Be careful with minor mods with these lot before doing your insurance with them. "Oh Yes"

(I may have the wrong section, sorry but I own my vRS and figure more people mod here than the MkII's)

We wanted to put the white roof / vinyl on our MKII, however it all went a bit tits up (really should have removed the bee sting and even with four hands it was a major pain in the ass which we aborted but rather than waste it I decided to save some of the material (cost me £80!) and try something else.

Then sadly just around a week later the bloody missus went and had a minor bump in it! Then the daft cow having called the insurance also had it dropped in for repair even though I'd already looked at it and confirmed there was really not that much damage ! (£350 excess to lose and it didn't even need bumper replacing, just some scratches to it).

Anyway they had in inspected by them when it went in and they jumped straight on about the stripes and reckon it was a bigger risk and wanted over £100 for increase premium.

I recently discussed about if we'd made it like a standard white roof and even this is classed as a "mod" if its fitted by yourself not by the manufacturer, even if it looks identical and they wouldn't know whether you fitted the roof or not, its not a "SPORT model its just an option from the factory and by the way you don't insure your "BLACK AND WHITE" car so frankly I think they are full of ***t

At first they wanted well over £100, no way so I have left it and eventually they wanted about half and also about doubled the excess (for a wee bit of vinyl?!?) and the thing is the main reason I wanted to do it is the car stands out at night so if anything its LESS likely to be hit as its black !!

Thankfully they were good about us getting the car back from the repair agent though, a VW repair place in Northampton who are unscrupulous scum, as we called up at 9:30 to say don't do anything, they continued anyway and they way they were going off later about policy holders, you'd think they owned the car or something not me !

We basically put strips in white carbon that look very much like a ford fiesta st.

Yes yes I know, it was essentially my fault that I let it pass and forgot to let them know

The missus had accident about a week after the vinyl was fitted sadly and I didn't have time to think of the importance of calling them up to check

Just as well insurance is due in a few weeks, won't be with them I can assure you.

I'll post the pics of the stripes though, it wasn't really my plan but they actually don't look half bad considering although I am a little embarrased about having stripes lol

So you didnt declare it then complain when the Insurance finds out?

If you dont declare with the new insurance you'll be in the same bother. You've also essentially made a claim (even though you didnt see it through), so you'll have to declare that as well.

People who add stripes = more likely to be a boy racer = bigger % risk = higher premium

Insurance is all about statistics and probability - nothing to do with logic

I totally appreciate that we would need to do that, yes of course and it may even be then easier to just remove the (temporary) vinyl when its time to do so.

My point is that its so daft to cash in on such a minor thing, the payment now isn't so bad, I've paid it. But can you explain to me logically why the excess needs to be doubled for some temporary removable vinyl then please - that is fitted by the owner and in the event of damage wouldn't get replaced by anyone other than us?

If anything, I take the white off the car and I can assure you that its much more likely with the reduced street lighting that some truck or tired/****ed driver runs into it in the night as its parked in the street - which was one of my incentives for putting something to contrast other than black and as I said my original intention was for it to be totally OEM looking but even then they argue the toss about it being a "mod"

But no, of course they don't care of any positive improvements it can bring.

Edited 12 September, 201114 yr by dominorising

It's very simple. If a white roof is done at the factory, it's standard. If you fit it yourself, it's a mod and has to be declared.

If you are modding a car in any way, even just adding some stripes, ask your insurers if it will affect the premium before doing the mod. Get their answer in writing too if you can, or make careful note of the date and time of the phone call and who you spoke to.

If you don't ask first, you can't complain when they don't like it. You're lucky they didn't cancel your policy on the spot TBH.

People who add stripes = more likely to be a boy racer = bigger % risk = higher premium

Insurance is all about statistics and probability - nothing to do with logic

Maybe more likely to get stolen too AND you've been caught with an undeclared mod - more likely to make undeclared mods in the future.

I dont dispute any of that, it makes sense and like I said was a slight lapse and naivety on our behalf, as I had got to thinking the white roof would look so much like standard

I didn't even factor insurance into the equation and later was more worried at having soiled material that I couldn't use and just wanted to make the most of it and didn't think of the wider consequences.

Ok guilty on that point

(Im not normally the sort of person that would tend to apply massive mods without thinking about insurance)

However no one has yet managed to explain any good solid reasoning behind the massive increase in excess NOT premium ?

I don't see your defence for this when you take the strong insurance company line.

Edited 12 September, 201114 yr by dominorising

Aye they could have cancelled straight away.

Northants council decision to kill lighting is silly. Even worse is it's saving £2m, yet they're set to blow £136m on intelligent lighting which will turn off between midnight and 5am.

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Moneybox | Insurers warn on car alterations & Modifications

Adding a sticker is a mod?

Christ, I better ring my insurance about my metal tax disc holder, that might fall off and shatter, or if its made from light weight magnesium burst into a super hot white flame.

