Exhaust upgrades and insurance

[mikeg996]

I'm thinking about an exhaust upgrade for my 99 996. The easiest option would be the regular PSE, although at £1500 it's a little pricey. I like the idea of being able to switch the noise on and off, though.

There are other exhausts around the £300-400 mark, plus fitting, but if I fit those am I going to have problems with my insurance company? I'm loathe to phone them and ask, as I suspect that they tell me my insurance was invalid if I drove around with the window open/stereo on/rear footwell mats incorrectly fitted.

Any thoughts? My insurer is Admiral, incidentally.

[tat]

I expect the insurance company would say it is a "modification" which they should be told about. If you can argue that it does not significantly change the car (performance, value, appearance, etc) they should not increase your premium, but may charge an "admin fee" for a mid-term amendment.

[Raven Flyer]

Admiral are pretty good with mods.

No power hike is normally just £15 policy adjustment fee.

[mikeg996]

Ah OK, cheers.

The question now is: which exhaust?!

[lanan]

I have never understood this. Why when we change an exhaust is it described as a modification and hence should inform the Insurance Co.
The chap down the road with his Cortina, that gets a replacement system does not need to. Even though his is also not OE.
I would say the std Porsche system is a performance exhaust, therfore you are just replacing like for like.
Or am I missing something.

[mikeg996]

One wants to protect one's self against the insurance company washing its hands of you, if it all goes pear-shaped. If it costs an extra £15 for that, or even £100, I'm happy to pay it.

[silver993tt]

lanan said:

I have never understood this. Why when we change an exhaust is it described as a modification and hence should inform the Insurance Co. The chap down the road with his Cortina, that gets a replacement system does not need to. Even though his is also not OE. I would say the std Porsche system is a performance exhaust, therfore you are just replacing like for like. Or am I missing something.

The chap with the Cortina DOES have to inform his insurance company but he typically either doesn't know that fact of ignores it. That's fine until a kid runs out in fron of him and gets killed. Insurance will be invalid.

[lanan]

silver993tt said:

lanan said: I have never understood this. Why when we change an exhaust is it described as a modification and hence should inform the Insurance Co. The chap down the road with his Cortina, that gets a replacement system does not need to. Even though his is also not OE. I would say the std Porsche system is a performance exhaust, therfore you are just replacing like for like. Or am I missing something. The chap with the Cortina DOES have to inform his insurance company but he typically either doesn't know that fact of ignores it. That's fine until a kid runs out in fron of him and gets killed. Insurance will be invalid.

So if that is correct, at a rough guess 50% of all cars on the road are driving with invalid Insurance. As they have had a non Original Equipment exhaust fitted. I don't think so.

[944gav]

If you replace a part with OE or equivalent there would be no need to inform the insurance company, however, if the replacement is designed to change the performance, look, noise etc they should be advised as apparently this changes the risk of the vehicle insured. One thing to watch out for, most policies have a standard for modified clause so if your £1500 exhaust was damaged in an accident, they would replace it with a standard one even though you are paying an increased premium!

[lanan]

I had to get an answer, so I have just called my Insurance Co.
They say that they would claasify an exhaust change as a modification if there is an increase in horse power.
So Mr Man in his Cortina is ok, inless he fitted a full Janspeed turbo nutter bige bore jobby.

[silver993tt]

lanan said:

I had to get an answer, so I have just called my Insurance Co. They say that they would claasify an exhaust change as a modification if there is an increase in horse power. So Mr Man in his Cortina is ok, inless he fitted a full Janspeed turbo nutter bige bore jobby.

It must vary from ins co to ins co because replacing my shocks with Bilstein HDs was considered a performance mod by at least 5 companies that I contacted. Also anything that changes the look from standard increases the risk in the eyes of an is co. A non standard exhaust would fall into this category.

>> Edited by silver993tt on Friday 10th February 13:56

[singh911]

Tell them - its a no brainer.

If you have to claim big, they may look for any excuse not to pay up.

You may be pleasantly surprised at the price difference. Ask before hand if unsure.

Ajit.

[Raven Flyer]

silver993tt said:

lanan said: I had to get an answer, so I have just called my Insurance Co. They say that they would claasify an exhaust change as a modification if there is an increase in horse power. So Mr Man in his Cortina is ok, inless he fitted a full Janspeed turbo nutter bige bore jobby. It must vary from ins co to ins co because replacing my shocks with Bilstein HDs was considered a performance mod by at least 5 companies that I contacted. Also anything that changes the look from standard increases the risk in the eyes of an is co. A non standard exhaust would fall into this category.

Silver, people only fit non standard suspension for one reason. That reason is to go faster around corners. For this reason, insurance co's consider their risk is increased.

[paultje]

Of course you could just remove all doubt and.....phone them!!