do biturbo steering wheels affect insurance

[mrtc]

do biturbo steering wheels affect insurance, in the past i had a retrimmed steering wheel that when i contacted the insurance they were fine about but they said it had to be of standard shape, im not sure whether to get a biturbo of get a normal steering wheel redone a bit thicker but with nicer leather, 135 quid fore retrim,, 300 plus steering wheel

[tucpal]

Well I really don't think anyone would notice as technically it is a Vauxhall wheel and not an aftermarket one. Get the biturbo one

[sheppy1]

Nahhh won't affect it! Well it shouldn't anyway... I've declared all my mods and only the remap put it up

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[mrtc]

Who are you with

[sheppy1]

Admiral

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[Jj0063]

You need to declare all modifications to your insurance, regardless of whether you think they will be noticed or not.

Remember, loss adjusters/claims investigators are good at their jobs - They are trained to spot things like this, insurers will do anything they can to avoid paying out on a claim.

I have worked in insurance for years now and have never heard of an insurer refusing to cover a steering wheel because of the shape of it.

You are best off speaking to a specialist insurer if you are wanting to modify the car, no matter how small the modification the insurer needs notifying - they may not need to list it however it is on a recorded call that you've declared it.

What is the point in having the attitude of 'They probably won't notice' - why bother paying your insurance premium if it comes to claim time and you can't claim because you've not declared your modifications?

Think sensible

[bruce_19]

I have declared my Air Filter even though its a panel one and didn't effect anything its still noted down like Jj0063 said its not worth the risk.

I have had friends who have had insurance companies not pay out due to not declaring modifications like steroa head units ect.

Also worth noting that even if you buy a car with things like aftermarket stereo you still need to declare them.

[stigeye]

I wont declare a thing unless it sticks out like a sore thumb.

[mrtc]

I'm sweet and innocent, I'll declare everything lol

[Tonto]

I've declared everything as I'm the type of person that would get caught out lol. But my insurance have been excellent and often say "that doesn't need declaring" lol.


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[Jj0063]

I wont declare a thing unless it sticks out like a sore thumb.

Why?

You do realise that with a specialist you more often than not will get a better price on a modified policy?

You are also throwing money down the drain if you don't declare your modifications. Do you think you'll get away with it if you have an accident? 

I genuinely cannot understand people who don't declare modifications, just why wouldn't you declare them? I have had this conversation more times than I can remember and the only reason people seem to come up with is that they don't want to pay the additional premium for declaring the modifications.

When it comes to claim time and their insurance refuse to pay out for their car and void the insurance people get angry as they have no car and have to declare forever that they have had a policy void which means virtually no-one will insure you again.

If you call your insurers and declare literally everything from air filters to vinyl wrapping to parts retro fitted to even things like door pins then you have covered your back, they may not even need to note them but you've done your bit and of course specialists will cover modifications like for like if you claim.

All I can say is that you have your pride and joy, you spend money modifying it so surely if the worst happens you would want to be able to use your insurance and have the car repaired to the same state it was in before the crash - or wouldn't you?

[tucpal]

i don't agree in declaring a panel filter as it is not a performance mod it is just a life time filter
it is like saying i have change the oil filter for a non genuine gm one so do i have to declare that then
i agree if it is something like bigger alloy wheels or a tuning box, body kit color change etc
but really chrome door pins come on really
as long as the things you have modified are covered like for like then as said above why not
but remember some insures will not cover any modifications at all so check first
and if you are in dought and you want like for like insurance ask them
also some insurers change an admin fee as high a £25 to add changes to the policy each time you tell them about a new modification you have done

[Jj0063]

It's not about whether you agree or not though Tucpal, there is no choice.

You don't declare it & you crash, the investigators open the airbox and find a k&n panel filter then you risk them voiding the claim. An air filter such as that could be argued that it's been fitted to try and gain performance.

I ask again, is it really worth it?

You say that some insurers charge up to £25 per change - correct. If you like modifying your car then speak to a specialist, get a modified policy & you'll get a policy you can add as many mods as you want to mid term with no charge as long as it's not a performance enhancing mod.

There really is no argument for not declaring everything, I've had these cobersations more times than you'd ever believe.. The only person you're doing over is yourself.

[tucpal]

i do declare all my performance mods tints etc by the way
but what i am trying to say is what is a must declare modification and what is not
and what is the insurer's definition of a modification
i mean by say changing the brake pads to none factory ones technically that is a modification from factory standard.
i know things like stickers and even a roof rack, towbar, bike rack, plug in bluetooth, sat nav, front camera all have to be declared
and i would think 10s of thousands don't even know that so i am sure nearly everyone out there has a modification they have not declared

[Jj0063]

The definition of a modification is something on the car that is changed from the factory specification.

This isn't consumables such as tyres etc but an air filter that you get from ECP for example a Crossland OEM replacement isn't a modification but a K&N is classed as an upgrade and a modification.

What ever you change from how the car left the factory, not so much in the way of maintenance but things like retro fits and all other changes or upgrades.

[stigeye]

If you want to declare everything in your car then so be it, declare to your hearts content. I won't and I wont be told that I should, I have been around enough people who have been involved in one scrape or another over the last 45 years of my life to know that inspectors will not be ripping your car apart to check for undeclared modifications unless they have reason to believe you may have them. I am sorry but I don't believe for one minute that your insurance would be nulled in the event of a rear ender just because you have put a shark fin aerial on or an extra light in your boot.

If I am doing myself over, then so be it, I've earned the right.

[mrtc]

My ex got hit from behind by a girl who hadnt told her insurance company about the towbar on her car. They refused to pay up. She got fined for no insurance and my exs insuramce premium went up for the next few years. He took her to court and won damages. So that situation was a very expencive mistake on her behalf

[Jj0063]

If you want to declare everything in your car then so be it, declare to your hearts content. I won't and I wont be told that I should, I have been around enough people who have been involved in one scrape or another over the last 45 years of my life to know that inspectors will not be ripping your car apart to check for undeclared modifications unless they have reason to believe you may have them. I am sorry but I don't believe for one minute that your insurance would be nulled in the event of a rear ender just because you have put a shark fin aerial on or an extra light in your boot.

If I am doing myself over, then so be it, I've earned the right.

More fool you then! 

It's exactly what they do, inspectors are employed to do it for a living.

It's only yourself that will be annoyed and out of pocket if you're driving around with non disclosed modifications and have an accident.

[tucpal]

Things like adding a factory dab or Bluetooth or even a ecu remap yes will be very hard to prove or even notice but very obvious ones for sure get them done

[mrtc]

so would you tell them about interior chrome, im adding quite alot

[Jj0063]

Most insurers will just cover it as 'interior changes' which covers the cosmetic changes such as wrapping & chrome etc

[stigeye]

Things like adding a factory dab or Bluetooth or even a ecu remap yes will be very hard to prove or even notice but very obvious ones for sure get them done

Exactly, anything that may stand out, if you can tell by simply looking at a car that it has had some modifications done they will obviously delve further. If you car looks factory, then they won't strip it just to see if there's anything untoward, and even if they did and your modifications were factory it would be very hard to even prove what has or hasn't been done.

[mrtc]

is debadged numbers+letters a modifcation, as its removing rather than adding

[Rusty2009]

This thread has gone way off topic.

If Someone doesn't want to declare their mods then it's down to them and there choice. Now lets get the thread back on topic if people have questions or want to debate insurance go to the insurance section please.