Insurance perils of modifying your car

Thinking about ‘pimping your ride’? Think carefully. Customising your vehicle could cost you more than just the price of new parts…

So you’ve watched the TV show Pimp My Ride and decided that your motor needs some serious souping up. We’re talking tinted windows, booming sound systems, spoilers, alloy wheels – “blinging”.

But wait. Before you get carried away and start talking like Pimp My Ride presenter Tim Westwood, you need to think about the cost. As well as the cost of the actual modifications, making changes to your car may also affect your car insurance policy.

You must always tell your insurer what modifications you intend to make to your car prior to making them. Modifications are changes to your car’s standard specification, including optional extras. These include, but are not restricted to, changes to the appearance and/or the performance of your car (including wheels, suspension, bodywork and engine).

Statistics show that when modifications are made, such as an enhanced exhaust system, a vehicle is more likely to be subject to an insurance claim. This will affect the cost of your insurance and if you don't tell your insurer, could result in a claim being rejected or your policy voided (i.e. as though it has never existed).

Modifications unlikely to increase your insurance costs are improved security systems, such as an alarm.

By pimping your ride, the extras you might need to pay on your insurance depend on many factors, such as the car, the modifications and the age of the driver.

Despite the burden of the increased costs, it is important that you inform your insurer before you make any changes to your car, otherwise your car insurance policy could become invalid.

To see how much you could save, get an online car insurance quote from Direct Line today.

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