I was just trying to sort out my insurance with elephant.co.uk, on the phone (to ask them to send the certificate directly to the dealer).

The guy on the phone asked if there were any extras to the car. I said that I was getting a parking sensor.

This pushed the insurance premium up by £60!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He said that he could only tick a box which indicated exterior mods/additions, but that he had to tick it. In other words, a leather gear ****, the strakes, etc, will technically push up your premiums with elephant by a whopping margin. Naturally I refused to accept the quote.

I am sure that the guy on the phone did not know what he was doing, and was misinterpreting the questions on his screen. Otherwise the software on elephant has gone mad.

Still, be warned!

 

I have just had the very same conversation with direct line.

The guy asked me if it had any accessories. I told him it has strakes. I then had to explain what these were. He then asked if these are an interior or exterior accessory.

He finally came back with a quote of......£27.30

I'm transferring my current policy that has 1 month left to run. So I can hold off having a proper discussion about accesories until then.

So has any else admitted to their insurance company that they have exterior accessories fitted ????????

 

...what about luxury mats?

 

Had something similar a couple of years ago....

Bought a new MX5 Mk2.5 and changed the side reflectors/indicators from the standard amber to white (was a silver car and am sure you'll agree the clear indicators on the 8 look much nicer!). Contacted insurance company (Frizzell) and they classed this as a body mod but luckily was only £15.

The indicators/lense covers were not mega expensive but I thought of it this way............If I have an accident will the insurer/third party use the fact that I had changed the indicators/reflectors as a possible cause of the accident (ie `I did not see you indicating right when I hit you`etc.............) and if I had not told my insurers they might not honour the claim.

With crests/strakes etc I do not think it's such a big deal as they do not have a function if you know what I mean.....they just make the car look nicer and that's it.

Personally I'd weigh up the costs of the bits versus the hike in premium and decide on that basis. If you are prepared to fork out a couple of hundred pounds to replace them yourself after an accident then just look on it as a possible increase in policy excess.

That's my view anyway (sorry for rambling!)

Cheers

Doogy

 

Its not just replacement cost. What if the undeclared extras made your car more of a theft target?

Bottom line is, you must inform the insurance company of everything, but shop around on that basis.

I have a month with direct line before I have to buy a full year from anyone, and I will use that time to get a complete set of quotes.

 

Point taken jimbobjoe...... probably like yourself though I grudge all these `extra` premiums insurance companies impose on us (especially when it comes time to pay out and you get bottom book price!)

Cheers
D

 

I feel like a looser here, but how do parking sensors cause an increase in the risk and so the insurance? Elephant won't pay for the extras anyway.

The way I look at it, parking sensors help ensure the car is not damaged. Will they make my car a more tempting theft target? Hmmmm.


And what about hands free kits? I suppose they have to be declared as they are mods to standard spec. Oh, and all those paint protection stuff like diamond guard. And the sunroof, leather, and satnav? These are all additional extras. Do these need to be declared?

The way I look at it, these are all standard manufacturer items. The marginal increase in the premiums as the price of the car is increased is supposed to reflect the increased risk of additional payout. Anything else, to me, is a rip-off, and I bet that thousands of drivers of all cars have not declared their optional extras and so, technically, are in breach of their insurance rules.

Still, I suppose I have to declare or else my garage will get to know may car better than I will.

 

Jackel, When looking around for Insurance ask them if the cover for mods/accessories is limited? For example I know some one who spent £500 on extras/mods and paid a nominal sum and on putting another £1000 of mods on did not need to pay any extra as the limit was up to £3000.

Hope this helps

Doogy

PS. I do agree that 1000s of drivers do not declare all the accessories etc and so are in theory in breach of their insurance but hey........insurance is such a game these days, who knows what's best!