Insurance cancelled due to painted wheels !

[KTF]

Janluke said:

Slightly off topic but what's the issue with stickers?

I'm assuming the statistics show cars with stickers have more accidents?

What about the stickers that some dealers insist on putting on the car? Are they a modification or just ones that make it look like it has been too close to a chav with no taste?

[555 Paul]

Red 4 said:

Best make sure all those wheel refurbers paint your wheels in the correct shade of silver from now on !

They'll be out with a paint depth gauge next

[catso]

Gavia said:

Jetblackonetenth said:

Rhymes with Parrot's website says

Your car will be inspected for its specification and roadworthiness when your i-box is fitted to it. So make sure yours doesn’t have any modifications including:

Body kits
Performance enhancements
Non-standard alloys
LED lights which light up under your car at night
Stickers and decals
And many more...


It appears it is the black box fitters job to inspect the car

Then they’ve made it clear what their terms are and this thread is a bit moot.

They've also made it clear that they are best avoided...

[vmackie]

poo at pauls

well said that man.

[Glasgowrob]

hmm,


do my wheels count as modified and non standard after i removed an amount of weight from each one with the aid of a kerb?

what about the modification where i stuck bits of metal to the inside of the wheel?


no ruddy wheel is as it left the factory for long, even when delivered they are mostly all modified to a degree (balance weights)


i could have accepted the painted black chav car not wanting to insure line.

but rejecting refurbing to a standard silver being a modification. FFS. it really sounds like you've encountered a complete tit in a call centre and they and their manager have been too embarrassed to admit they've screwed up badly by misinterpreting the situation.


formal complaint to zurich, then ombudsman and dare i say it, phone the local paper for good measure and perhaps the daily mail

[InitialDave]

catso said:

Gavia said:

Then they’ve made it clear what their terms are and this thread is a bit moot.

They've also made it clear that they are best avoided...

More than the latter than the former, I'd say.

[thenortherner]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

Sorry but I'm on the insurers side with this one. Changing things parts way through the policy is always a risk. If the particular underwriter says no, then the broker can't really do anything other than cancel and reissue with a different underwriter. You could have removed the kit and waited until renewal. Also a factory fitted Mountune isn't a modification...DIY moutune is...fairly obvious.
Lesson learnt there chap.

Edited by Dr Doofenshmirtz on Tuesday 6th March 20:18

I'd already had a quote from them on a Mountune'd car, so knew it was insurable with the same company, so it wasn't really a risk in my view. This was prior to the fit. I'd already spoken to them on the phone before having the kit fitted - they recognised the 'upgrade' and recognised Mountune as a variant of the ST.

The problem only came about when I wanted to make the change.

And it was fitted at the dealer, not a DIY job, so your assumption's wrong, chap.

[Red 4]

I'm planning to touch up a few stone chips soon.

I've had the paint made up by a paint supplier - it's not OEM paint from the stealers.

Do I need to inform my insurers my car is no longer 100% original ? (it might be a few shades out on a spectrum analyser).

[Murphy16]

Red 4 said:

Best make sure all those wheel refurbers paint your wheels in the correct shade of silver from now on !

That'll be the next one!

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

thenortherner said:

And it was fitted at the dealer, not a DIY job, so your assumption's wrong, chap.

[sighs] OK, so it's not DIY...but it's still an aftermarket modification. Aftermarket meaning the car has left the forecourt and is 'sold'. This is different to factory fitted options that are fitted before market.

[thenortherner]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

[sighs] OK, so it's not DIY...but it's still an aftermarket modification. Aftermarket meaning the car has left the forecourt and is 'sold'. This is different to factory fitted options that are fitted before market.

Your apology for the earlier patronisation is accepted, chap.

[MuscleSaloon]

Gavia said:

MuscleSaloon said:

Gavia said:

I agree that they’ve pushed this too far, but the wheels aren’t standard, they are modified, albeit badly and temporarily. Not letting you put them back to the standard colour is a bit daft though.

They are the standard wheels finished in a non-standard colour. Surely its stretching it a bit to class them as a modified wheel ? All very daft either way !

I have no idea how to reply to that. You’ve basically said, they are modified wheels, but it’s stretching it to say they’re modified.

I said they are standard wheels in a non-standard colour. They are not modified wheels.

