Do parking sensors count as a modification?

[Blue Straggler]

And if so, do you have to declare them as soon as you get them, or can you legally wait until next renewal?

 

Thanks

[glrnet]

Declare them, what harm can it do?

[Blue Straggler]

Declare them, what harm can it do?

 

Good point! It was only an idle pondering I guess.

 

Which brings us to the second question.

 

Basically I am soon to buy a Zed and as I have 3 months remaining on existing insurance policy, I'll just change the car on that policy, which incurs a small additional fee.

Within those three months I will have sensors fitted and will of course declare them on the new policy when it starts in mid April. But will I need to declare them on the existing one? This will no doubt incur an admin fee comparable to the extra that I'm paying, so I could perhaps carefully time the fitting of the sensors for just before I renew! But yeah it's not going to be a biggie either way.

[ilogikal1]

Anything that wasn't on the car when it left the factory is a modification, although only certain companies count dealer fit options prior to delivery.

 

It's always best to declare everything regardless and let the company decide if they want to charge you more for it or not than trying to second guess them, and always declare everything when fitted, don't delay it for any reason.

[-G-]

I declared the wrap on my insurance & they hit me with a £25 policy adjustment fee. I got the same when declaring a new numberplate (which you should, but charging you money for it!?)

 

 

For the sake of parking sensors I'd wait until renewal time unless you like paying money for old rope.

Edited January 9, 2016 by -G-

[ilogikal1]

By all means wait until renewal to fit them to avoid the admin fees of adding them to policy mid-term but if they're fitted mid-term they should be declared at once.

[brillomaster]

christ on a bike, you'd seriously declare additional parking sensors on insurance? it wouldnt even remotely cross my mind to mention it, even come renewal time.

 

if you do declare parking sensors, dont forget the stubby aerial, dust caps and those little blind spot mirrors, and of course let them know you run your tyres 2 psi over the manufacturers recommendation

[ilogikal1]

christ on a bike, you'd seriously declare additional parking sensors on insurance? it wouldnt even remotely cross my mind to mention it, even come renewal time.

 

if you do declare parking sensors, dont forget the stubby aerial, dust caps and those little blind spot mirrors, and of course let them know you run your tyres 2 psi over the manufacturers recommendation

 

I have the GT Pack, Nismo exhast, RAYS and the only actual modification of the Z badges declared on mine. Admiral class all of them as modifications (and have a history of using even badges as a way of dodging paying out!) which is largely why I am in the habit of declaring them. Granted most other insurers don't give a toss but I'd rather let them decide what's going to invalidate my cover rather than just assume and be wrong.

[JetSet]

christ on a bike, you'd seriously declare additional parking sensors on insurance? it wouldnt even remotely cross my mind to mention it, even come renewal time.

 

if you do declare parking sensors, dont forget the stubby aerial, dust caps and those little blind spot mirrors, and of course let them know you run your tyres 2 psi over the manufacturers recommendation

 

Yes, its a can of worms, it was a factory fitted option on the Zed, so someone buying a Zed secondhand with them fitted would have no idea they weren't standard as they are on many cars like for example The Z4.

 

Pete

[Ekona]

What does the contract say? That's all that matters.

 

Realistically no, it's not going to make any difference if you don't declare but you really should call them to inform them.

[Flex]

Just out of interest what would happen if you really didnt know that something was modded? Also if you use non OEM parts that arent 'upgrades' should you declare them?

[Ekona]

It's the reasonable man test.

 

If you're a massive car geek that's lives on forums, it's reasonable you'd know. If you're 70 year old Doris, then you really wouldn't.

 

 

But it all comes down to what the contract says. Always does.

[Flex]

I'm on here a lot but I still know virtually nothing!!

 

But seriously what insurance companies bother to come out and check stuff out, wont 99% of claims be handled over the phone?

[Ekona]

Depends on the value of the claim.

[Flex]

20k

[ilogikal1]

Depends on the value of the claim.

 

And the circumstances. Generally speaking if the police spend any time actually investigating, the insurance company will consider their own investigation. If the police specifically highlight something on the car being the cause of the incident they will almost certainly dig deeper themselves then.

 

 

As for not knowing about modifications, as Dan said, provided it's "reasonable" that you genuinely didn't know about them it probably won't be an issue (unless it directly led to the claim) but they may charge you the financial difference of declaring it after the fact. It does depend largely on the insurer and their own terms and conditions in the contract though - some will decide on nothing less than how many other payouts they've had in a given period... unofficially, of course, there's always an official "reason" for it.

[JetSet]

We had no problems with the insurance when our non standard and non declared front bumper got wiped out. not once, but twice.Was a long time ago though

 

 

Pete

[Tim BW]

It shouldn't be a problem at all but always declare anything which is after factory just to be on the safe side!

[-G-]

We had no problems with the insurance when our non standard and non declared front bumper got wiped out. not once, but twice.Was a long time ago though

 

 

Pete

 

Help me out Pete. Is that an MR2 with a Lexus badge or am I going mad?

[Ekona]

Oh dear god yes it is

[Flex]