Do I need to declare it to them if I paint the alloys that come with the car?

I was going to change them for others (and declare it), but it turns out the style I chose are made of cheese as well, so I'm sticking with the alloys the car comes with as standard from the factory and just get them painted

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Well I couldn't wait lol and called them and asked and apparently yes I do need to inform them, it doesn't make any price difference to the policy but it is something they need to know

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I've change the colour on wheels and never declared it with no problems when I've claimed. But I suppose it all depends on the insurance company really. I know a full body colour change you have too.

Writing as someone who worked on a legal helpline, I advised many people who had failed to declare something or other and

had their claim declined as a result. My advice would be to declare any changes including cosmetic ones and get the company

to confirm your notification in writing. Better safe than sorry.

Writing as someone who worked on a legal helpline, I advised many people who had failed to declare something or other and

had their claim declined as a result. My advice would be to declare any changes including cosmetic ones and get the company

to confirm your notification in writing. Better safe than sorry.

Well said. As they say in Latin, uberrimae fidei - In simple terms, your insurance contract is one of the utmost good faith so you should be honest about everything.

Absolutely correct and your honesty extends to volunteering information which is likely to influence the company in fixing

the premium or even accepting the risk of insuring you. This of course raises the question - how do you know? The answer is

of course - tell all, it saves argument later!

Some insurance companies probably don't care, others would use it against you if they could!

For example, I had a bike accident earlier this year. The bike had a few pieces fitted to it not declared on the insurance. 2 of the 3 parts fitted were damaged in the accident but nothing was said by the estimator, except the damage was £8500 and they wanted to write it off.

I got the bike back a few months later after some extensive repair work - new frame and swing arm and all the painted panels and usual crash damage parts, with the undeclared parts replaced with no questions asked!

Yes - you may be lucky with your insurer or you may not but why take a gamble? In your case the estimator may simply not havespotted the pieces you fitted and which were not declared!

Yes - you may be lucky with your insurer or you may not but why take a gamble? In your case the estimator may simply not havespotted the pieces you fitted and which were not declared!

Given that one of the parts had caused a chunk to be ripped off the Swingarm and the other was damaged when the tank took a hit and both were replaced when I got the bike back means the insurance company have ordered and replaced them so there is no way they were not spotted.

My cousin recently had a claim refused because he had failed to declare fitting white LED sidelight bulbs to his Focus.

Some assessors can be laid back, others can be picky jobsworths.

Best to declare all, no matter how irrelevant you might think it is.

That's a joke what difference does a sidelight bulb make its a consumable part

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Insurance companies annoy me so much, I could see the point if they didn't pay out due to an undeclared part that ultimately caused the accident but any aftermarket parts fitted and damaged in an accident should just be classed as uninsured and up to the person to replace themselves.

Performance parts or mods I could also understand why they wouldn't pay out but I'm sorry silly things such as sidelights is getting ridiculous.

I agree that something like that is a step too far. Personally, I would check the wording of T&C's and if it is not specific or does not specifically state that even things such as bulbs need declaring, I would challenge a lack of payout with the Contra Proferentum rule.

In simple terms, any ambiguous terms may be interpreted in a way that is least favourable to the party seeking to rely upon it. So, if they tried to use an ambiguous term to say you aren't covered, you can use the rule to counter-attack.

This is assuming of course, that there is no provision elsewhere in the T&C's which details what happens when errors or ambiguity etc. occurs.

Still better to be safe and declare though. Don't give them cards to play. What they call a claims department is really an avoidance department.

Their primary objective is to avoid paying out and the staff will be trained to do that where possible.

When I bought my CC the alloys were standard 17" but painted black by Ford dealer (looks great, BTW).

As I bought the car from main dealer (the car wasn't new though) do I need to declare that as a mod?

According to dealer I should only declare it as a mod if the wheels would be non-standard. Is this true?

Some of you may like to look at the link below on the subject of modification but as I have said previously, it is best to

declare than take a chance!

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/79/79-motor-insurance.htm#cs10

If in any doubt then do ask your insurance company, if you don't want to then fine you take the chance.

My current insurance company and my previous one have both said after I enquired that fitting a towbar was not something I had to tell them about but it would not be covered should it be damaged in an accident

On my mk1 focus I done a rear disc conversion and phoned the insurance to tell them, they noted it but it didn't change anything. I then mentioned the braided brake lines and they weren't in the slightest interested.

I am thinking of getting my rear windows tinted for privacy my insurance company (admiral) want another £28.66 extra till my renewal in November

I had to ring to say i will be having a passenger airbag switch fitted so i can turn it off and the ESP button so i

can turn this off,no charge but down on paper,strange things these days as some are fitted from new.

From previously working at a car body repair shop for a main dealer. Like others have said it depends on the assessor that comes out and the details of the accident.

Have seen them check everything from air filters wheel size style also tyre tread not just depth but patern.(did not understand that one). If stereo or speakers changed also if younger driver a sub in boot. I have also seen them check if lowered & for strut brace. To sum up if you ring a tell them your still covered. Work mates son was rear ended when at a red light, because he had not declared a mod (dont know what) the other drivers insurance company got out of paying up. Now that is f###** up.

I've been in contact with the insurers again, this time with the full extent of the minor mods I plan on carrying out to the new car. They were interested to hear exactly what I wanted to do, ticked the modification boxes for me whilst talking and at the end ran everything through to see what difference it'd make to the premium and the answer? Nothing, nada, zilch :d

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Great news! But don't you feel better now knowing all the mods are declared so they have very little chance now of saying "Ooh, black wheels Miss LauMk7? That's a change you didn't tell us about - have fun paying for your own repair costs!"

Trust me, some companies will use anything to wriggle out of a claim, so I declare everything no matter how trivial (even the scoobyclinic.com stickers in my Impreza's windows are declared! Give them nowt!