I understand there is legislation coming that puts the onus on insurance companies to specify what they expect re disclosure of 'relevant' facts / info. For me, that's a real step forward as it means that customers know what's declarable. You might find eg that one insurance company says "no probelm" to your spoiler, whereas another demands a hefty price hike. You can then vote with your feet, safe in the knowledge that you KNOW what to declare, and what you don't need to, specific to each insurance co... ...

Be true to yourself. That way happiness lies...

Agreed. There should also be a clear distinction between "practical & convenience" mods such as mud flaps, side steps, tow bars etc which pose no additional accident type risk and "go faster" mods such as chips, tuning boxes, wide wheels etc which may reflect on the way the car may be driven. Hence additional risk. I am thinking here about the typical Saxo/Fiesta/207 etc. 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

All modifications that alter the perfomance and/or safety of the car, the people inside it and pedestrians MUST be disclosed to your insurer, mudflaps definately do not come under that! side bars is different, they may deem them as protection for offroading ergo you do go off road there for more damage risk, or they just heard the word "bars" and assumed bull/A bars but that said while most people on here are quite knowledgeable about cars there are alot of people who know nothing and dont even know what is or is not standard on thier vehicle so if something has been added or removed from thier vehicle would the insurance Co refuse to pay out? I don't know but what I do know is that I have never heard of anybody I know, myself included, being refused an insurance payout on a modified vehicle. The insurance scrapped a vehicle of mine that had an A bar fitted and when I asked for it back they said as the vehicle was down to be detroyed they could not take anything off it when I said that it was my personal property because it wasn't on the policy, my choice, they paid me £150 second hand value otherwise as they said themselves they would be open to charges of theft. if it's not on the policy it's personal property and must be returned.

Ghyllie oo! Shiney!
____________________________________________
55 Nissan Navara SE Black - My Toy.
08 Freelander 2 XS Santorini Black - Her Majesty's Toy.

Shouldn't we assume currently that modifications that affect the desirability, value or "thief-attractiveness" may also be deemed to be adding to the risk, therefore attracting a premium hike? If so, as it stands, you would (?) be expected to declare them. Some insurers may well decide that these are not relevant, not charge you any more for them, and thus attract more customers... ...

Be true to yourself. That way happiness lies...

When i had my RRS - I was with the same insurance company. I fitted sidesteps and mudflaps to that, I give them a ring to tell them and they just added them on my policy with no extra payment. I thought this time would be the same and explained that to them - But they insisted on an extra payment for the remaining 4 weeks left on the policy or i would not be insured if something did happen.

Exactly... we should perhaps compile a table of insurers & their attitudes to various modifications... ...

Be true to yourself. That way happiness lies...

should i tell them about my recently fitted Sat Nav? It tells me where the SAFETY cameras are so I now slow down. Will this increase or decrease my premiums?

 www.justgiving.com/toptobottomtractorrun
www.top-to-bottom-tractor-run.co.uk
All for The Christie Hospital Young Oncology Unit.
A penny a mile will make Fred smile
Text Fred55 to 70070

Don't forget V Power diese, I suppose this could be a performance enhancing modification

My brother for the last month, has stated to date a fraud investigator for one of the top insurance companies, the stories she has are mind boggling.
The companies are out to get every penny they can, the culprit, cash for crash scams which have taken on a whole new level.
Basically they now use a minibus as it is far more lucrative and they get a fortune, partly because the soft arsed authorities deem it too sensitive to investigate.

So beware.....don't drive too close, roundabouts are favourites.

taztastic wrote:

Don't forget V Power diesel, I suppose this could be a form of idiot tax

 At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

The posts on this topic just tell me that there's no consistency in how insurers engage with, and treat, their customers. I think we all need to be aware that they are not charitable organisations and we need to ensure we are squeaky clean in our dealings with them. Otherwise the results should we need to call on their funds are even more unpredictable than they need be.

In the interests of 'squeaky-cleanliness'... My policy runs out at 23:59 on 26th; the renewal starts at 00:01 on 27th. I hope I don't have an accident at 00:00. I fear I may be uninsured for 2 minutes a year! Clearly I should inform the authorities of this flouting of the law... or demand a 0.0003805% reduction in my premium for this uninsured 2 minute period? Excellent - that'll be a refund I believe of ... £0.00167...! Hurrah! Saving money!  ...

Be true to yourself. That way happiness lies...

In Switzerland your insurance company automatically cover you for a sum amounting to 10% by value of the car's original purchase price for "accessories". This will be shown as a value up to which you are covered for such losses over and above the actual vehicles sum insured. You do not have to declare individually these accessories i.e mud flaps or side steps etc..

However, modifications to engine or suspension, or the fitting of none standard wheels sizes or tyres are not classified as "accessories" and must be declared. They will attract an alteration (increase) in premium.

This is a symptom of the cutthroat insurance market. For years I had a relatively expensive policy and they never asked for extra premiums. I'm now with Swiftcover and they do make a hefty charge for, for example, going abroad for more than three days. However they are so much cheaper (and haven't even put my premiums up much year on year) that I reckon I'm still well ahead.

Just been through the same precess recently with the D3, informed my insurance about the towbar and side steps and to my surprise I was told that there would be no charge and the information was entered on my policy, ABC part of LV through a broker. Gone, 2007 TD4 SE Auto Baltic blue, clear side repeaters, full sized alloy spare.

English by birth..... Yorkshire by the grace of God.