Maybe I'll put a coat of paint on my sump, shocks, and exhaust at the weekend as I've fancied running a modified engine, suspension and exhaust for some time. :

[Gavia]

MuscleSaloon said:

Gavia said:

MuscleSaloon said:

Gavia said:

I agree that they’ve pushed this too far, but the wheels aren’t standard, they are modified, albeit badly and temporarily. Not letting you put them back to the standard colour is a bit daft though.

They are the standard wheels finished in a non-standard colour. Surely its stretching it a bit to class them as a modified wheel ? All very daft either way !

I have no idea how to reply to that. You’ve basically said, they are modified wheels, but it’s stretching it to say they’re modified.

I said they are standard wheels in a non-standard colour. They are not modified wheels.

Maybe I'll put a coat of paint on my sump, shocks, and exhaust at the weekend as I've fancied running a modified engine, suspension and exhaust for some time. :

You’re using your definition of modified, not the actual definition of it.

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/modif...

“Make partial or minor changes to (something)” I think that sums up painting wheels perfectly.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

thenortherner said:

Your apology for the earlier patronisation is accepted, chap.

Well... I didn't apologise, but whatever.
You called the insurance company wkers. I pointed how the mistake was made on your part.
I can only assume you wouldn't make that mistake again, so it's a lesson learned is it not?

[Fastdruid]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

thenortherner said:

And it was fitted at the dealer, not a DIY job, so your assumption's wrong, chap.

[sighs] OK, so it's not DIY...but it's still an aftermarket modification. Aftermarket meaning the car has left the forecourt and is 'sold'. This is different to factory fitted options that are fitted before market.

It's not even that simple as some options were dealer options. Some insurance companies will ask for those and in some cases unless you spend hours researching it you wouldn't even know.

I've recently wondered if my towbar for example was a factory fit, dealer fit (made trickier as it was a Ford management car initially) or aftermarket. I'd initially presumed it was a factory option but then last year I took more of a look and started to question if it was or not. I mean it's a removable one like the factory version but it's not Ford branded... but then I don't know if Ford actually make their "own" towbars or just get a company to make them. After all it's no different from all the electrics with "Bosch" etc all over them.

[irc]

I did a search for insurance decisions on the Financial Ombudsman site using the terms "modifications" , "insurance", and "voided." Some interesting reading.

http://www.ombudsman-decisions.org.uk/

Like the guy who was in a crash. He disputed the insurance company's offer arguing his car was worth more because it had alloy wheels and a body kit fitted. Result - the company said these were undeclared mods and voided the policy. Decision upheld by the ombudsman.

http://www.ombudsman-decisions.org.uk/viewPDF.aspx...


Or if you fit upgraded headlight bulbs requiring a change to the wiring - insurance voided.

http://www.ombudsman-decisions.org.uk/viewPDF.aspx...

[Fastpedeller]

Jetblackonetenth said:

Rhymes with Parrot's website says

Your car will be inspected for its specification and roadworthiness when your i-box is fitted to it. So make sure yours doesn’t have any modifications including:

Stickers and decals
And many more...

If it's got the sticker on the rear that says "If you can read this you're too close" I can only see that as a benefit!

[thenortherner]

Dr Doofenshmirtz said:

Well... I didn't apologise, but whatever.
You called the insurance company wkers. I pointed how the mistake was made on your part.
I can only assume you wouldn't make that mistake again, so it's a lesson learned is it not?

I can't see where I've made the mistake. The insurers said they'd insure the car. The car got modified. The insurers then wouldn't insure the car on current policy once modified. I'm not sure what learnings should have taken place on my part in terms of preventing insurers changing their minds again in the future.

A Mountune ST was and is recognised as a model in its own right and not just a modification.

Anyhow, apology accepted.

[Debaser]

I can’t believe a sticker would count as a modification.

Also, fk black box insurance.

[Fastpedeller]

Jetblackonetenth said:

Rhymes with Parrot's website says

Your car will be inspected for its specification and roadworthiness when your i-box is fitted to it. So make sure yours doesn’t have any modifications including:


Non-standard alloys

Ironically if it had non-standard alloys (incorrect offset) in silver he'd have probably never noticed. I wonder if they check all measurements of the fitted parts, or just go by the colour? Ooh - don't replace that broken door mirror with one that's painted a different colour!