 | Home > Finance & Insurance > Insurance Rip Off for Basic Modifications - LATEST UPDATE . |
 
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| Petrovich Member Since: 24 Jan 2008 Location: Sankt-Peterburg Posts: 75  
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Everywhere they want us to look and behave like everyone else
In Russia insurance comp. doesn't care flyin F what kind of mods you did. But you never pass through MOT unless you car doesn't look like newly bought No mods at all So to get through I need to take off roof rack etc and then put it back Defender 110 '07 |
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3rd Oct 2017 5:27pm |
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| seriesonenut Member Since: 19 Nov 2014 Location: Essex Posts: 1211 
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Hi
I am with a mainstream insurer. Having just moved from a FL2 to the Defender 110 I expected the need to move. The vehicle was on the database and they listed the RAI and roof rack as 'bodywork modifications' with no additional charge. All seems a lottery to me but stacked not in the customers favour despite paying for a 'service'. |
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3rd Oct 2017 5:34pm |
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| SonicFields Member Since: 11 Jul 2017 Location: Somewhere Else Posts: 124 |
Unfortunately insurance companies are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as they have to be competitive to survive in a fairly competitive industry, and yet are liable for an unknown quantity of hefty claims, many of which are fraudulent.
I think it a worthwhile exercise to consider yourself as being your own insurer, asking yourself how much money will be needed to save in your piggy bank in case of an accident, £10, £100, £1,000, £10,000, £100,000, or £1,000,000. Nowadays, you may need more than that in a serious claim against you; so why are you moaning about shelling out up to £1,000 per annum, even at that rate you would never be able to cover yourself! If you want to build yourself a modified vehicle, fair enough, but don't ride on the back of the original type approved vehicle which has been designed and developed over many years by the manufacturer for a specific purpose and then expect to enjoy similar insurance premiums as the original approved stock vehicle. If you're not happy, then the alternative would be to build yourself a vehicle, but I think you would agree, it would cost far more than any 'rip-off' insurance premium. |
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3rd Oct 2017 6:22pm |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720 
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They just base premiums on the previous claims of others.
So if out of 100 claims 60 of them had different wheels fitted, then that makes different wheels a higher risk. Chances are they don't have a space on their form for "resprayed wheels", but they do have space for "non standard wheels fitted". Mainstream high volume insurers just rely on a list of common modifications with weightings added to each one. The smaller more specialised ones can take more time to consider exactly what modifications you have and what risk they pose. Different large companies use their own sets of statistics to calculate risk. Bear in mind not all modifications increase the risk. Tow bars for example often reduce the premium, as does racking in the back of a van. And even signwriting on the side of the vehicle can reduce the risk. But again it's all just based on the statistics, they just looked at the past claims they've paid out and found that only 2 out of 100 accidents involved cars with towbars. Or that on the past 1000 van claims they've paid out on the ones with racking in the back to secure their load cost less to repair than those without. Or less signwritten vans get stolen then plain white ones. This is why things like your postcode and job can make a big difference. If they find that for your particular postcode (they often just use the first half of the postcode like NW1, or ME17) they've paid out more claims to people who live there, or the claims they've made for people living in your postcode cost more than the average it puts the price up. The opposite is also true. Or they might say out of the past 1000 claims we've paid 10 of them were train drivers, but 50 of them were journalists. It's often worth looking down the list of jobs insurers use and see if there is an alternative that applies to your job. For example when i used to be a Lorry Driver, it was cheaper for me to put down "Delivery Driver" than it was Lorry Driver. It's sometimes worth not bigging up your job for the sake of vanity too, don't say you're a chef if you're just a cook,. Don't confuse Brokers with Insurers (underwriters). They're all insurance companies, but sometimes it's better to use a broker as they'll pick the best job description for you and filter out things like painted wheels, before getting quotes from the actual insurer. |
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3rd Oct 2017 8:24pm |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006  
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Im with you on what actually amounts to a modification, if the part you are replacing was designed specifically for that application but is of a better quality or greater efficiency etc then forget it. Things like all terrain tyres, washable air filter or a stainless exhaust. They are just better quality versions of what was there before. Altering the ride height or wedging huge tyres under it yeah ok tell them. But just listing everything you have changed since it was fresh from the factory is mad. It's not as if they aren't going to find any excuse to get out of paying for a claim! Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon. |
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4th Oct 2017 4:31am |
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| BLACK LAB Member Since: 07 Dec 2016 Location: AYRSHIRE Posts: 165 
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The guy from the RAC told me during our lenghtly discussion that even something as basic as changing existing lights to LED's or adding spot lights is a modification . Even adding decals or stickers is a modification . Upgrading stereo equipment from basic factory stereos is a modification . Upgraded seats and steering wheels etc - All classed as modifications.
