Cars are designed and manufactured in a certain way because manufacturers want specific models to cater to the needs of a wide range of customers. However, many of them want to convert these cars in something that is best-suited to their own requirements. For that, they choose to go for car modification. These changes can be related to either the appearance or the performance of your car. For car insurance companies modification means a car that has been altered from its initial factory standards. When it comes to the validation, premium increase or decrease for your insurance instalments, your car modification can make a lot of difference. Let us see how:
Does The Car Insurance Company Keeps A Check On Mods
If you have just modified your car without the intention of letting your insurance company know about it, you are taking a risk. Usually, car insurance companies do not check modifications. However, it is your responsibility to tell them if you have made any alteration to the car. Even adding a bumper sticker comes under the category of car modification. If you fail to inform your car insurance company about any major modification that can affect your insurance premiums, the insurance policy will be invalidated. In the case of buying a second-hand car, it is better to take it to a mot testing service where all the modifications will be checked. If you buy a policy without checking if any modifications were one before, the company will not accept any claims and turn the policy to be void.
Modifications That Will Increase Your Premiums
Following are the types of modifications that can increase the premium on your car insurance. Serious legal action can be taken against you if you do not inform the insurance company about any major modification.
Engine Upgrades
Upgrading your car engine can increase its performance by up to 70 to 80%, which is why the insurance premium also increases. ECU installation, remapping, ECU chip replacement, adding more air filters, and other engine modifications that can boost the horsepower of the engine makes your car an easy target to attract burglars. If you didn’t inform the company about the alteration, it will take no responsibility for the coverage in case the car is stolen.
Exhaust Upgrades
Major exhaust upgrades or removing the exhausts is illegal in the UK. However, people relieve the pressure on the exhaust to give the engine an extra boost. Some people also add a bigger exhaust system, but only with the silencers. Cars with the silencers removed are not eligible to be on the roads.
Custom Exteriors & Interior
Following are the interior and exterior custom modifications that can increase the value of your car, thus increasing the amount on your premium:
- Custom Painting
- Reupholstering Car Seats and Mats
- Spoilers
- Wheel Arches
- Tinted Windows
- Neon Lights
- Stickers
Modifications That Will Reduce Your Premiums
These are the modification that can reduce your car insurance premiums. People who are aware of how much these modifications can benefit them in lowering the instalments along with saving on their car expenses are more drawn towards making these changes to their cars.
High-Performance Brakes
Non-sport cars can also get high-performance brakes that can reduce the premiums up to 15%. This type of brakes makes your car smoother and safer on the road by instant stopping as soon as you push the brakes.
Engine Downgrading
The smaller the engine, the more energy-efficient it gets. Engine downsizing offers the same amount of power and performance to your engine using lesser energy. Your car will be more noise-free, smooth, and lighter.
