Do you disclose?

[fewtrees]

I've got 10 days before my insurance expires and I've used the comparison websites to try and find a decent deal.. 

I've tried a couple of "specialist" insurers too (Classicline, CaroleNash) but have been rejected outright... It's probably because I declare uprated suspension and I think this marks me out as a chav/yobbo most likely to be irresponsible and torment society. 

The question is do you fess up and declare all those things that are non-standard? i.e. The exhaust/stickers/slightly better pads/alloy wheels?

Turbo/Supercharging
Transmission or Gear change
Exhaust changes
Air Filter
Wheel arches
Complete body kit
Spoilers/Skirts
Light changes
Tinted windows
Replacement of seats
Roll Bars/Roll Cages
Dashboard changes
Uprated brakes
Suspension
Alloy wheels
LPG conversion
Bonnet Vents <-Really ?!??
Air conditioning
Front Splitter/Rear Diffuser
Intercooler Upgrades
Fuel System Charges
Specialised paintwork
Stripes & badges

 

[brillomaster]

without going into specifics, i'd declare maybe, 25% of those things i think.

[Bike Loon]

If you do not declare your mods and have a crash and the insurance assessors spot the mods, worst case scenario you are uninsured.

That said, most assessors would not notice but is it worth the risk.

Also factor in that with some more obvious mods, if you get pulled by a savvy RPU Police Officer and they can see the mods, and they check with your insurer and there are none declared, they can do you for that as well.

 

Edited September 15, 2023 by Bike Loon

[map]

@fewtrees With the remarkable exception of @Escy’s car I think my 986 is possibly the most modified car on the forum.

Everything is declared - and I mean everything - even stuff that might be “OK” is declared.

Am fully insured for SD&P and full work use inc 2 other drivers based on 10k/yr mileage with a valuation of £15k and the cost of insuring the car is sub £600.

I insure through A-Plan Thatcham. My experience has, to date, been entirely positive. Even the annual dance around to insure the thing is remarkably pain-free even if it time consuming.

Give them a call and see how you get on. If they can insure me then you might be positively surprised.

[fewtrees]

36 minutes ago, map said:

@fewtrees With the remarkable exception of @Escy’s car I think my 986 is possibly the most modified car on the forum.

Everything is declared - and I mean everything - even stuff that might be “OK” is declared.

Am fully insured for SD&P and full work use inc 2 other drivers based on 10k/yr mileage with a valuation of £15k and the cost of insuring the car is sub £600.

I insure through A-Plan Thatcham. My experience has, to date, been entirely positive. Even the annual dance around to insure the thing is remarkably pain-free even if it time consuming.

Give them a call and see how you get on. If they can insure me then you might be positively surprised.

I will give them a call - mines currently £400 but the renewal is £467..

[CMA]

2 hours ago, fewtrees said:

I've got 10 days before my insurance expires and I've used the comparison websites to try and find a decent deal.. 

Best time to get the best quote is about 3 weeks (20 to 26 days) before the due date, after that the renewals start to go up, probably due to extra risk being associated with less organised people. Doesn't help you this time around but maybe next year. Few other tips here that may help

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-insurance/how-to-get-cheap-car-insurance/#costcut

[Nobbie]

That’s amateur level insurance fraud, I’ve just insured my Boxster as a Honda Jazz. Don’t tell anyone though😉

[map]

42 minutes ago, Nobbie said:

That’s amateur level insurance fraud, I’ve just insured my Boxster as a Honda Jazz. Don’t tell anyone though😉

🏆

[greenman986s]

43 minutes ago, Nobbie said:

That’s amateur level insurance fraud, I’ve just insured my Boxster as a Honda Jazz. Don’t tell anyone though😉

So you'll be paying a premium due to your geriatric driving style and touch parking? 😏

[danb]

2 hours ago, Nobbie said:

That’s amateur level insurance fraud, I’ve just insured my Boxster as a Honda Jazz. Don’t tell anyone though😉

Wouldn't be surprised if that made it more expensive - they are notorious for having their catalytic converters stolen...

[Mattman42]

On 9/15/2023 at 2:51 PM, fewtrees said:

I will give them a call - mines currently £400 but the renewal is £467..

To be fair, thats not to bad - insurance prices across the board are going up due to "cost of living"

Is it worth the hassle for £67? Have you called them and asked them for their best price?  I did the same recently for my sons car and got the premium down to £5 less than the previous year, when the comparison sites were slightly more

Edited September 18, 2023 by Mattman42

[Patt]

If it's an OEM option retro fitted - I do not declare.     Would you declare factory fitted bucket seats worth £20,000 on ebay?

If it's a safety improvement - eg brakes, hoses etc  - I do not declare

If it's a performance enhancement, eg larger turbo - I would.  AS I would for LPG or NOS 

That said the last very modified car I owned (Evo VI) I declared everything except the carbon rear spoiler blade (I forgot)

A-Plan used to say if it doesn't add 10% fro factory - it isn't a performance upgrade.  They also classified the Evo remap as "UK fuel calibration" their words , not mine 🤣

[fizz]

11 minutes ago, Patt said:

If it's an OEM option retro fitted - I do not declare.
If it's a safety improvement - eg brakes, hoses etc  - I do not declare
If it's a performance enhancement, eg larger turbo - I would.  AS I would for LPG or NOS

Pretty much the approach i have taken in the past. 

