discomog
Member Since: 09 May 2015
Location: Notts/Lincs Border
Posts: 2535
 
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| Insurance - a cautionary tale | |
During the summer I looked at the possibility of remapping my newly acquired Defender 90 but decided against it as the vehicle was under three years warranty with JLR. At the same time as checking this out with tuning specialists and with a couple of JLR dealers I also checked with my insurer (a National Motoring Organisation) to see what additional premium I would have to pay. I was told that they did insure modified vehicles.
A few days ago I received a letter from the insurers stating that my cover for the Defender would be automatically renewed unless there were any changes. I contacted them to up my limited mileage cover by some 2500 miles per annum. They asked me if I had gone ahead with the remap and I told them no. “Have you carried out any other modifications”, they said. “Not as such”, I replied, “only a few minor, mainly cosmetic changes”. They wanted to know what had been done:-
Steering Guard
DRL’s
LED position, tail, indicator, fog and reverse lights.
“In that case”, they said, “we are cancelling your cover with immediate effect”. My protestations about these not affecting the performance of the vehicle in any way fell on stoney ground. So there I was with the Defender on the drive with no insurance.
I wonder how many members are insured with companies that do not allow any modifications however superficial. I’m now insured with our site sponsor for a lower premium, less excess, no mileage limit and my mods are covered.
Financially I only lost a few days insurance cover and they have lost my business on the Defender and two other cars but what if I had written the vehicle off, would they have refused to pay out because I had fitted a steering guard? So like me, don’t think that modifications just apply to performance enhancements and other major changes like suspension and brakes etc.
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20th Dec 2015 11:29am |
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