Insurance company and mods vs extras

[Hackney]

I've just called my insurer to change the policy to my new car.
The question asked is "does the car have any modifications or optional extras?" which I kind of understand but it would help if they knew what different things were.
My car has adaptive suspension. It's a BMW manufacturer option, fitted by them. But when I told the insurer they seemed to think it's been modified and asked how much it was lowered by. Then if I could adjust the height - like those yank cars that bounce about.

I think I explained it to him but I'm not confident that the (increased) premium correctly reflects the actual extra.
Or the front and rear parking sensors, is that a "mod" that puts the price up or a damage prevention device that would bring it down.

This from the same insurer that couldn't get their head around the fact that my ten yr old car had mods not fitted by me and not fitted at manufacture.

Poor rant; worst "I have a new BMW" thread ever etc etc.

Anyone offer a solution?

ETA today I called back as the mileage P/A has mysteriously gone up from 10,000 to 19,000 although they don't use this as a factor in premiums. So no idea why they would change it. I'll call back tomorrow and say I'm be doing 2m miles per year and see how the premium is affected

[750turbo]

I had a similar issue when I changed recently, I mentioned that there were a few FF options, Privacy Glass and suchlike.

First guy I spoke to presumed that it was an after-market fitment and would affect my premium, English was not his first language, so he struggled to comprehend what I was saying.

Spoke to another guy, explained that they were all FF, and he said no probs!

This was with the AA.

[McSam]

I find it completely ridiculous that insurers have taken to asking questions they lack the knowledge to understand an honest answer to.

I'm insured with one of the biggest UK companies, yet if I were to have my car professionally remapped, the only comprehension they have is of an "engine chip", like some £5 eBay resistor for an old Escort. They too ask about optional extras, which for my car would be quite an extensive list that is completely irrelevant to them. Of course my premium should be higher because my car was factory-fitted with sports suspension specced by someone else fifteen years ago and invisible to any observer..

The default response to any more information at all is to try and charge more. I understand how difficult it is to make a profit in the insurance business, but to almost wilfully promote dishonesty by shafting people who try to answer questions openly is ludicrous.

Almost as ludicrous as refusing to investigate persistently fradulent personal injury claims that directly cost them thousands of pounds every time.