Things to declare to insurance company

[DrR]

What i never get is how is my yozzasport any different to buying a cheap kwik fit exhaust? Both aftermarket. so must be 1000's of people who are not insured.

 

[16vMK2 to 172Sport]

ok, so you buy a car second hand from a dealer, so you have no chance of talking to previous owner about work done to it. Hypothetically speaking, the car has actually had aftermarket cams and an ecu re-map, but nothing in the cars history actually suggests this, nor does the salesman have any idea. So you buy the car, having no idea its had engine mods and so you insure it as such. You could drive round in that car for a year, and unless your 'in the know' about that particular car you will never know about those mods. Later on you write the car off.... im pretty sure they wont be able to legally screw you over for that... if they do its F**KING WRONG!! How can you possibly declare moddifications you have no idea about?!?!?

But coming back to the original post, as others said, little things like bulbs, aerials, gearnobs etc your shouldnt have to worry about. Any other larger things which obviously change the look and/or performance of the car i.e. light clusters, suspension, wheels exhaust, tints etc are a must

Again depending on the severity of the crash, but I imagine in a bad accident you would be guilty of driving an uninsured vehicle if you know the facts of not. Say it was a multi million pound lawsuit or involving deaths:

I would imagine you would have to employ a lawer (if it went to court) who could proove that you had no idea the car was modified. They could technically trace adverts from the seller, interveiw the garage and even find the serial numbers of the parts and see when and where they were ordered and by whom they were purchaced by. If you didn't buy the part and didn't fit it and you can prove you have no link that could put you in a situation where you know that it was modified only then are you lightly to get away with it.
I would also imagine that the part of the vehicle that was aftermarket would in some way be linked to the cause of the accident for it to go this far (in terms of who is to blame) as far as who is liable for the claim (which could like I say run into millions if you cause a catastophy) it would be a fight between you and your insurers and they would have the upper hand as they can say that you have undeclared mods regardless of your knowledge.

That to me sounds like a very anal insurer, and IMO would an insurer really risk all those £1000s in legal fees just to save them a couple of grand??? when at the end of the day they will loose the case and have to pay out anyway?? they're more then likely cut there loses and just pay out - UNLESS of course its a moddification thats blatantly obvious i.e alloys and they have some spotty teenager saying "eeeer i fort they were standard... eeerrr..."

 

[16vMK2 to 172Sport]

i might add at this point... im not in anyway condoning driving without insurance, nor driving without known moddifications decleared!

 

[Fred@BTM]

i know about an Audi TT that the insurance didn't pay for because it had non factory tyres! no joke

 

[Ja5on]

all you do for an exhaust, is declare the insurance the zorst has been changed cos the standard ones crap. just tell them whats replaced it and say its not a performance zorst job done!


I wish it was that simple! lol

 

[RichRSi]

That's a bit shocking Fred!


With regards to insurance co's being anal...
A close friend of mine worked for an insurance company and you'd be suprised as to what lengths some will go to..

They have so much money it is no big deal to fight it out in court.
If it's a huge claim you can bet your arse their statistics expert will have worked out how much they could loose and will near enough match that in fees to win the case, you just need to think about weather you have a couple of hundred £k kicking about though to cover yourself if you mess up and your insurance company turns it's back on you because you falsified legal documents by not giving them the full facts.

Why do you think the legal cover on your insurance policy will protect you for such a huge amount in lawers fees? think about it....They are working on the basis that when you f**k up you will do so in a big way and need a massive amount of money to dig yourself out of the hole, and that's just if they are on your side and your insurance is valid!!!!

 

[j6 pkp]

all you do for an exhaust, is declare the insurance the zorst has been changed cos the standard ones crap. just tell them whats replaced it and say its not a performance zorst job done!


I wish it was that simple! lol

you joke but my mate did that, he said that he had changed the exhaust cuz it was blowing for an aftermarkt exhaust, and the guy said thats ok. it was a twin exit performance one. but my mate said that as it was recorded that in the conversation he admitted changing it it would be ok.

 

[Christophe]

when i was with elephant.co.uk I wasn't sure on alot of mods like lights etc. So i took the option "decorative exteriro" which i classed as all my lights grill m3 mirrors smoothed tailgate etc lol

 

[Marcus---]

Do you need to declare tints?

and...

I had a crash, wrote my car off, had aftermarket wheels on it and they didnt say anything about them? just got my money back to buy a standard car! Have read through all my insurance terms and conditions etc and i cant find it anywhere where it says about alloys or mods?

Say i made a 172 rep do i have to declare all bumpers/skirts?

 

[edde]

Surely with unobvious things, such as engine mods (cams, 4-branch, reworked inlet etc) you could just pleed you dont know about them...

There is a policy stating that sort of previous owners mods you cannot be blamed for but claming you didn;'t know the bits where theyre and you'd not chnage much chance plus the previous owers could be called up and he/she would deny the mods were there so you'd be stuck. Plus to gave cams etc you'd often have other bits anyway.

I agree with you totally and would probably try the same but id imagine there is probably something in the small print about that kind of thing? Insurance companies will do anything to get out of paying up, scumbags.

Its a business you lie to them then why should they pay out they pay out at present more than they take in under the normal polices.

they wouldnt really be able to tell engine mods, what about exhausts as im aiming to upgrade mine in the new year?

