I'm sure I've read some threads about this a while age on here. Indeed I phoned my insurer at the time for clarification and was told that I DID NOT need to disclose factory-fit optional equipment.

Well, I've been having a bit of an argument with various insurers the last couple of days regarding what they term as "modifications" but don't actually seem to define anywhere.

It first came up when getting a quote from one insurer and the fact that my Fabia came out of the factory with xenons, cruise, sunroof, passenger airbags and deactivation switch put the quote up quite considerably.

I then thought I should check with my current insurer before accepting their renewal for the middle of next month. This time I was told i DID have to declare them, luckily there was no impact on their price.

There are a couple of points which I feel are not adequately handled by the insurance industry:

a) they ask if the car has been modified. Mine hasn't been modified (no re-map, no brake converstion, standard wheels and tyres, standard suspension, standard ICE). However, it seems the insurance industry's definition of the term "modification" includes optional equipment, even stuff the car was built in the factory with. I complained that this isn't made clear and that most people's definition of modifications would not be factory equipment.

if I bought a used car and wasn't at all interested in cars, how would I know what was standard on it and what wasn't? E.g. I go to a non-franchise car lot and see something I literally "like the look of", say a Polo which is 5 or 6 years old and it has aircon and that's what makes me go for it. How would I know whether that particular car came with the aircon as standard or whether it was an option the first owner paid more for? I say this as I wanted aircon on my last car, a W-reg Polo SE, but accepted one without this option as it was available and I would have had to wait for one with AC. However, within a year or two, aircon HAD become an item of standard equipment on the Polo SE.

c) I accused them of using this as a potential way of weeviling their way out of paying a claim by saying "You didn't tell us you paid extra for metallic paint" etc.

At least I am apparently wrong here as one would - allegedly - be given the opportunity to pay any additional premium for that insurance year to upgrade the policy to cover you.

I was SO infuriated with my insurer's attitude (that they could not possibly make things any clearer), I am contemplating an official complaint to the Financial Services Ombudsman. My neighbour works for them so I might have a quiet word and see whether it's worthwhile or just a waste of time (I suspect the latter).

So, just a word of warning. I'm glad I found this out before a big claim. Might be worth checking with your own insurers for anyone out there who's paid extra for factory-fit equipment on their car. Caveat emptor indeed.

I had the same conversation with my insurers too. I asked them to note it down at least for me and they did. In fact, when renewal came around, most insurers wouldn't touch me due to my parking sensors.

I think it differs much between insurance companies, and much is left in the grey area until a claim has to be made. Insurance companies are crooks and will do anything to get out of a claim.

This arguement also comes down to oem replacment but not factory parts. Say I fitted some oem replacement dampers from the local motor factors after 100,000 miles. Would this be classed as a modification?

Like wise if I fitted halfords wipers and not Skoda wipers. Were do insurance companys draw the line.

I hate insurance companys.

didn't have a problem with my insurers when my car was repaired last year , its fitted with the xenons , luckily they weren't damaged but obviously the bumper is different (headlamp wash) no mention was made of it , also i thought when you do an online quote , it automatically puts up the colour for the vehicle reg that was entered so the insurers will know that the car is say silver , an optional colour for the Fabia VRS , i think you are worrying too much about it , just tell them what the car is , that it has no mods , they are hardly likely to check that its got something factory optionally extra fitted , most repairers now use a digital camera to do quotes on accident damage so insurers generally never need to inspect the cars anymore even if it is written off , a salvage company just picks them up , and then they're on Ebay the next day , this is only my opinion though

can see insurers point, a smashed headlight £100 smashed zennon headlight £xxx so bound to weight policy accordingly. What peaves me is they don't credit for safety enhances, mine had never heard of ESP, no credit for cruise control, side airbags, parking sensors etc.:thumbdwn:

I agree with most of you on this.

I have alot of extras and I hope they don't say "you never told us" because I did ask if i needed to and they said "no".

I think that things that have the ability to decrease the likly hood of an accident should decrease a premiums just like things that increase the chance of an accident increases the premiums.

ESP should definitly bring down the premium!

insurance companies will swindel you out of a claim and your money. I believe they are worse than the tax man!!

I had the same conversation with my insurers too. I asked them to note it down at least for me and they did. In fact, when renewal came around, most insurers wouldn't touch me due to my parking sensors.

I was with Elephant when a nice lady drove into the back of my two-week-old car

They replaced the rear bumper, complete with parking sensors without any fuss at all

I would definitely regard any factory-fit options (to split hairs, I think the dealers actually fit parking sensors? In which case 'factory fit' means 'any extras fitted from the standard manufacturer's catalogue before the customer takes delivery') as not being modifications. If they want to know about expensive stuff like xenons or aircon they should specifically ask about options as a separate question.

@Cheeky, go on, have a word with your neighbour. I think the insurers know full well that if a customer took them to court over their classification of factory fit xenons (or similar) as modifications, they would lose...it's just a method for them to wriggle out of paying.

You make some good points. To be fair some companies do specifically ask if the car has any optional extra's fitted (Direct Line being one).

My car is currently being repaired, new drivers door and respray of the front panel and rear door.

Funny thing is the insurance company didn't even inspect the car, gave the go ahead to a "non approved" repairer based on some photo's and a quote for the work.

I think its possible that some people get a tad paranoid over the declareing mods thing..... at the end of the day I needed some body work doing and a new door costing well over a grand.

I didn't have an army of people swaming all over the car with vairoius diagnostic equipment etc... to see if I'd had a remap, fitted a pannel filter, put a magic tree air freshner in etc...

I'm not saying don't declare performance mods, but to get het up over xenon's or optional a/c on a car seems a tad paraniod to say the least.