matth76 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Hi Simple question - to those with panel filters what did your insurance company say when you told them? Does it equal a "modified air filter/box", meaning you are now paying the same insurance as if you had gone the full hog and put an induction kit on? Thanks for any info or comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcash5 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Anything that changes how the car performs/ sounds or looks is counted as a mod ... insurance companies might not put anything on your policy but be sure if you've smashed your car up they'd use it as a get out clause to avoid paying Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matth76 Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 I'd definitely tell mine - I was just wondering what other insurance companies had charged you for just a panel filter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcash5 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I am the wrong person to ask, as I have a couple of other modifications aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kObi Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 chris knott with me added nothing when i told them about me induction kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3FIDDYZ Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 the zed has a panel filter in it already so hardly classed as an upgrade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanS16 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 meh.. I wouldn't say anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 It's a modification and should be disclosed. To not do so is utterly moronic considering the initial cost of insurance in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M13KYF Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I would be up front about any mods, better safe than sorry but as kObi said, it doesn't add anything to the premium with Chris Knott anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Strictly any non standard equipment is a mod, be it a 3cm sticker to a supercharger but at lot of insurers won't count one or 2. Id just ask em if it would change premium. Don't forget undeclared mods can invalidate your insurance.... so you can not legally drive it! Get caught and its bad news! Its obvious to an untrained eye if using a blitz or px filter that are obviously not standard but some like cosworth look "normal-ish". You could allways keep the old paper filter, it only takes 2 minutes to change I personally doubt insurance companies would check the air filter if you have a standard looking engine bay TBH, unless they suspected it was a factor. But they might try and use it as an excuse to not pay out as you had not declared it. What would be interesting to know is If you follow the policy any non nissan part would count as a modification it would get silly, if your garage fitted a blueprint oil and air filter or non nissan aux belts it would have to be listed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriswillis Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 This is absolutely silly!!! It's a panel filer so why would it matter if you just change the brand?? ie Nissan vs K&N?? Fair enough if something obvious like an induction kit etc but come on!! If people take this to such lengths then sure if you put ANY other tyre on the car (better grip = increased performance) then you invalidate your insurance too!!??? Does anyone out there have clear indicators? different bulbs? different reflectors? different head unit? different ariel? different number plates? different brake pads? etc etc i could go on. These sort of things people just replace and slightly upgrade over original but i bet do not disclose them as mods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I wouldn't know as I tell my insurer about everything, and that includes the tyres. Technically anything that a bog standard car doesn't come with is a mod, so if you've got your car insured as a 350Z and not a 350Z GT then you may want to give your insurer a call and make sure everything is sorted... That's an extreme, but some companies can be pickier than others. Personally I see no reason not to tell them about every last little thing you do as then you give them no wiggle room should the worst happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mc Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I've told my insurer about induction kit, spacers, exhaust, rear lights, ... but not brake pads, stubby aerial, tyres etc! Although they dont charge extra for these things, £25 to change the policy document each time is a bit steep though in my opinion! matth76: I wouldn't mention the panel filter personally.... unless you plan to do a more obvious mod later, then declare the two at the same time. would an insurer think it reasonable that an average motorist would take his car apart to find if a non-standard filter was hidden in a standard airbox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 That's not the point, as the onus is on the owner to declare any mods and ignorance is no excuse. If you've got a few things left to tell your insurer why not just do them all in one go and pay the £25 just once? Surely it would be worth it just for peace of mind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BACON Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I wouldn't know as I tell my insurer about everything, and that includes the tyres. Technically anything that a bog standard car doesn't come with is a mod, so if you've got your car insured as a 350Z and not a 350Z GT then you may want to give your insurer a call and make sure everything is sorted... That's an extreme, but some companies can be pickier than others. Personally I see no reason not to tell them about every last little thing you do as then you give them no wiggle room should the worst happen. With this in mind....if I buy a 350z GT second hand, how would I know exactly what was completly bog standard??? I don't know what brand the car's original tyres were when sold by Nissan.....without opening the panel filter cover, how would I know if the branding had changed. Such small and unnoticeable alterations could have been made by the previous owner!!! Such improvements or changes are so small surely they could not be held against me in a claim condition??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Technically you should get an expert to look at the car and confirm it is or isn't standard. If buying from a main dealer it's not an issue as they will be regarded as experts by any court in the land, independant dealers less so and private sellers wouldn't at all unless they specifically said so on the receipt somewhere. Really we all should be asking for written confirmation from any seller stating what the car has/hasn't got but we don't. Even if they lied and you then got caught out by the insurer, you'd still have legal recourse via the civil courts against the seller for damages. In real terms no-one's that perfect so it doesnt happen, and most insurance investigators don't really care either unless it's really obvious you tried to cheat (bodykit for example) but I certainly wouldn't ever want to take the risk. Almost got caught out in my naieve younger days and I never want to go through that experience again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 One definition of a mod from the "modifcation insurance" suppliment on my policy. Non Standard Parts/Modification Fitted parts or alterations which - affect the insured vehicles' cosmetic appearance and/or performance and/or mechanical make up - are not made or sold by the vehicle manufacturer, or parts which differ from the original manufacturer's specification So a non nissan part would have to be different for the manufacturers spec before it would be classed as a mod providing it did not change the appearance of the vehicle.... ....... looks like im taking that "honk if you bonk" sticker off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CK@Chris Knott Insurance Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Hi Simple question - to those with panel filters what did your insurance company say when you told them? Does it equal a "modified air filter/box", meaning you are now paying the same insurance as if you had gone the full hog and put an induction kit on? Thanks for any info or comments. Always declare anything different from factory standard. Mods are fine with us anyway, except roll cages & nitrous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEADPHONES Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 After reading this it seems that early in my driving history I was on INVALID isurance E reg Nissan sunny 1.3L running on the following undeclared mods "KWIK FIT" zorst and shocks "ATS" pads and shoes Standard parts....paahh MODIFIED ALL THE WAY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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