[CitizenKane]

Hi all,

I am about to have an OEM performance exhaust installed. It will be the first mod I've done that isn't strictly cosmetic, although I'm sure any performance impact will be negligible (it's a 320d) and I'm only really installing it for cosmetic reasons. But just to be safe I am declaring it to my insurer in the event they might consider it to be a material modification.

However after doing some reading around, I have noticed that some people recommend declaring mods like new alloys, etc. on the basis that they might make the car more desirable and therefore increase the risk of it being stolen. Following that logic through, should I be declaring all of my purely cosmetic mods too (perf spoiler, diffuser, etc.)?

Sorry if this is a silly question, but what kind of approach do people here take to this?

Cheers!

[Adam1990]

This is still something which I feel is a really grey area. When I spoke to my last insurance company about this and they said anything cosmetic like painted wing mirrors, grills, alloys(original just not stock colour) they didn't need to be declared, however my current provider want to know about anything that has changed since it left the factory.

Probably best to just call up your insurance company and see what their view on it is.

[AlwynMike]

Declare it.

I declared my cosmetic mods and it made no difference to the premium.

Some (notably Admiral) want you to list ANY and all extras, including those fitted by the factory.

Mike

[CitizenKane]

Originally Posted by Bent6366

Good Morning,

I work for a large insurance company and would always recommend declaring your mods (performance enhancing especially).

If you are unlucky enough to have to make a claim, any undisclosed 'performance enhancing mods' could void your claim and policy.

IF you have undisclosed cosmetic mods, then the insurance company generally wouldnt take them into consideration. That includes both when repairing the vehicles or writing the vehicle off. For example, your perf spoiler. If the vehicle needed a new boot lid, the insurance company wouldn't replace your spoiler, as technically they are insuring a vehicle without a spoiler. If the spoiler was disclosed, then they would replace it.

In regards to a valuation, if the mods arnt disclosed, cosmetic or performance enhancing, then the insurance company wouldn't take them into consideration when placing a value on your vehicle therefore it would be even less than you were expecting!

There are general exceptions etc and every case would be slightly different but thats the general rule of thumb. If you want any specific advice, please direct message me!

Very interesting, thanks. I don't really care about them not taking undeclared mods into consideration when valuing the car (eg. if I needed a new boot I wouldn't care if they paid for a new spoiler or not). All I really care about is a doomsday scenario where they argue my insurance was voided because I didn't disclose something to them!

Until I started reading up on this it never even occurred to me that a purely cosmetic mod might be disclosable.

[CitizenKane]

Originally Posted by Adam1990

This is still something which I feel is a really grey area. When I spoke to my last insurance company about this and they said anything cosmetic like painted wing mirrors, grills, alloys(original just not stock colour) they didn't need to be declared, however my current provider want to know about anything that has changed since it left the factory.

Probably best to just call up your insurance company and see what their view on it is.

Yes probably best - I have an email in with them but haven't heard from them in a couple of days so I'll give them a call this afternoon.

[CitizenKane]

Originally Posted by AlwynMike

Declare it.

I declared my cosmetic mods and it made no difference to the premium.

Some (notably Admiral) want you to list ANY and all extras, including those fitted by the factory.

Mike

Declare the cosmetic ones too or just the exhaust?

[AWBimmer]

I've declared everything on my M6. If you don't declare you're effectively paying for a something doesn't even cover you so may aswell pay the price to be covered..........

[The0pportunist]

My previous insurer did not want any additional premium for bigger wider wheels, wrapped roof, black grills, front splitters. All cosmetic of course but as above you might as well lie about your age, where you live etc - if your not going to disclose mods. VOID either way!

I'm with direct line now, notoriously difficult with mods i believe - will probably wait for renewal before i mod mine.

[Dormermike]

What if you don't know that a car has been modified?

[CitizenKane]

So how do you go guys go about declaring mods then? Do you ring them or just send them an email and assume it's ok if they don't come back and tell you the mod will increase your premium?

[Smokey33]

Pick up the phone. Its quite easy.

Mine are all declared.

Only a moron mods a car and doesn't declare them, well that or 18 year old chavs with corsa's.

[CitizenKane]

Originally Posted by Smokey33

Pick up the phone. Its quite easy.

Mine are all declared.

Only a moron mods a car and doesn't declare them, well that or 18 year old chavs with corsa's.

True, but you have to admit it's a bit of a grey area.

For example the main reason I actually got a new diffuser in the first place was that I (stupidly) reversed into a bollard and took a chip out of the existing diffuser. So if I had just replaced it with a new standard M sport diffuser I presume I wouldn't have had to declare that? But because I went for a performance diffuser I do?

[RajB]

Most cosmetic mods don't make any difference to premiums so it's better to declare them. Insurance companies seem to take the stance of putting cosmetic mods under a general 'cosmetic modifications' umbrella. Alloys, suspension, brakes and other performance mods declared separately on their mods listings.

Always better to be covered tbh and have like for like on the mods.

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Dormermike

What if you don't know that a car has been modified?

It's all a big con. If you buy 2nd hand, how do you know if the exhaust is standard? Or the boot spoiler? Or subtle lowering springs?

Only a very small % of the population will check the VIN to see what the car shipped with from factory.

[Dormermike]

Originally Posted by mjn77

It's all a big con. If you buy 2nd hand, how do you know if the exhaust is standard? Or the boot spoiler? Or subtle lowering springs?

Only a very small % of the population will check the VIN to see what the car shipped with from factory.

Exactly. I have an f10 BMW which by BMW's own spec sits higher than it should. Has someone changed the suspension ? No idea, very doubtful. I suspect BMW don't rate their spec's for engine weight, so the idea that the ride height tolerance is +/- 2mm or whatever it is, is a joke.

Agree that known performance mods should be declared but difficult to prove otherwise if the Owen doesn't know.

[Digitalize]

If the car didn't come with it from the factory you have to declare it. Most specialist insurers don't charge for cosmetic changes.

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Digitalize

If the car didn't come with it from the factory you have to declare it. Most specialist insurers don't charge for cosmetic changes.

Yes, but if you buy 2nd hand how do you know what was standard? And what has been added by a previous owner?

[Digitalize]

Originally Posted by mjn77

Yes, but if you buy 2nd hand how do you know what was standard? And what has been added by a previous owner?

There would be plausible deniability I guess. But it's down to the owner to know what they have really. For example you could buy a car that has been remapped to have 60 or 70hp more than the insurer is basing their risk factor on. I'm not sure how it would work if you took it to court, but if they found out then they'd definitely void your insurance.

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Digitalize

There would be plausible deniability I guess. But it's down to the owner to know what they have really. For example you could buy a car that has been remapped to have 60 or 70hp more than the insurer is basing their risk factor on. I'm not sure how it would work if you took it to court, but if they found out then they'd definitely void your insurance.

And alloys? Manufacturers offer so many choices, average Joe has no idea which alloy came with which trim level.

[Digitalize]

Originally Posted by mjn77

And alloys? Manufacturers offer so many choices, average Joe has no idea which alloy came with which trim level.

As said, plausible deniability I guess.

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Digitalize

As said, plausible deniability I guess.

Bit harsh if somebody had an insurance payout denied because of "non declared mods"

Wasn't there a story a few years ago about a woman being denied payout due to a window sticker, ie "undeclared modification"

[mjn77]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/p...id-policy.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...-10016630.html

Just crazy. I've half a dozen window stickers!