I rang LV today and advised them of the following mods since I took out insurance with them: remap, DV, and cruise. I nearly had heart failure (ala Blair) when the man who took my call said that he would need to feed details of the engine mod into the computer to see if it would affect the premium. It didn't, nor did the DV, but it might have done for another car and age group (eg teenager in an Escort). He made a note of the addition of cruise control and is issuing me with a revised policy doc showing the mods - or was it CC only?

I also asked what mods LV need to be advised of. This is the list:

Engine/carb mods

Exhaust

Brakes

Suspension

Wheels/tyres (the latter if other than the original size)

Body/car kit - including skirts, spoilers etc

Disability mods

Interior

Paintwork

So the message here is to make sure that you declare all the mods fitted when you take out the insurance, and also to declare any mods you make subsequently.

I have now received a new insurance schedule and certificate of insurance from LV having advised them of the mods. Both are identical to the originals apart from the certificate of insurance having a new start date from when I advised the mods.

ummm not doubting for one moment, but when I took out the policy I asked this specific question and was told differently, that is to say I only needed to advise if I changed the engine size or engine...

I'd best call them as they have no idea what is done to the car, she certainly did not note the suspension etc, just asked I kept receipts and pictures, now where did I put that 2.7bi-turbo photoshop image...

I had the same advice initially, Colin, and I don't recall being asked about mods when I took out the insurance - but the car was standard then. But I did say that I was going to mod the car. Now the interesting thing is that in the Motor Insurance Booklet - Section 11 - General Conditions - Duty and revealing information it says:

We will only provide cover under this insurance if:

.........the information you gave to us when applying for this insurance, and when making a claim, is true as far as you know..........and you must tell us as soon as possible about any changes which have happened since the insurance started or since the last renewal."

Do you recall being asked about mods when you took out your insurance? If not, you have still complied with the terms since you have given the company all the information they asked for. However, there is a clear duty to notify LV of any changes during the term of the policy as I have done. I have declared that the ECU has been remapped but was not asked what effect this has had on engine power and performance, nor was much interest shown in that mod. The DV change aroused about as much interest, but I was asked quite a bit about the CC. I explained that the stalk and operation were as for an OE car, but that part of a wiring loom had to be fabricated.

This whole LV and mods thing is quite simple as far as I can see.

We know that they have told all of us the same thing re. receipts, not bothered about mods etc.

We know that they had a new policy implemented in April of this year with regard to the above.

IMHO, the only reason they're bothered about engine size is that they need to know as a larger engine would not 'fit' in their list of cars on the database.

ie. we may put a big turbo on etc. but our car is still a 1.8T RS/4x4, is listed as such and they're not arsed. OTOH, the engine increases to 2.0 litres and cannot be matched on their database as a 1.8T because it ain't!!

That's how I see it and after many calls to them, that's how I'm leaving it.

Can somebody enlighten me who is LV ??

Liverpool Victoria

When I told my Dad I was changing to them, it turned out he knew of them in great detail as his Honda and his business partner's car (both firm owned) are insured with them... So what mods can be done to a Honda Accord then?

(He's actually thinking of a PD130 Seat Ibiza now, and I'm not sure I can turn him around to a Fabia vRS. :( - I guess two Fabia's on the drive will look a bit sad too)

I've also recommended Jabba to him as well.

As renewal time is fast coming up and I've spoke to them recently (amongst others), I'll confirm what Denis, Huck and co have said previously about mods.

Is it just me or do they seem to get a little 'cagey' - I'd certainly feel more confident if they would/could confirm back to me that, yes, I have told them what mods have been done. To say there's nowhere to put anything on the screen about mods seems strange to me.

If I go with them, I'll ask the questions (as others have), get the name of the people I spoke to, then when I get the docs, send them a recorded letter confirming what was said in the conversation - ie - Standard engine mechanics but ECU upgrade etc. That way they either have to come back and say 'no' or you have the proof you told them the car was not standard in the event of an accident or third party /personal injury claim.

Makes sense or over the top ?

Makes sense or over the top ?

Rob, as posted earlier, I was reissued with an insurance schedule and certificate of insurance after notifying LV of the CC, DV and Jabba mods. Neither of those documents make any mention of the mods, but I am absolutely confident that LV have a record of them. If you arrange insurance by phone, they will keep a record of the call since what is said forms the basis of the contract for insurance purposes. Just make sure that you mention all the mods and leave it at that.

I have renewed with L&V.

Both people I spoke to ( I got a quote then rang back to confirm) specifically stated that their computer system would not allow them to record details of modificatications !

