im looking at buying a sportKA.. the bloke who currently owns the car advise to insure the car as standard.. but he has put lexus lights onto car, 17" wheels and the car has had a respray and such. alot of the features do come as standard, such as spoiler and tinted windows and flare arch wheels.. would you car as standard or would u advise car has been modified with these fetuares. im worried that if i get this wrong, and anything happens.. my insurance would be void for advising wrong information..
2006-08-28 23:11:18 · 10 answers · asked by amy_uk2k1 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
You MUST tell the insurance company.
If you do not, they may well refuse to pay out if there is a claim. If your claim was only for damage to our own vehicle that would be bad enough - you would have to pay all the repair costs yourself - assuming the car was not a total loss.
If, however, you cause damage, injury or death to others, the cost could be astronomical, and you could be paying for it for the rest of your life.
The Third Party Insurance cover (which is the minimum cover legally required by law in this country) has no limits, because of the huge costs which could be incurred.
Unless your car is highly tuned, there is a good chance that the insurance company will not charge you any extra, but you MUST tell them EVERYTHING.
I recall a case some years ago where a guy owned a Vauxhall Carlton 1.8i which he modified to look like a Lotus Carlton (the real thing was capable of 186mph!). He made no tuning modifications to the car, so it was still a basic 1.8i, but when it was stolen the insurance company refused to pay because he had not disclosed material information to them. They said the fact that the car LOOKED like a Lotus Carlton was a factor in its theft.
It could be argued that you ought to tell them even if you fit an upgraded radio, because that in itself could be a reason for someone breaking into the car or stealing it.
Your worries are correct! Don't mess with insurance companies!!
2006-08-29 05:02:08 · answer #1 · answered by aarcue 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Anything that was not on the car as standard from the manufacturer excluding "normal wear and tear" like tyres.
Even if you put a set of alloy wheels from an identical car on yours, this is a modification. Tinted widows, replacement stereo, pretty much anything fixed.
If you do not tell your insurance company and you have an accident you will not be covered by insurance. This means people can sue you or your family personally.
As long as your modifications are not a 6litre engine and 20 exhaust pipes, the insurance companies do not penalise you. But remember the best poilcy is honesty as the insurance companies have teams of people who spend all day looking at ways not to pay insurance claims.
Hope this helps.
2006-08-28 23:24:07 · answer #2 · answered by slug dance 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, anything that didn't come as standard equipment. Due to the increased cost of replacing customized items if they are stolen or damaged, you must pay a higher premium than a car just like it with no modifications. So if you have a loss and you did not report the modifications to your company, they will probably not cover it. At least, that's how it is in the states. There has to be an endorsement on the policy for those items.
2006-08-29 14:31:09 · answer #3 · answered by Chris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell the insurance people about the wheels, if you dont and have to make a claim they may not pay out. Has the suspension be changed or any parts added? Any alterations from its origonal state is classed as a modification. Tinted windows are not as far as i know. If the spoilers different from the original it may be, personaly i would buy a car that hasnt been owned by a boy racer, its more likley its been mistreated. You could buy a car thats in good order and do it up yourself.
2006-08-29 04:36:40 · answer #4 · answered by Jabba_da_hut_07 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely anything that changes a car from the way it was when it left the showroom is a modification. Insurance companies have even been known to try and get out of paying up when they have discovered that a car has stickers on it, or stick-on coachlines.
Trust me, your car is heavily modified, and you need to declare every single thing, no matter how insignificant it may seem, that has been changed in order not to get into the situation of having your insurance voided through lack of disclosure of material information. This situation is known in the insurance business as the 'pelican in the desert' syndrome, i.e., no cover, and a big bill ( Ha Ha)
Ignore the twerp who hasn't told his insurance company about his mods. He is the sort of nerk who smashes into you, and then has no cover through mods not being declared, and leaves you to pick up the pieces.
2006-08-29 14:10:56 · answer #5 · answered by Phish 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some companies do consider rims a modification (especially when the rims are not oem). I would suggest checking with a few other car insurance companies to see if you can get past that ... and if not, get the lowest rate possible.
2016-03-26 23:52:30 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any changes made since the car left the factory should be reported to the insurance company. Otherwise your insurance may not be valid, and you may be prosecuted for having no insurance.
Also, any factory fitted options that you want the insurance company to cover should be listed.
I've got factory-fitted optional xenon gas-discharge headlamps on my Mégane, and some insurance companies insist that in the case of front-end damage to my car they will replace the headlamps with standard items, which I won't accept as acceptable terms. My current company will repair the car to its recorded condition, including all options listed to them. They didn't increase the premium.
2006-08-29 05:06:37 · answer #7 · answered by Neil 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
be really careful, a pal had his car resprayed and this counted as a modification so his insurance was void ..... the insurance companies will do anything to get more money out of you
2006-08-28 23:28:52 · answer #8 · answered by v_farrow 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it came with the car, it's part of the car.
But if you put fancy wheels on your car, you better get an endorsement put on your policy. Because if you total your car tomorrow, your insurance company is going to give you money to buy the original wheels, not the shiny fancy ones you bought yourself. Get it?
2006-08-29 09:32:11 · answer #9 · answered by mktobyjo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you must insure the car as modified, in most cases this wont affect your premium very much but they will state that they only insure the car for market value.
if you insure it standard then they need to look at it for any reason they wont pay, insure companies look for ways to wriggle out of paying.
2006-08-28 23:22:31 · answer #10 · answered by orfeo_fp 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