With the seemingly endless add-on's and upgrades that is out there for us Defender enthusiasts I thought it prudent to mention this on here as I dont want anybody being caught out because of some areshole insurance investigator or snide insurance company that would use these seemingly standard modifications nowadays to wriggle out honoring their side of a contract should the worst happen . 2006 DEFENDER 90 TD5 CSW XS 2018 RANGE ROVER SPORT HSE DYNAMIC |
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4th Oct 2017 5:52am |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006
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There's always recourse to the courts, an insurance company would have all on to convince a judge that having a different stereo or a cleanable air filter had any causal link to you getting rammed on a junction for example and that they shouldn't be covering your damage. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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4th Oct 2017 6:31am |
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| BLACK LAB Member Since: 07 Dec 2016 Location: AYRSHIRE Posts: 165
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Would that not mean you having to take them to court though ? Would it not turn into a 3 way thing if the other party tried to put a claim in against you directly ?
If your car was stolen as well for example they might say that it was stolen because it was more desirable because it had nice black wheels or LED headlights or that better upgraded double din stereo inside ? Some of them are just going to either exploit you because of basic mods or try and wriggle out of their obligations becuase of them . 2006 DEFENDER 90 TD5 CSW XS 2018 RANGE ROVER SPORT HSE DYNAMIC |
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4th Oct 2017 6:51am |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006
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Not being a defender owner anymore, one stop thinking so much about the theft aspect. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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4th Oct 2017 7:22am |
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| lambert.the.farmer Member Since: 11 Apr 2012 Location: harrogate Posts: 2006
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Also I have a broker whom knows my car which obviates a lot of effort on my part. Rhubarb and custard let fly with their secret weapon.
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4th Oct 2017 7:55am |
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| simon67 Member Since: 18 Jun 2015 Location: west sussex Posts: 569 
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From personal experience, I would recommend LV
£4K worth of MODs, usual stuff, LED, sills etc - thinkpremium went up £20 I pay £200 a year fully comp, bad news, I had a bang last week and its being inspected for a write off tomorrow Only good news, I hit her up the backside and the dash cam proved its not my fault Also from previous experience (last Friday), Nissan X Trail v Defender 90 - no contest I know the Nissan is designed to fold, I lost the front three inches (lights etc), she lost a third of her car |
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4th Oct 2017 8:03am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17363 
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Actually that is not the issue at all. The issue is that you have a contract with the insurance company which requires you to provide them with the information they ask for in a complete and honest manner, and they in return provide you with an agreed level of insurance cover (of course an outrageous bundle of cash is also involved). If you do not declare modifications after you have, by signing up to the policy, accepted their terms and conditions, then you are in breach of contract which in turn means that they no longer have to provide the agreed level of cover. So if you have modified anything about your vehicle and failed to tell them, and you make a claim, and they find out that you have undisclosed modifications, then they are under no obligation to provide the full level of cover that you think you're entitled to. This does not necessarily mean that you are driving without insurance but it is likely to mean that you only have very basic third party cover (what is often known as "RTA Cover"). It doesn't matter that the modification in no way contributed to the incident which resulted in the claim, it is the fact that the modification put you in breach of contract with the insurer that is the problem. The specific example scenario above ("rammed at a junction" ) suggests that you are not at fault and the other party is wholly to blame, in which case if you are lucky enough to be hit by an insured driver their insurance should pay out and this shouldn't be affected by your modifications. You could find however that your insurer declines to pursue the claim on your behalf as a result of undisclosed modifications. The bottom line is that when you sign on the dotted line you are agreeing to tell them about any and all modifications, not just the ones you think make affect the insured risk. |
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4th Oct 2017 8:05am |
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| BLACK LAB Member Since: 07 Dec 2016 Location: AYRSHIRE Posts: 165
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The point of my original post was the ridicolous gap in prices quoted on unmodified defender 90TD5 XS CSW around £350 at forst but when I told them the truth that I had wheels and some bits done black it went up to £1200 . Absolute sharks . Potential extortion and racketeering . Flux Direct came out not too bad but now I have to send umpteen pictures and loads of other stuff through some stupid online portal . No good for folk who maybe lead a simpler life and dont bother with computers . 2006 DEFENDER 90 TD5 CSW XS
2018 RANGE ROVER SPORT HSE DYNAMIC |
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4th Oct 2017 11:50am |
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| zsd-puma Member Since: 09 Aug 2016 Location: Kent Posts: 2720
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A modification is just that, anything that modifies the vehicle from how it left the factory. These might modify the vehicle's, appearance, performance or capabilities. It's hardly insurance jargon it's basic English. I really don't understand your surprise that adding spot lights, stickers, changing the stereo, changing the lights, completely changing the seats and interior would make it a modified vehicle. It seems pretty damn obvious. 
I have to be honest some of the language you're using, i'm actually wondering if you should seek professional counselling. If you don't like the insurers quote, just move on to another insurer, it's not as if there is a shortage of them. |
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4th Oct 2017 12:55pm |
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