Extra headrest: Do I have to declare this safety mod?

[Super Sonic]

benawhile said:

,it has passed M O T, therefore it is not a mod.

Just to note, the fact it passes MOT doesn't mean it's not a mod.

[benawhile]

Of course not. OK forget the MoT bit, I constructed the sentence carelessly. I'm saying if it was a like for nearest like replacement, which it could have been, then it wasn't a mod.

[Acuity30]

Pica-Pica said:

Head restraint, not head rest. They are there to avoid injury.

They don't restrain your head, they're there for you to rest your head on. OP was correct, it is a head rest.
OP you must declare it as you've modified it. Same goes for an airfreshner which could hinder view, or a ceramic coating which adds value to the car and the glossy look makes it more of a theft target.

[GeniusOfLove]

Super Sonic said:

benawhile said:

,it has passed M O T, therefore it is not a mod.

Just to note, the fact it passes MOT doesn't mean it's not a mod.

Yes that's interesting logic, my XKR passed the MOT with a supercharger pulley, remap, and an incredibly loud exhaust. I'm relieved to hear these are not mods.

[alscar]

Mr Tidy said:

I don't see any reason to declare an option as a modification.

I have a car with Xenons and a sunroof that were options but don't declare them as modifications - they were factory fitted!

Quite right. Anything factory fitted is just and only that.
Grey areas might include dealer fitted extras.

[alscar]

Geertsen said:

smokey mow said:

Geertsen said:

Surely if you declared this you’d have to declare a tow bar, a bicycle rack, furry dice, extra mats, a USB charger in the cigarette lighter, different tyres to the ones supplied by the factory, etc.

I have tow bars on two of my cars and both insurers consider it to be a modification and name it on the policies.

Interesting, you learn something every day.

Not surprised that tow bars are considered as mods ( assuming they weren’t fitted at the factory obviously ) as are both permanent and add to the value if a replacement car needed.
Bicycle rack might be a grey area for the same reasons but I would seriously doubt any Insurer would ever worry or even be told if mats and a usb were added.

[Davie]

All this and yet I've still to find an insurer who cares if I replace the OEM tyres, brakes, suspension parts etc with the cheapest, nastiest crap the internet has to offer. However adding some trivial little addition and that seems to pique their interest. A friend had a bit of a battle a few years back having had his Astra SRi subject to a claim and come assessment time, they pointed out the factory fitted XP bodykit wasn't declared. His counter argument was that he gave the VRN and they quoted based on that and how was he meant to know... ultimately i think he ended up having to pay an increased excess before they would consider the claim. Insurance, utter farce of an industry

[smallpaul]

For it to be a problem you would have to find someone that 1) Noticed the difference and 2) Cared

However safest option is to declare it.

[Dogwatch]

Super Sonic said:

As this is a factory fitment to some versions I would describe it as an option rather than a modification.

That was my experience when I had rear sensors fitted. I declared them but was told that as they were pukka Ford units integrated into the radio, and were an option on higher spec versions, they weren't a mod.