What the **** is a modification and what isnt?!

[vescaegg]

So I bought some lovely Bosch Aerotwin wipers for the car today (2005 Fabia VRS). These are not standard equipment nor are sourced from Skoda but work much better than the awful ones fitted.

When walking out of the office this afternoon someone said 'Dont forget to tell your insurance!'.

First thought was obviously 'stop taking the piss'. However, said colleague then went on to say how his insurer (Admiral IIRC) said it counts as a 'modification' and charged him a lovely £13.50 on his premium for fitting them instead of OEM versions!

Now I was always under the impression that any sort of 'consumables' do not count as modifications but I am also with Admiral so am wondering if I should just do it now to tick the box?

Where does it end though? Every tyre change having to inform your insurance company?!

Is this a new thing or have I been a naughty boy for the last 8 odd years?

[Don1]

I think that one in question is a stupidity tax.

[lesstatt]

Sorry but that sounds like nonsense to me, don't believe him

[otolith]

I wonder if they just charged him an admin fee to make a note of it on his policy?

[vescaegg]

otolith said:

I wonder if they just charged him an admin fee to make a note of it on his policy?

Possibly. But he ain't exactly an idiot - he's around 50, is one of our directors and currently has about 8 cars (mostly classics).

Some young chav he ain't.

[Dog Star]

I once had a young lady at Elephant tell me that even an exhaust from Kwik Fit wasn't OE, therefore notifiable. Would have given me a 40% premium increase too.

[otolith]

vescaegg said:

otolith said:

I wonder if they just charged him an admin fee to make a note of it on his policy?

Possibly. But he ain't exactly an idiot - he's around 50, is one of our directors and currently has about 8 cars (mostly classics).

Some young chav he ain't.

I'm wondering whether the call handler didn't know how else to deal with it, though - or whether it was recorded as a modification rated at zero or negligible cost, but still attracted the admin fee. I don't think you can do anything with Admiral that changes your policy without paying a fee of about fifteen quid or so.

[jamieduff1981]

I think you need to apply a little common sense when considering these things.

Big fibreglass bodykit, stanced, stretched tyres and fart cannon - yes.

Different brand tyres, wiper blades or headlight bulbs - GTF

[jasongtr]

oh no i think I've got different anti freeze in my car along with air from my own compressor and not audi's - perhaps ill tell my insurance company …...

[Don1]

My insurance company asks about performance modifications - they aren't talking about water clearing performance....

[pork911]

vescaegg said:

Possibly. But he ain't exactly an idiot - he's around 50, is one of our directors and currently has about 8 cars (mostly classics).

Some young chav he ain't.

did he also send you for a glass hammer?

[ModernAndy]

I was thinking about retro-fitting cruise control to my car but have been slightly put off by this very subject.

Insurance can be a bit daft. Highly doubt the wipers but then again, why not? It's money in their pockets. Does it matter if I fit OE, Bosch, Champion, Trupart, etc. at that point? I would have thought not but I'm no stranger to being ripped off by insurance companies.

[odyssey2200]

We bought SWMBO a car that had non standard Alloys.
They were the manufactures wheels but were accessories fitted when it was new.

When I told the insurance co they wouldn't insure me until I told them how much an original wheel was and how much a replacement accessory wheel was as they would adjust my premium accordingly to cover the extra cost.

After a lot of ringing around I found that the accessory wheel was exactly 50p cheaper than OE.

Strangely they didn't adjust my premium accordingly.:/

Insurance companies seem to be finding more and more excuses to raise your premium.

[ZOLLAR]

vescaegg said:

otolith said:

I wonder if they just charged him an admin fee to make a note of it on his policy?

Possibly. But he ain't exactly an idiot - he's around 50, is one of our directors and currently has about 8 cars (mostly classics).

Some young chav he ain't.

Being a 50 year old company director doesn't make him right though

This guy is correct.

lesstatt said:

Sorry but that sounds like nonsense to me, don't believe him

[Wills2]

Dog Star said:

I once had a young lady at Elephant tell me that even an exhaust from Kwik Fit wasn't OE, therefore notifiable. Would have given me a 40% premium increase too.

I was wondering about this, absolute bks isn't it.

There is no way in hell an insurance company could deny claim on the grounds you had a new exhaust fitted from kwik fit just the same with tyres if you bought Michelins if it came with Pirellis.

What I think is correct would be not paying out for more expensive wheels or a fancy aftermarket exhaust if you hadn't declared them and then tried to claim for a replacement.

But to try and charge more for standard replacement parts from recognised national suppliers is beyond a joke.