[fewtrees]

2 hours ago, Mattman42 said:

To be fair, thats not to bad - insurance prices across the board are going up due to "cost of living"

Is it worth the hassle for £67? Have you called them and asked them for their best price?  I did the same recently for my sons car and got the premium down to £5 less than the previous year, when the comparison sites were slightly more

I phoned A-Plan and their quote came out...............................£1 cheaper 🙂

Think I'm going to stick with the current guys!

[fizz]

4 minutes ago, fewtrees said:

I phoned A-Plan and their quote came out...............................£1 cheaper 🙂

Think I'm going to stick with the current guys!

I use Chris Knott brokers and have done for the last few years. 

[Araf]

On 9/15/2023 at 6:06 PM, Nobbie said:

That’s amateur level insurance fraud, I’ve just insured my Boxster as a Honda Jazz. Don’t tell anyone though😉

 

On 9/15/2023 at 6:50 PM, greenman986s said:

So you'll be paying a premium due to your geriatric driving style and touch parking? 😏

Exactly!  I've just sorted out my father's Ford Fusion for another year.  £617 was the cheapest for an 89 year old doing 5000 miles SD&P per year.  

In answer to the original question, if it's performance enhancing, "Yes"  When discussing stickers and wraps with brokers in the past, they've ignored them and anything else cosmetic I'm happy to take on the chin rather than claim for.

You missed Tow bar from your list.  Two of my cars have them and they have to be notified.

[TV8]

I had seen a lot of people saying about premiums going up in the ULEz area and my Polo GTi appears to be going up from £440 to £770! If so, the premium will have doubled from when I bought it new 2 years ago! 

[½cwt]

On 9/18/2023 at 12:33 PM, Araf said:

 

Exactly!  I've just sorted out my father's Ford Fusion for another year.  £617 was the cheapest for an 89 year old doing 5000 miles SD&P per year.  

In answer to the original question, if it's performance enhancing, "Yes"  When discussing stickers and wraps with brokers in the past, they've ignored them and anything else cosmetic I'm happy to take on the chin rather than claim for.

You missed Tow bar from your list.  Two of my cars have them and they have to be notified.

Have you put a younger clean record second driver on the car?  I genuinely do drive my mother's car from time to time, dropped the premiums by about 20% putting me on as named driver.

[½cwt]

On 9/15/2023 at 1:40 PM, Bike Loon said:

If you do not declare your mods and have a crash and the insurance assessors spot the mods, worst case scenario you are uninsured.

That said, most assessors would not notice but is it worth the risk.

Also factor in that with some more obvious mods, if you get pulled by a savvy RPU Police Officer and they can see the mods, and they check with your insurer and there are none declared, they can do you for that as well.

 

@Wish your thoughts?

[Araf]

15 minutes ago, ½cwt said:

Have you put a younger clean record second driver on the car?  I genuinely do drive my mother's car from time to time, dropped the premiums by about 20% putting me on as named driver.

I am that second driver.

[Wish]

2 hours ago, ½cwt said:

@Wish your thoughts?

I wouldn’t for one second listen to Bike Loon ……. Most assessors wouldn’t notice ?? 
A true engineer with lots and lots of require qualifications will notice, it’s their job, a job that’s taken many years to obtain, though working in the motor trade. 
 

I would disclose everything. Most won’t matter, it’s when the insurance companies find out is when the shyate hits the fan. 
 

for example wraps, if they are not noted on the policy then the insurer won’t cover the wrap, worst case they could chuck the claim out. 
Don’t chance it for a couple of quid ?? 
use a specialist broker if the car has mods. 

[Bike Loon]

5 minutes ago, Wish said:

I wouldn’t for one second listen to Bike Loon ……. Most assessors wouldn’t notice ?? 
A true engineer with lots and lots of require qualifications will notice, it’s their job, a job that’s taken many years to obtain, though working in the motor trade. 
 

I would disclose everything. Most won’t matter, it’s when the insurance companies find out is when the shyate hits the fan. 
 

for example wraps, if they are not noted on the policy then the insurer won’t cover the wrap, worst case they could chuck the claim out. 
Don’t chance it for a couple of quid ?? 
use a specialist broker if the car has mods. 

When I had a claim on my motorbike, the assessor that turned up admitted to me that he knew next to nothing about motorbikes.

Given the amount of diffeent brands out there, I would bet that it would be pretty much impossible for a Assessor/Engineer to know what is standard and what is not on the 1,000s of different models cars/motorbikes they are asked to look at. Some things stand out but others do not.. but what do I know, I wouldnt listen to me for 1 second

Edited September 19, 2023 by Bike Loon

[Araf]

3 minutes ago, Bike Loon said:

When I had a claim on my motorbike, the assessor that turned up admitted to me that he knew next to nothing about motorbikes.

Can you guarantee that he will attend every time? 🤔

[Bike Loon]

5 minutes ago, Araf said:

Can you guarantee that he will attend every time? 🤔

If you read my original post, I was trying (and failing badly having reread it myself) to say that its not worth not declaring mods to insurers.

The implication was there but to be clear, I am firmly in the declare all mods camp..which did used to take a while with the old GSXR1000

Edited September 19, 2023 by Bike Loon

[½cwt]

10 hours ago, Bike Loon said:

If you read my original post, I was trying (and failing badly having reread it myself) to say that its not worth not declaring mods to insurers.

The implication was there but to be clear, I am firmly in the declare all mods camp..which did used to take a while with the old GSXR1000

I thought you were being a bit free with the don't bother notifying approach.  That English language is a bugger to master...