To declare or not to declare?

[dave23572]

For those with similar mods to me, have you declared these mods to your insurance company?

My spec:-
ITG
Janspeed manifolds
Sports cat
Custom exhaust (standard looking/sounding)
MGF steering wheel.


Dave

[stamford]

You are obliged to inform your insurers of such modifications. In the event of an accident and an assessor being assigned to evaluate the claim and if they find non-standard parts fitted they will void your insurance. This will then be referred to the Police as an offence and you will pay dearly. It really isn't worth taking the risk, not only is it wrong you should also think of what could happen if the car was involved in a serious accident.

Anything that moves away from OEM is obvious and not exactly hidden. ITG is obvious, as is manifolds and sports cat. Replacement exhaust is on the fence as a stainless replacement can be regarded as quality replacement rather than performance, but if you already had the former parts fitted then it'll be seen as modified.

Steering wheel, tough one that but as long as the airbag still functions correctly, but no knowing that unless it gets deployed!

I know it is tempting to 'forget' to declare but it isn't wise to do so. I have always declared mine. Remaps would be hard to determine unless they interrogate the ecu. Would the fallout be worth it?

[ZS]

Also... Remember that insurance companies frequent forums and so if they want to pick you up on it could probably find out that you deliberately didn't tell them as well with a little bit of digging... (its not exactly hard to find out true identities online!)

[MG ZS STE]

Im with AXA and they have very clear guidelines on what is considered a declarable mod and what isn’t. Basically its anything that gives an increase in performance. Not sure how id get on though if I was to slam the car as that would make the car considerably unsafe IMO, especially wet driving. They wasn’t concerned by the exhaust or greens cotton air filter, an ITG however would have been a different story, as to I suspect manifolds. However, theres nothing stopping you from whipping off an air filter and reinstalling the OE panel filter box if needed. And how many insurance assessors would be cute enough to know it was an aftermarket manifold. Plus you could always use the old NLA so you had to source the next nearest equivalent.

Personally I think all this declaring mods is an excuse to bend the customer over. Its like declaring cams and remaps, how would they know?

[Sean-2k]

I'm with Adrian flux and my cars insured for any mod just ring them tell them no extra fee and insurance stays the same but I've always said things like cams head work remaps I wouldn't bother telling as unless they rip apart the engine how would they know

[dave23572]

My thinking was to declare anything visable.
The ITG: yes, but would an insurance assessor know the difference between OE and Janspeed manifolds, or a standard and sports cat for example?

[peterzs]

My ones all OE.

[fastmike]

Im with AXA and they have very clear guidelines on what is considered a declarable mod and what isn’t. Basically its anything that gives an increase in performance. Not sure how id get on though if I was to slam the car as that would make the car considerably unsafe IMO, especially wet driving. They wasn’t concerned by the exhaust or greens cotton air filter, an ITG however would have been a different story, as to I suspect manifolds. However, theres nothing stopping you from whipping off an air filter and reinstalling the OE panel filter box if needed. And how many insurance assessors would be cute enough to know it was an aftermarket manifold. Plus you could always use the old NLA so you had to source the next nearest equivalent.

Personally I think all this declaring mods is an excuse to bend the customer over. Its like declaring cams and remaps, how would they know?

Never underestimate insurance assessors..........most have a motor trade background

[p_b82]

for £450 a year I have all the mods listed declared - they are not explicit on the paperwork, but lists every area that is not standard.

My car is down on the paperwork for a 3K valuation as well - although this is not the 'agreed price' it should help me get most of the money back (for the parts) in a total loss situation

[Mark S]

For those with similar mods to me, have you declared these mods to your insurance company?

My spec:-
ITG
Janspeed manifolds
Sports cat
Custom exhaust (standard looking/sounding)
MGF steering wheel.


Dave

Its only really the manifolds that you would really consider as a performance mod, most cars have aftermarket cats and exhausts rather than main dealer fit.
But wasn't the Janspeed mani's and exhaust a factory fit option? (think they did an air filter too?) If it was, then insurance companies tend not to bother with anything that was factory fit.

[petet16]

Some of the stuff like exhausts were xpower options, I think the itg may have been as well

[dave23572]

Some of the stuff like exhausts were xpower options, I think the itg may have been as well


In that case I may get away with it, but as mentioned previously, it's not worth chancing so i guess I may as well ask my insurance company.

BTW: I'll post the results of those mods in my other thread later this week.

[B8sy]

I'm with quote me happy, I declared exhaust and custom induction kit and I'm fully comp for 250 a year.

[carmadbaker]

In certain cases heavier mods make the car cheaper to insure, your seen as a bit more of an enthusiast and therefore will be cautious where you park it, how you drive it etc..
at the time it was £800 to insure my turbo zed and £1500 for my hardly touched ZS 180... go figure (same company!!)

[adam]

Adrian Flux insure me for unlimited mileage, travel to work and back with all mods declared for £300. They did try and renew at over £500 but after a bit of shopping around they eventually price matched and beat the best other quote I had.