Yes it does count as a mod. If you say that your car is not modified the insurer bases premium on the basic spec for that model. This must cause enough confusion for buyers of the car new, but as I say is a mine field for second hand buyers who probably will never know the car is not fully standard.

It is a bit of a grey area , alhough if the owner was genuinely unaware of any modifications then the insurers should still pay out.

As for optional extras , thats something I'd not considered before.

For example my car had cruise control factory fitted.

Should this have been disclosed when getting quotes?

I'm just about to renew my insurance , so I'll try and remember to ask one of them.

I am sure you should tell them, but I would imagine that they are more interested in things that increase performance or make the car more attractive to thieves like alloys or expensive ICE.

william I think you are wrong, anything that is factory fitted is not classed as a modification. Thats the view of the insurance company that I work for.

Example, say you had a G model car that doesn't come with alloys and you tick the alloys box on the options list then this is not classed as a mod. Say you had the same model and fitted it with some alloys from Halford then this is classed as a mod.

Imagine ordering a BMW, you'd be there all day telling the insurer what options you've had fitted. Don't get anything as standard on them! Do they come with Radio's these days or are ithey still an Option?

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

Using your example of a BMW you can easily have a couple of grands worth of options fitted which would affect the amount the insurers would have to pay out in the event of a claim.

With that in mind it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to want to know about them.

now this depends on how the insurance company phrase what they ask, I've just been down to the sales department here, and they have changed what they ask...

they now ask " has the car been modified in anyway?, and does it have any none standard options added?" most of them only ask if they have been modified not in the factory.

The insurer always ask the value of the vechicle, so I've you've ticked all the boxes on the bmw options list then you would add this extra cost onto the basic model figure.