Insurance and modding

[jgbro]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if you guys notify your insurance when you have a modification done to your car?

If by not notifying your insurance is your claims gonna be voided?

[LFT-OOF]

ive been wondering the exact same question because now that my car isnt that standard should i tell the insurance company and tick the box for modification or not..?

[jeffy]

Yes, you have to.

edit: which reminds me.. i still gotta update mine <_<

[P_T]

Failing to notify your insurance company could result in your claim only partially covered, usually in the case of cosmetic mods like body kits, or even not covered at all, usually in the case of performance mods. The more extreme your performance mods are, the less likely your insurer will cover you if they weren't informed prior to your claim.

If you're at fault, you may have to pay for the damage you caused not only to your car but to the other car or property.

[LFT-OOF]

farr out thats not very good i have to do that soon then...

[jeffy]

Just an FYI fellas:

Im with Toyota Insurance, ive got full comp on the camry,

and when i called them up, they told me, as soon as i "lower" the car, it won't be covered.

(i asked them if i purchase coilovers and leave them standard height they said its fine.. but who leaves em standard height? lol)

but the rest of the accessories of the car are covered, eg. swaybars, rims, sh*tty head unit, etc

[pezzie]

It depends on who you're with and what their terms and conditions are. Just call them up and ask.

Im with RACV and they dont need you to notify them of mods. As long as they are legal and will pass a roadworthy certificate from vicroads then they will insure me.

I think this is because they've realised that OEM is generally more expensive than aftermarket.

[dutchie101]

Im currently with AAMI for the ZRE, Shannons for the LS430. The BMW was also modded and insured with AAMI. When it was written off, no issues with any modding was noted.

AMMI are quite happy for you to notify them of mods, i think the suspension(lowered), rims, exhaust etc only raised my annual payment like 30 bucks or something.

Shannons are great also, list all your mods and they are cool with that, and very competitively priced.

[arc]

I think as long as you are over 25 you can have as many mods as you want with racq but if your under I think you can only have 3.

[Andrew357]

When i was with AAMI they let me have 3 mods at no charge and charged me for each one after.

My premium didn't change when I put on the CAI, extractors and catback but did when I added anything else to the policy.

As for telling you insurers about your mods? You'd have to be an A-grade fool if you don't.

[dwee.]

When i was with AAMI they let me have 3 mods at no charge and charged me for each one after.

My premium didn't change when I put on the CAI, extractors and catback but did when I added anything else to the policy.

As for telling you insurers about your mods? You'd have to be an A-grade fool if you don't.

AAMI has changed now, unlimited number of mods (legal ones of course).

[Andrew357]

AAMI has changed now, unlimited number of mods (legal ones of course).

With no increase in premiums?

[Steven]

AAMI has changed now, unlimited number of mods (legal ones of course).

With no increase in premiums?

depends on the mods. I was surprised when I told them of my brake upgrade they actually lowered my premiums

[1stKill]

Main answer here is YES let your insurer know about your mods,they will void your insurance if they find reason enough,and it don't take much. :(

I have a few mods and all of them are listed with Shannons,have had 3 claims and all 3 have gone through smoothly,also was told by one of the assesors that if they weren't listed they would not have honoured my hail claim....thank the mod gods i was honest and open from the start,you do pay a little more but IMO well worth it. :D

[Hiro]

Mine is due at the end of the year (21st Dec really sucks for insurance and rego smack bang before Xmas), probably going to switch over to Shannons after being a loyal NRMA customer for life, NRMA don't exactly ask about mods and I'd hate for something that I've done to screw anything up. Quotes from Shannons for the 102 with mods seem to be about the same as NRMA anyway, and I'm over 25 (approaching 30 too) so premiums across the board for an agreed $6k value aren't that bad.

[LFT-OOF]

im 18 so its pretty crap.. i gotta pay heaps in premuims =(

[P_T]

im 18 so its pretty crap.. i gotta pay heaps in premuims =(

Use your dad's name with you as the secondary driver, might be cheaper. Although if you do something stupid, as most teenagers are proned to do, it'll probably affect your dad too.

[LFT-OOF]

yeh i have it under my mums name and me as a second driver but as soon as you add someone my age its like +500...

[P_T]

500 bucks? ouch. Is that Comprehensive or 3rd party? I got my 2010 ZRE insured for $750 Comprehensive cover with AAMI.

[LFT-OOF]

nah i got comp on my car if its under my mums name its like $950 if its under my name its like 3k and if im a liosted driver under my mums name its $1600 so yeh...

[Andrew357]

nah i got comp on my car if its under my mums name its like $950 if its under my name its like 3k and if im a liosted driver under my mums name its $1600 so yeh...

Still cheaper than under your name though!

Just declare the mod and tell your mum to tell the insurer she needs it to go faster/round corners better etc

[LFT-OOF]

lol yeh my mum loves to drive lowered cars and do track days loll but everything is so much more expensive even greenslip is an extra 200 under my name but i guess everyone has to go through the same thing

[P_T]

$3000 to insure a sportivo under your name?!? Damn... lol

[LFT-OOF]

its not worth doing it in my name in a few years of insurance premiums i could have bought another one...

[iVaz]

I'm with RACV as well, got into a car accident & three of my HID Lights were smashed (I never told them I had HID lights) & they are replacing them?

I later suspiciously asked some girl at the RACV claim's department, and she put me on hold about twice, and specifically said, it's totally fine, as long as you have your light's on or below legal limit, (but how do they know the limit of my lights if they are smashed?) & she said, exactly what was said before by another person on this thread who also replied with RACV, so long as EVERYTHING is roadworthy, your are 100% fine.

I later asked about track racing, and her answer was "No" nothing is covered at circuit racing :(