Insurance isn't supposed to make sence. Hell I've just found out I can fit any alloy's I want without affecting my insurance as my "factory option" black alloys counts as "moddified (black alloy wheels)" apparently.

Insurance is one of these things you've just got to list every slight diffrent thing about your car and just accept the price. It's a legal requirement to have insurance so you may as well makesure its clear what exactly your car is does and has options mod's or otherwise as quite frankly I don't want to be the one getting sued with no insurance if you ever god forbid have a crash.

Aye they could have cancelled straight away.

Northants council decision to kill lighting is silly. Even worse is it's saving £2m, yet they're set to blow £136m on intelligent lighting which will turn off between midnight and 5am.

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Moneybox | Insurers warn on car alterations & Modifications

ive many cars which ive mod like the roomster ive fitted roof spoiler rear diffuesr chrome tip plus alloys they are all insuranced fully comp proteced bonous my insurance told me that sumone taken there airbag streeing wheel and put a alloy one in its place they soon cancelled his insurance so beware guys pete

I think it was Direct Line that went to Santa Pod, took the reg of each car that went down the strip and checked them against their records.

Anyone insured by them got a letter cancelling their insurance because of track use.

As thats off road use I can't see how thats legit but Direct line are the biggest thiefs out there anyway

As thats off road use I can't see how thats legit but Direct line are the biggest thiefs out there anyway

Spot on - it's lucky to be still trading - only because the taxpayer bailed out its parent company to the tune of billions.

Edited 13 September, 201114 yr by Wee Bri

People who add stripes = more likely to be a boy racer = bigger % risk = higher premium

Insurance is all about statistics and probability - nothing to do with logic

This, plus being caught out not declaring a mod to your insurer.

Making modifications to your car is part of 'behaviour model' as is your occupation among other things.

It's the same as people getting a higher premium for previous no insurance convictions. It just shows they can be irresponsible in the same way a go faster stripes make you look like a boy racer.

I'm not saying it's right, but that's how it works.

Direct line dont do mods so I went.somewhere else, I believe privelege and churchill are the same company as well

I think it was Direct Line that went to Santa Pod, took the reg of each car that went down the strip and checked them against their records.Anyone insured by them got a letter cancelling their insurance because of track use.

Do you have a link to a source for this? I think this is an urban legend which actually originated from some twonk writing their car off on a track and claiming it was on a road then getting found out ny their insurer.

As thats off road use I can't see how thats legit but Direct line are the biggest thiefs out there anyway

exactly. You can go on a track but your insurance won't cover any mishaps. If your insurer did do this the ombudsman would be 1st port of call.

My DL renewal came through and is the same price as last year. Not sure how that makes them thieving scum considering most premiums have risen by £100!

Direct line dont do mods so I went.somewhere else, I believe privelege and churchill are the same company as well

What mods are we talking? Like most insurers they have a risk model of drivers and cars they don't want. Some won't entertain bans, some cars below a certain value, no cars above certain bhp for young drivers, some standard only, some heavily mod only.

It's why shopping around is a must as these change weekly. Today one might not like mods and next week ok.

The logic most insurance companies use when you make any mod is you are making the car more desirable than a standard vehicle so given the choice a thief will choose your car making it it a higher risk.

It doesn't matter if your mod makes the car look ridiculous (picnic table spoiler etc) the same logic applies. As others have said this is probably based on a set of stats plugged into the accumulator (premium/excess calculating) equation.

Direct Line are a regular at Santa Pod. I know one of their agents who goes.

As far as I know, they are there to check for undeclared mods - particularly performance mods.

He says "it's like shooting fish in a barrel" as people are lining up to demonstate their performance mods.

I love admirals logic that charges people who garage there cars more than people who keep theirs on a roadside/driveway.

when i spoke to their underwriting dep i was told that the reason is because the type of person who garages there car is likely to be more pedantic(check spelling) when claiming; making more calls and more likely to reject the first offer, ultimately costing the insurance more time and money.

I think that it purely brilliant logic.

Well I'm one step ahead and said I'm parking it on the road. If anything happens I'll be the biggest pedant they'll ever meet

Direct Line are a regular at Santa Pod. I know one of their agents who goes.

As far as I know, they are there to check for undeclared mods - particularly performance mods.

He says "it's like shooting fish in a barrel" as people are lining up to demonstate their performance mods.

All insurers have camped out at meets and events like Santa pod and combe track days for a number of years now looking for undeclared mods.

I can understand that you need to inform of any power increase or suspension mods, different wheels etc. but putting stripes on? It's just an excuse for wriggling out of a claim and asking for more premium / excess. I dont think there will be any statistics to prove there are more accidents or claims from people with stripes on their cars. lol

The underwriters i deal with will have statistics...

The logic is based on having racing stripes = boy racer = colin mcrae wannabe

The underwriters i deal with will have statistics...

The logic is based on having racing stripes = boy racer = colin mcrae wannabe

= likely to get it on its roof.