 | Home > Finance & Insurance > OK, own up, do you declare all mods? |
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| Grenadier Member Since: 23 Jul 2014 Location: The foot of Mont Blanc... Posts: 5829   
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Nope
I have a driver and transit van that follow me everywhere with all the OE parts and full set of tools, so that in the event of a crash we can pop everything back on. Then worry about the dead and dying....  Monsieur Le Grenadier
I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list..... 2011 Puma 110DC - Corris Grey |
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7th Jan 2016 7:13am |
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| MartinK Member Since: 02 Mar 2011 Location: Silverdale (Lancashire/Cumbria Border) Posts: 2665  
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I guess that's my view too. Glovebox mod? Side Steps (xs ones on a County)? Genuine Land Rover SVX Alloys? Leather seats? Dinitrol? Tow Bracket? LED interior lights? Wipac Crystals? I have not declared such things... Not sure how they would be relevant TBH? If I did a 2" suspension rise, or a remap, then Yes... I would advise the insurer... Defender "Puma" 2.4 110 County Utility (possibly the last of the 2.4's) |
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7th Jan 2016 8:02am |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7907 
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A tune, spacers, underbody protection and greenlaning only added £65 to quote so not worth risking it! I'd declare everything just for piece of mind.
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7th Jan 2016 8:39am |
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us off.
| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5111  
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Best to declare everything, reason being if the worst comes to the worst you are covered, insurance companies can and do wriggle out of claims and modifications that they do not know about can invalidate a policy. For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at..
http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 |
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7th Jan 2016 11:32am |
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| McGeordie Member Since: 20 Feb 2012 Location: Central Scotland Posts: 220 
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OK, guys..I'm not an underwriter, but I'm connected to the Insurance trade so to speak, most motor insurers, are interested in anything that changes either how the vehicle looks or performs,
In most insurance contracts, it will say you need to declare any modifications and so best advice its a good idea to declare all your mods or at least detail them and provide it to your insurers, that way there have no loop hole in the event of a claim and god forbid you are in a total loss scenario, you can use that as evidence to challenge a low offer, if that should be the case. So in my case, I'd tell them about the aftermarket wheels and the remap, as I have, I'm less worried about a stainless bolt kit, or glove box for example...it could be reasonably argued it change the 'risk' that vehicle presents. As a market view, all insurers define their own underwriting policy, so its up to them what they 'charge' for and what they don't, there is no industry standard, its all down to commercials and to which market sectors any insurer wishes to play in and the customer base they wish to attract. Just out of interest, a well known insurer successfully declined a claim on a modified Subaru, it had the standard wheels in gold, but had a full 'rally' style graphics kit, but no other mods, it was stock engine and running gear, however it looked like it should have been on a rally stage, in their opinion...it was deemed modified and thus more attractive to the thieves who had taken the car. Sold Def 90 HT 2010...Stornaway..(SOLD in Oct 2014) Current: delivered October 2014:- 110 USW XS.....Montalcino Red |
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7th Jan 2016 11:49am |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383
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quote above...'however it looked like it should have been on a rally stage, in their opinion...it was deemed modified and thus more attractive to the thieves who had taken the car.'
That's why I think Insurance companies will weasel their way out of anything...Pathetic. |
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7th Jan 2016 11:55am |
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| McGeordie Member Since: 20 Feb 2012 Location: Central Scotland Posts: 220
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GREENI, opinions will always vary and I doubt many will support insurers...,that said if everyone was honest and upfront, I know my premoium would be cheaper, the reality is we enter into a contact with insurers, when that car was insured..the insurer asked 'is your car modified?' the customer told them the car was standard and it wasn't...why did they do that, not because they didn't know!
I saw it at the recovery agents and it stuck out like sore thumb...if it had been bog stock, I would have walked right by. The reality is, its non disclosure, and the insurer could say and evidence if they had been told what the car looked like and wasn't standard...they wouldn't have offered cover. As I said, glove box wouldn't make a vehicle more attractive to the 'light fingered mob', so I doubt an insurer could wriggle out of that. Sold Def 90 HT 2010...Stornaway..(SOLD in Oct 2014) Current: delivered October 2014:- 110 USW XS.....Montalcino Red |
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7th Jan 2016 12:04pm |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383
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Without getting into an online argument...Insurers should quite simply define the term 'modified'.
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7th Jan 2016 12:17pm |
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| McGeordie Member Since: 20 Feb 2012 Location: Central Scotland Posts: 220
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GREENI, no argument from me, I'm trying to be helpful and give some insight from the experience I have.
I agree insurers should define policy terms and conditions, and you'd have a good argument in any dispute if that was not the case, its part of Treating Customers Fairly Out of interest, I've just checked my insurance policy and their website and its quite clear, and gives useful advice, including a list of things they'd regard as modifications, and if in doubt call them, before you make the modifications. BTW - I still think I'm okay with stuff like a glove box or heater duct add on.. Sold Def 90 HT 2010...Stornaway..(SOLD in Oct 2014) Current: delivered October 2014:- 110 USW XS.....Montalcino Red |
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7th Jan 2016 12:42pm |
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| GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383
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`there is always the case of the guy who sadly lost all those kids, a few years ago....basically driving around in a very poorly 'modified' and what transpired as being 'cobbled together' and shoddily maintained 110. Mostly people on here have 'modifications' on their vehicles and usually endeavour to have their Defenders in more than 'tip-top' condition....which I would hope the insurance companies would look at too. |
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7th Jan 2016 12:59pm |
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| Sphere Member Since: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Midlands Posts: 725 
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It is interesting what is a mod. I thought I declared everything however never thought of the roof rack equally it's not fitted 100% of the time. A couple of years back when I had a chipped etc td5 I declared that and the reply was dont worry about that it's only a Land Rover! I managed to get a email saying that I had declared but it wasn't going to effect my insurance as I think I got the trainee that day.
Interestingly I have never had issues with insuring my modified defenders however my standard seat car this year has been a nightmare as had issues with no claims bonus etc as my wife owns the car but I am main driver. Insured for 5 years now no issues but not this year. I will now always go with a broker who can advise me what when where etc rather than save £50 |
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8th Jan 2016 12:04pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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Weird, I've got the roof rack listed on my policy despite the fact it's a dealer fitted accessory (more fool the person that paid for that... it was free to me!) but the didn't care about the upgraded headlights (Crystals) or wing mirrors. And yes, I did ask.
What about tyres? Are tyres that aren't original size supposed to be declared? Aftermarket alloys? What if you fit station wagon springs to a hardtop? |
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13th Jan 2016 6:21pm |
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| McGeordie Member Since: 20 Feb 2012 Location: Central Scotland Posts: 220
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Cupboard, Hi
As a general rule insurers are interested in modifications that increase performance or change the appearance of the vehicle, as I said previously its best to check with your specific insurer, but from my experience minor changes such as fitting crystal headlights, or bigger mirrors wouldn't be something they'd be interested in, or ever likely to spot at the time of a claim. From experience, if tyres are the correct size, legal and correctly rated for that vehicle, then you should be ok, I've never heard of am engineer checking the brand vs. as supplied. I have wider wheels same diameter with wider tyres, my insurers were advised and its noted on the policy, however there was no increase in premium, it just says aftermarket wheels fitted, they never asked brand or size of the tyres. Sold Def 90 HT 2010...Stornaway..(SOLD in Oct 2014) Current: delivered October 2014:- 110 USW XS.....Montalcino Red |
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15th Jan 2016 8:24am |
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