So there you go. My premium is 20% cheaper with L&V than the company with I've been with for years - I asked the current one if loyalty and a lack of claims counted for anything to retain my business - they said "well you could take off the protected no claims and legal protection to reduce the cost" Duhr.

This whole LV and mods thing is quite simple as far as I can see.

We know that they have told all of us the same thing re. receipts' date=' not bothered about mods etc.

We know that they had a new policy implemented in April of this year with regard to the above.

IMHO, the only reason they're bothered about engine size is that they need to know as a larger engine would not 'fit' in their list of cars on the database.

ie. we may put a big turbo on etc. but our car is still a 1.8T RS/4x4, is listed as such and they're not arsed. OTOH, the engine increases to 2.0 litres and cannot be matched on their database as a 1.8T because it ain't!!

That's how I see it and after many calls to them, that's how I'm leaving it.[/quote']

I think it's to hook us - give it a couple of years and they'll turn round and screw us like the rest of the companies. I simply can't believe that it's good business to underwrite people who modify their cars - why are they prepared to charge a punter with, say, a 4x4 Jabba'd to 180 or beyond + a vRS bodykit less than someone who bought the vRS?

It's either gross na

I think it's to hook us - give it a couple of years and they'll turn round and screw us like the rest of the companies.

Even if they do that, we still get a couple of good years out of them before we have to find another insurer. Suits me sir !

Even if they do that, we still get a couple of good years out of them before we have to find another insurer. Suits me sir !

Ditto that.

I don't doubt this is a hook.

About six months ago I got the renewal premium through for my wifes car and decided to shop around. I found that if I changed from DL to Tesco I could save quite a bit. My brother in law worked for DL at the time and I told him that after many years of continued DL loyalty I was switching to Tesco, he just shrugged his shoulders and said it doesn't matter, the policies at Tesco are underwritten by DL and that Tesco are just fishing for new custom.

...why are they prepared to charge a punter with, say, a 4x4 Jabba'd to 180 or beyond + a vRS bodykit less than someone who bought the vRS?...

Because we 4X4 punters drive more carefully and are a lower risk. QED.

LV used to charge for mods until very recently but found that it wasn't worth the extra admin and premium charged. Since they do not advertise as not charging for mods, it's not as if they are going all out for such business, is it? My son with a highly modded BMW M3 lookalike has had to declare every single mod for his Lloyds of London policy and each and every one affects his premium. That's another way of doing business.

..we still get a couple of good years out of them before we have to find another insurer. Suits me sir !

Double ditto :rainbowaf

Question not asked yet - what about track days...?

Rob

Double ditto :rainbowaf

Question not asked yet - what about track days...?

Rob

I won't even bother asking that, i think i know the answer already

By the way, its widely known that "New Business" always gets a better deal than renewing customers.

Insurance is, and always will be a rip-off, just accept that fact and stop worrying about it

I won't even bother asking that, i think i know the answer already:D

It sort of matters if we go to Bruntingthorpe though :blowinup:

It sort of matters if we go to Bruntingthorpe though :blowinup:

As several people have already said, Track Day cover is a rip-off, and the excess often makes a claim pointless.

But a bargain if your car gets totally wrecked ?

I think a lot depends on the track and who is going (run off or no run off), but if L&V can't assist, I'll give Competition Car insurance a call - you are right it is expensive though.

Being 21 (20 when my 1st years free insurance ran out) insurance is a NIGHTMARE!!!! I went with HIC (Herts Insurance Consultants - or something). They are similar to Liv Vic. Ok with Mods, ring them up and inform them if you modify, they send out new revised documents with the mods stated. Pretty good company to deal with so far. Will see what my renewal is in March with all the mods declared. As for Track day, they cover you, but i havent looked into this very much. The guys there are sound, as they share the same passion for cars as most of their customers do! Which is always nice Rob

Thing about drivers of cars with Turbos, modded cars, and tuned cars is, they tend to be driven by people who actually care about their cars (usually).

Also LV have a minimum age limit, so they are insuring older drivers who "Should" be more sensible, even when they ahve modded their cars, having the extra power is no problem if you have the experience to know when to use it, or a passed the "godlike" status of youth, and realise the limits of your own mortality, like us older farts do.

I'm with LV too. I originally had the Favorit with Churchill, but putting a Sebring stainless backbox on was counted as a Power mod (on an otherwise standard Favorit Forum with Carbs), and they couldn't continue cover. So I phoned LV, told them about the HP Sporting shocks/struts, the Cobra seats, the S-Racing X3 wheel and shiney bits, and Sebring backbox, and they quoted me