There not stupid they know stock exhuats thye can tell the different between a exhaust for power and a copy cat one which is juts kwik fit etc copy not for power etc.

Again depending on the severity of the crash, but I imagine in a bad accident you would be guilty of driving an uninsured vehicle if you know the facts of not. Say it was a multi million pound lawsuit or involving deaths:

I would imagine you would have to employ a lawer (if it went to court) who could proove that you had no idea the car was modified. They could technically trace adverts from the seller, interveiw the garage and even find the serial numbers of the parts and see when and where they were ordered and by whom they were purchaced by. If you didn't buy the part and didn't fit it and you can prove you have no link that could put you in a situation where you know that it was modified only then are you lightly to get away with it.
I would also imagine that the part of the vehicle that was aftermarket would in some way be linked to the cause of the accident for it to go this far (in terms of who is to blame) as far as who is liable for the claim (which could like I say run into millions if you cause a catastophy) it would be a fight between you and your insurers and they would have the upper hand as they can say that you have undeclared mods regardless of your knowledge.

i was wondering about my new car. all seems std. but what iff ?

You can tell if your cars modified often though no use climaing that massive and noisy induction kit is standard.

I have always wondered what would happen if you bought a car with modified internals, but weren't aware so therefore never declared them, and an assessor found them.

What if my Mum decided to go and buy a 2002 dynamique, but the previous owner had put 2004 wheels on it? She wouldn't have a clue, but they are classed as a modification. Would they pay out?

Depends on a lot the insurers and assessors viewpoint the driver etc. In your mums case they'd probably ignore.

They won't take it to pieces but if you were doing say 130 in a 1.2 they might take it to pieces won't take long to prove its not stock cams etc mapping would be the easy point to catch you on though a few seconds they can tell what mapps were on the car and there not stock etc.

Insures have a agrement that you cannot realy be blamed for previous onwers mods but theyre is a point where they'll refuse to accept it ie coilovers exhaust etc they won't accept as you not knowing.

Or alternatively he could just put the standard airbox on before the acessor arrives.

Assuming he can get to the car.

what do people use when the insurance question where is your car kept, i always say garaged when really its just on the drive what about everyone else i bet im not the only one lol

They can ask about and ask to see the garage if its not big enough for the car or full then they will mostl likly pay out less (the difference between you tell the touth and not) depends on the insurerer.

What i never get is how is my yozzasport any different to buying a cheap kwik fit exhaust? Both aftermarket. so must be 1000's of people who are not insured.

An assers can tell its not brain surgery.

IMO would an insurer really risk all those £1000s in legal fees just to save them a couple of grand??? when at the end of the day they will loose the case and have to pay out anyway?? they're more then likely cut there loses and just pay out -

Yep they would as you'll back down. Plus it sends out a good strong message to other customers. Somtimes its worth loosing money to protect the business long term.

 

[edde]

Do you need to declare tints?

I had a crash, wrote my car off, had aftermarket wheels on it and they didnt say anything about them? just got my money back to buy a standard car! Have read through all my insurance terms and conditions etc and i cant find it anywhere where it says about alloys or mods?

Say i made a 172 rep do i have to declare all bumpers/skirts?

You'll have declaire or been assumed to have a standard as it left the facotry car excluding parts changed for parts of OE spec.

172 rep you have to decaire all the bit it didn't leave the factry form apart form the bits which are OE ie starndord replacemtn ie different oil filters fine so long as its a standard spec a replacment exhaust fine so long as its standard as such but one with a 3 inch bore won't be.

Tinkl have to be declaired yo car didn't leave the factory did it (unless its a 192 etc which had the option)

As for your cliam it does depend on insurerer and assessor. I know one compnay refused to pay on a Clio as it had different springs the owners left wiht a massive bill (car was new) and then pay a load to fix it.

 

[RichRSi]

Say i made a 172 rep do i have to declare all bumpers/skirts?

You might be better off saying it has a clio rs body kit fitted rather than 'it is a replica 172' but be careful how you word it, being thrifty with the truth can also land you in it, this can be why they record calls and that goes for everyone talking about 'aftermarket' when they mean performance exhausts aswell.

Depending on the amount of the claim. If for eg you did £200 worth of damage they will be happy to recieve your £excess and then charge you extra on the policy for having a knock so if you are lucky they may overlook a modification. But if you cause £20-30k+ damage to a brand new BMW and the passengers are all moaning about whiplash aswell.....

tbf if you have the money to do a 172 conversion you should stump up the cash to declare to the insurance.

 

[kiza1986]

Do you need to declare tints?

and...

I had a crash, wrote my car off, had aftermarket wheels on it and they didnt say anything about them? just got my money back to buy a standard car! Have read through all my insurance terms and conditions etc and i cant find it anywhere where it says about alloys or mods?

Say i made a 172 rep do i have to declare all bumpers/skirts?

There will be something in there that says about modifications... What insurance company you with??

I would declare everything.. big or small

 

[DrR]

What i never get is how is my yozzasport any different to buying a cheap kwik fit exhaust? Both aftermarket. so must be 1000's of people who are not insured.

An assers can tell its not brain surgery.


I know thats the point? But how is it any different to fitting a Kwik Fit one?