INSURANCE THREAD
Discussion
If for no other reason, than to stop people hijacking the 535d thread and getting it locked.
I want people here to be 100% honest, 100%---and say what they would and would not declare to their insurance company IF ( let's keep it hypothetical ;-) ) they changed any part of their car from standard.
So, would you declare a Pipercross air filter element that fits snugly inside the air box on your Toyota Yaris or Mini One?
Would you declare a back box or de-cat pipe on your Astra VXR or even Lancer Evo?
Chip upgrade?
18" wheel swap (from 17s, say)?
Lowering kit?
Have you NEVER changed anything on your car without paying extra insurance?
I have yet to decide as i don't have the 535d yet, but my Mini is not 100% standard and i am damned if i am going to tell them about a high-lift cam and bigger carb.
I want people here to be 100% honest, 100%---and say what they would and would not declare to their insurance company IF ( let's keep it hypothetical ;-) ) they changed any part of their car from standard.
So, would you declare a Pipercross air filter element that fits snugly inside the air box on your Toyota Yaris or Mini One?
Would you declare a back box or de-cat pipe on your Astra VXR or even Lancer Evo?
Chip upgrade?
18" wheel swap (from 17s, say)?
Lowering kit?
Have you NEVER changed anything on your car without paying extra insurance?
I have yet to decide as i don't have the 535d yet, but my Mini is not 100% standard and i am damned if i am going to tell them about a high-lift cam and bigger carb.
Would or should ? That is the question. It would be silly to condone breaking the law. It would be silly to unknowingly risk your livelihood. It is a choice thing. Does it matter how many agree with you? I dont understand the relevance of people 90% not declaring things. If you are saying - I am not going to tell them as I believe it cant be detected, I dont believe they will ever look, the risks dont worry me, I dont believe the risks etc.. then thats fine. Would suggest that posting it on a public forum is probably the worst move though.
All the mods on my BMW are declared. Even little stuff ,changed the speakers, declared it, changed the steering wheel, again declared it. If they can find a way to not pay out then they will. For the sake of a few quid extra on the policy i'd quite like to avoid chucking £700 a year down the drain on insurance policies that don't technically exist.
I have a nasty feeling i'm contributing to a petty point scoring excercise here, but never mind.
I have a nasty feeling i'm contributing to a petty point scoring excercise here, but never mind.
Yes we all have to dance to the insurance companies tune, but I think its ridiculous. You upgrade the brakes on your car, which in theory means you can stop quicker and therefore potentially avoid an accident. However, the insurance company load your premium because it's a modification. Is this because someone behind you is more likely to run into you. I think not. Just an opportunity for more revenue.
I wonder if I should declare the seat covers in my wifes Disco 3.
. It is getting that daft.
On a personal note I don't like this 'holier than thou' attitude that seems to have developed here.
I wonder if I should declare the seat covers in my wifes Disco 3.
. It is getting that daft. On a personal note I don't like this 'holier than thou' attitude that seems to have developed here.
Having read the replys here I can agree with your frustration at insurance companies attitudes about modifications but, as an insurance broker myself, I would add that any modification (which is defined as a change to the manufactured car after its original purchase) must be disclosed to your insurance company. many people feel that insurance is a necessary "evil" and do moan about it, but ask yourselves two questions:
1) would you accept £500 from me, every year, with the risk that you may have to pay me £15k for my car and pay unlimited amounts of money to a third party in the event of any incident?
2) if motor insurance wasnt compulsory would you buy it? Would you take the risk yourself?
I would mention that if you have a car which is non standard you need the help and advice of a non standard insurer. The "Red Phone" people and "Quote me Happy" brigade are really designed for standard people with standard cars.
sorry about the rant but after doing this job for nearly 20 years it annoys me when people cant see the value of car insurance because it is against the law not to have it. You all insure your lives and homes and holidays with no complaint because you can choose to.
Off me soap box now ... phew!!!
1) would you accept £500 from me, every year, with the risk that you may have to pay me £15k for my car and pay unlimited amounts of money to a third party in the event of any incident?
2) if motor insurance wasnt compulsory would you buy it? Would you take the risk yourself?
I would mention that if you have a car which is non standard you need the help and advice of a non standard insurer. The "Red Phone" people and "Quote me Happy" brigade are really designed for standard people with standard cars.
sorry about the rant but after doing this job for nearly 20 years it annoys me when people cant see the value of car insurance because it is against the law not to have it. You all insure your lives and homes and holidays with no complaint because you can choose to.
Off me soap box now ... phew!!!
Apologies for the length of this post
I'd agree with Steve H here, but I'm going to veer off topic as well. Everyone bitches about insurance companies wriggling out of paying up, well I beg to differ. Two years ago I had two seperate cars insured via two seperate brokers (but with the same insurance company), car A was a rear engined German car whose name rhymes with torch, car B still is a 330D.
Car A was involved in an own fault accident and damaged to the tune of £15K. I filled out the claim form, including the details of all my past and current indiscretions on my drivers license.
