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Admiral Didn't Charge Me Extra For Mr165


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Just ordered the Mountune MR165 upgrade kit for my ZS and expected a decent increase in premium as a result.

I'm insured with Admiral who've added the Mountune upgrade to my policy for no extra cost. They didn't have a clue what it was, I named it - even spelled it - they asked if it was a body styling kit or was I modifying the engine? I told them it's an engine remap all done via computer, plus an air filter and a few pipes that increase power and makes it faster, and that it's fitted by Ford. I could've gone into slightly more detail but felt confident this was an accurate enough description.

They could only list it as "a chip".

Perfectly legitimate modification as far as Admiral insurance is concerned! 馃憤馃徏

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till they come to there sense's and maybe ask for engineer's report

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till they come to there sense's and maybe ask for engineer's report

That's a bit of a speculative assumption there mate. As I said in my post, I described it to the best of my knowledge, even stating it will make it faster. The advisor even checked with his manager on how to calculate the premium and it came back as no charge. I'm covered by the fact I've declared it all properly, including the product name and the phone call will have been recorded.

I'm mid-way through the policy so have to declare it and would've paid any increase, if applied, then looked for a specialist insurer at renewal time on the basis of assuming a regular insurer like Admiral wouldn't accept such a modification without a big charge of at all.

I posted this so other forum members can perhaps benefit from the upgrade with the knowledge that Admiral won't charge for "chips" (as the call them) or remaps.

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Bit of a result there then! I know Greenlight dont charge for Mountune upgrades either.

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Admiral wouldn't insure me because of the MR165 due to the 40% power increase. All other mods were fine.....

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Usually admiral won't cover intercoolers, which from reading your first post you didn't mention, it reads like you haven't told them everything about the kit or its power increase, if you should ever need to claim they could use this as an excuse not to pay.

I'd send them a link to the kit on mountunes website, so they can see exactly what it is and can cover you properly (if they will).

Most companies, if they do cover the car with mods won't cover the actual mods, so you would be out of pocket for them if they were damaged too.

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Admiral don't usually cover intercooler changes or a power increase over 25% from experience. (May be due to age though, I was 21 at the time).

They've probably just put it down as a <10% chip...that's usually cheap or free. Up to you whether you want to correct them or not really if you've explained it as much as you understand. ;) Problem with the Mountune is it's a well known upgrade (but apparently not to Admiral!) with a specific power level.

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I'd insist that '' Mountune MR165 '' modification is listed on your insurance as the consequences of finding yourself uninsured are not even remotely worth considering

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Thanks all for your input.

I'm not going to draw any further attention to it by calling them back in case it either increase or invalidates my insurance but at the end of the day, I've told them exactly (bar specificifally mentioning the inter cooler which, I don't believe I'm required to mention as I have deceived it as a kit) what the modification name is, so it's covered. At the end of the day if it wasn't for this forum or this very thread, I would be completely satisfied I have fulfilled my obligations of notifying my insurer about a modification.

iI the advisor I spoke to had any confusion or needed specifics about to what I was telling him, then he should have asked more questions. I said it's a Mountune MR165 power upgrade kit which increases power and makes it faster. If they want to know more about exactly what power or how it's achieved - hardware etc. - then they should've asked.

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If you have no written confirmation in your policy - they don't know / accept it's fitted & worst case scenario is that you could be liable for a claim against you - which will ruin your life should a fatality occur

Is it worth the risk ?

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Written confirmation of what though? A part-by-part breakdown of components and specifications? I don't want you think I'm in any way being blas茅 or obtuse when in comes to this mod and how it's listed on my policy, but the term "over-egging the pudding" springs to mind, sorry.

I've told them what it is, end of. I think some insurers or their advisors/agents can use a certain level of interpretation when it comes to adding modifications to a policy and, let's be fair lots of these people earn commission on premiums so who's to say another advisor wouldn't ha've applied this mod in exactly the same way i.e. it's classed as "Chip", and the system not added a premium, just the same, but because of their own technical knowledge and feeling an opportunity to make money, they've just whacked the price up regardless? In my case, if their system hasn't got MR165 listed or they haven't evaluated it, so what? I refer back to my previous post regarding 'more info'. They didn't ask. The phone call will be recorded. No problem.

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Your choice - your risk

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It's down to you to be honest and inform your insurers of ny modifications, the people you spoke to haven't got a clue about it, they probably aren't car people so would be working from a list of types of modifications, they don't know or care about kits or the makers name.

Let's hope you never need to make a claim as it could be refused for non disclosure.

Also the way you have worded your posts above makes it sound as though you know you're in the wrong and that that's why you won't contact them to ensure you are covered correctly.

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'' I'm not going to draw any further attention to it by calling them back in case it increases or invalidates my insurance ''

Are you aware of the penalties for uninsured driving ?

