Re-maps and insurance

[LuS1fer]

I see various ads with re-maps "to cure flat spots" and coincidentally increase power etc but am always wary as this is a mod that needs to be declared for insurance purposes.

Anyone have any experience of the bald difference in £s between a standard car and one with a "re-map"?

[twink]

I always advise people to declare the map as soon as it's on the car and I give them a ballpark power output increase too should they want it. The premium increase is never much and should you have a crash bad enough for them to warrant interrogating the ECU fully, they can tell the map is on there. Not worth the risk in my opinion.

[mk1matt]

Depends! I think my Passat (1.8T with an Upsolute 193bhp map) was about £30 extra. My Mk4 Golf (TDI 130 with Jabba 170ish map) was about £50 extra but that was for all the mods - brakes, wheels, suspension, interior, remap.

Both were with Flux, and both a few years ago now.

[insurance_jon]

check first as some insurers refuse to let you do it

[rllmuk]

It depends on the percentage increase in BHP but most insurers don't like them depending on age etc. It will add a fair whack on top if mid policy + the dreaded admin fee...

I recently had to renew my insurance and coincided it with a remap. Whilst my insurer at the time wanted to add some on top due to a change in circumstances a fair few new quotes were better - this was with a 30% BHP increase (dyno proven, honest! *ahem*)

Btw - good to see talk of declaring it, I'd hate to guess how many people are driving around without telling their insurer purely as they can 'turn it off'.

[kingofdbrits]

If you use insurance companies that specialise in modified cars its fairly reasonable, for my 100bhp over stock it's £80 more than quotes i got for a standard car. They do ask if you've increased power by under or over 25%.

As said, some insurance companies won't insure remapped cars, i was with esure and when i asked for a price they told me they don't insure any modification to the ECU, with greenlight now.

[smiffy180]

My insurer wanted 250 quid! Thought stuff that ill save up for a faster car (oh and that was for 15% power increase; nevermind the 30-40% it would have given!)

[Cupramax]

I paid about £120 more with a remap on my old Leon Cupra R, went from 320 to 440. This was about 7 years ago though for a 60hp increase.