Having heard nothing after a couple of weeks I rang my broker and asked what was going on, she subsequently rang me back and said there's a problem with your claim form "you left a speeding endorsement off your application form when you applied for the cover"
I checked my copy of the application form and sure enough I had left one (of three !!) off.
I questioned the broker as to what happened now.
She suggested I write to the insurance company in question and explain to them it was an oversight.
As we spoke on the phone I wondered if I'd also left the endorsement of my 330 D application form as well.
I checked and found that I HAD included it.
I rang the insurance company and apologised for the oversight and explained that if I'd genuinely been trying to mislead them I'd hardly be likely to have put the information on one application form but not on the other.
Strangely they were seemingly unaware I had two cars insured with them.
They requested I put my explanation in writing and they would then consider it.
I received a letter a week or so later (via my broker) stating that if I paid an additional £135 (the cost the premium would have risen by had I declared the speeding endorsement in the first place) they would settle the claim.
Needless to say my cheque for £135 was dispatched within the hour !
So, I paid £135 extra in order that they pay out £15,000 to repair my car. Hardly seems fair does it ?
They could have quite easily turned round and pointed to the small print which states all material facts must be disclosed blah blah blah..............
On this basis I have to refute all these claims of insurance companies not paying out due to steering wheels being the wrong colour, tyres being the wrong make etc etc.
Earlier in this thread High Peak made a comment about notifying changes of wheels, this seems to be favorite with insurance companies because the cars with bigger /wider wheels do normally stand out and thus are more likely to be stolen for the wheels themselves or purely because the car looks "more nickable"
Furthermore I have a mate who is an assessor for one of the "Red Phone" type companies, I questioned him about the fitting of non standard parts. His comment was that if a car came in with tyres that were obviously bald then the chief engineer would be notified and questions asked. As regards cars with remapped engine ECU's he looked at me with a face that said "do you really think we have the time or faclities to interrogate any suspicious cars that come through the door ?"
I'm not condoning Carbon Blacks position in any way shape or form,and from a legal aspect you are obliged to notify any mods made, furthermore if you drive a Saxo with Max Power Wheels, ICE, and Bodykit/interior, you'd be mad not to notify them, but frankly if you think every insurance company is out there with a magnifying glass checking your car for ECU mods your kidding yourselves.
>> Edited by slippydiff on Wednesday 8th March 15:43
I'd agree with Steve H here, but I'm going to veer off topic as well. Everyone bitches about insurance companies wriggling out of paying up, well I beg to differ. Two years ago I had two seperate cars insured via two seperate brokers (but with the same insurance company), car A was a rear engined German car whose name rhymes with torch, car B still is a 330D.
Car A was involved in an own fault accident and damaged to the tune of £15K. I filled out the claim form, including the details of all my past and current indiscretions on my drivers license.
Having heard nothing after a couple of weeks I rang my broker and asked what was going on, she subsequently rang me back and said there's a problem with your claim form "you left a speeding endorsement off your application form when you applied for the cover"
I checked my copy of the application form and sure enough I had left one (of three !!) off.
I questioned the broker as to what happened now.
She suggested I write to the insurance company in question and explain to them it was an oversight.
As we spoke on the phone I wondered if I'd also left the endorsement of my 330 D application form as well.
I checked and found that I HAD included it.
I rang the insurance company and apologised for the oversight and explained that if I'd genuinely been trying to mislead them I'd hardly be likely to have put the information on one application form but not on the other.
Strangely they were seemingly unaware I had two cars insured with them.
They requested I put my explanation in writing and they would then consider it.
I received a letter a week or so later (via my broker) stating that if I paid an additional £135 (the cost the premium would have risen by had I declared the speeding endorsement in the first place) they would settle the claim.
Needless to say my cheque for £135 was dispatched within the hour !
So, I paid £135 extra in order that they pay out £15,000 to repair my car. Hardly seems fair does it ?
They could have quite easily turned round and pointed to the small print which states all material facts must be disclosed blah blah blah..............
On this basis I have to refute all these claims of insurance companies not paying out due to steering wheels being the wrong colour, tyres being the wrong make etc etc.
Earlier in this thread High Peak made a comment about notifying changes of wheels, this seems to be favorite with insurance companies because the cars with bigger /wider wheels do normally stand out and thus are more likely to be stolen for the wheels themselves or purely because the car looks "more nickable"
Furthermore I have a mate who is an assessor for one of the "Red Phone" type companies, I questioned him about the fitting of non standard parts. His comment was that if a car came in with tyres that were obviously bald then the chief engineer would be notified and questions asked. As regards cars with remapped engine ECU's he looked at me with a face that said "do you really think we have the time or faclities to interrogate any suspicious cars that come through the door ?"
I'm not condoning Carbon Blacks position in any way shape or form,and from a legal aspect you are obliged to notify any mods made, furthermore if you drive a Saxo with Max Power Wheels, ICE, and Bodykit/interior, you'd be mad not to notify them, but frankly if you think every insurance company is out there with a magnifying glass checking your car for ECU mods your kidding yourselves.
>> Edited by slippydiff on Wednesday 8th March 15:43
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