Are you aware that should you kill, or worse still permanently maim someone whilst uninsured, that you will not only be going to gaol, your vehicle is likely to be seized & crushed & then there's the multimillion 拢 civil claim against you personally.

Before you think that it '' won't happen to me '' - on average 6 people per day, every day, die on U.K. roads

You owe it to yourself , your family & all other road users to ensure you are insured correctly

1 / If you can't afford the increase - get off the road

2 / if your insurance is invalid - get off the road

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I would at the very least want it worded on my policy Mountune MR165 Kit fitted just to be on the safe side. That would cover you then. I tried to declare painted calipers and they didnt even know what they were and had to get advice!

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Update:

Following all your input and advice and the ever-growing doubt that in the event of an accident things could get tricky, I've phoned Admiral this evening and spoke to someone who knew a little bit about car modifications and was based at the call centre in Cardiff (the original guy was in Nova Scotia, where they drive on the right and call a bonnet a "hood"!

So anyway, I went through it all and it seems it wasn't applied properly in the first place, the original advisor was incompetent and even complacent in his questioning (or lack thereof) about the mods so I've had to email them a list of the exact kit (I just sent them the link to Mountune's online store so they can get the exact information I've got). This will be referred to an underwriter to calculate the premium (I foresee a challenge there!) but the upshot is that I am covered and it's just a matter of getting it listed properly.

Thanks all again for your input. :)

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Incompetent muppets! I always want it documented and in my possession due to things like that happening. It would have been a nightmare in the event of a claim.

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Ex

Incompetent muppets! I always want it documented and in my possession due to things like that happening. It would have been a nightmare in the event of a claim.

Exactly mate. No matter how much tried to convince myself that I'd described it properly and it was listed as the MR165, the doubt was too great to ignore.

Oh, and I finally managed to access my policy documents online earlier which, to my dismay, had the modication listed as " Engine chip 0-10% inc. BHP". No mention of Mountune! And i's actually a 32% increase. Again I must reiterate the fact that I was not asked for any power figures when querying making the change, yet it was listed as 0-10% on my policy without being mentioned to me, only that it's classed as "a chip", and a zero-increase cost applied.

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Lol mate, had some Canadian/American guy try for 45 minutes to get me under written but to no avail. The chip power output is to high and they don't do intercoolers. Ended up going to LV insurance who did the map and all the other mods for 拢60 less than Ford insure (who don't touch mods). All docs are emailed to you so you can have peace of mind.

So for 拢60 less I got:

MR165 (chip power 32%+, air filter, intercooler)

Milltek turbo back exhaust

Eibach lowering springs with 4 x 15mm Eibach spacers

ST valance / Rado ST alloys.

You did the right think checking up, but I cant see them giving you cover. ( Plus I got full no claims)

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:S

Oh it's never an easy thing is it, insurance? Greenlight have some sort of precedent given they don't charge more for their mods (or so I'm led to believe) and at the end of the day Admiral don't refuse to insure ST models which have moreeee power, even bigger intercoolers and are far more expensive. I can see me going legal on this haha! Or at least I'll go the the insurance ombudsman if they get funny over it.

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They will insure ST models but they will be standard, yes they have bigger intercoolers than your 1.0l but they are still standard, fit an uprated one and they'll say no.

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I think its on the Mountune website about Greenlight not increasing premiums for Mountune mods. I was reading about it in Fast Ford too.

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Insurance companies are a pain. Glad you got it sorted out. I know when I declared my mods (on my ST) with Admiral, they seemed very vague. Once I said the Eibach suspension was Ford approved, they seemed okay with it. At the end of the day, if push comes to shove, they will argue you were not covered unless every single change is declared and covered. The list of 'modifications' that should be declared includes things that I'd never have considered. eg Towbar, Standard engine replacement (like for like), a sticker!!!

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Oh, and I finally managed to access my policy documents online earlier which, to my dismay, had the modication listed as " Engine chip 0-10% inc. BHP". No mention of Mountune! And i's actually a 32% increase. Again I must reiterate the fact that I was not asked for any power figures when querying making the change, yet it was listed as 0-10% on my policy without being mentioned to me, only that it's classed as "a chip", and a zero-increase cost applied.

Lol, just as I guessed then! :D Hope you get it all sorted though, would be a pain to find out they won't cover it now.
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Lol, just as I guessed then! :D Hope you get it all sorted though, would be a pain to find out they won't cover it now.

You will hopefully share my pleasure in knowing that this little problem of mine is now fully sorted. But there's a twist...

Admiral called me earlier to say they've listened to the phonecall recordings and the advisor I originally spoke to (the original post) was in the wrong. However they will honour their mistake and continue to insure me AND they are not going to charge me anything extra.

BUT... And here's the twist... The will not insure me next year because they wouldn't normally insure cars with this type of mod.

All's well that ends well, and I'm relieved it's now sorted. But don't go thinking Admiral are Mountune-friendly, because they're not.

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