Does Your Insurance Company Know About Mods?

[nick crisp]

We all like to personalise our bikes - it's good to stand out from the crowd a bit isn't it? But how much do you tell your insurance company about what you've done to yours? Put a comfier seat on...well, probably don't need to let them know about that. Goodridge brake lines? Actually makes it safer doesn't it? What about that race can tho'? Had it Ivanised, or some other fairly common performance mod? Or gone outright mental with aftermarket or home made everything? What do you think you'll get away with not telling them about, if it comes to a claim?

[Tmation]

Depends what you are claiming for, they definitely won't cover the cost of your extras or mods if you don't declare them.


I seem to remember (but I might be wrong) that they can not fail to pay out unless they can prove the aftermarket/performance mod caused the accident, but they will only pay for standard parts.


Adding desirable stuff to your bike like Ohlins etc makes it more attractive to tea leaves so more likely to get nicked (premium goes up)


If you don't declare extras like hard luggage why should they pay out for it if damaged or stolen. My Givi/SW Motech setup would cost around £750 to replace, so if I want to claim for it I feel it is only fair to declare it and pay additional premium.


I have to add that I hate the thieving robbing bastards who will do everything in their power not to pay out or to delay things by making stupid low offers. Thats why I like my Fazer, it worth around 3 grand and if I break it or it is stolen I would just go and buy another and F$*k the insurance twats.

[wezdavo]

We all like to personalise our bikes - it's good to stand out from the crowd a bit isn't it? But how much do you tell your insurance company about what you've done to yours? Put a comfier seat on...well, probably don't need to let them know about that. Goodridge brake lines? Actually makes it safer doesn't it? What about that race can tho'? Had it Ivanised, or some other fairly common performance mod? Or gone outright mental with aftermarket or home made everything? What do you think you'll get away with not telling them about, if it comes to a claim?

This year I was refused insurance by my insurer of the previous year for fitting Goodridge lines...

In my experience with insurance companies, having made a claim in the past (did you know that if your vehicle is stolen it is a fault claim and you lose your no claims) they look for reasons not to pay you out, so if they find something you haven't declared they could say you have breached the contract of insurance by not telling them..

And they will make your claim very difficult..

[mr self destruct]

Personally if I fitted non standard tyre valve caps I'd let them know, it never pays to be anything less than 100% honest with an insurance company.

[Dead Eye]

With my bike I've declared everything of importance - so exhaust, top box (which I don't actually have anymore...), brake lines

Not exactly worried with telling them about my blue dash LEDs, and non-OEM filters etc

[sure2ride]

I don't bother to tell them anything that does not significantly affect the performance (bhp) or handling.
So add ons like racks (but not expensive luggage which I would tell them about) screens, tank protectors, crash bungs, undertrays etc I don't bother to tell them.
Also, I dont bother to tell them about end cans (which may add a couple of bhp), but I think I would tell them if I changed the suspension.
My rule of thumb is that if it's cosmetic and doesn't cost a great deal I don't tell them and I wouldn't expect it to be replaced.
Anything affecting performance or handling i would, as thay could attribute that as the cause of an accident, and which because they were unaware of ,they might make making a claim more difficult.
Sorry about poor grammer, just my rambling thoughts out loud for what its worth.

[Grahamm]

There was another thread about this a while back, but the short version is that if you don't tell them about something that could affect the bike's performance, they can refuse to pay out because you failed to notify them of it.

When I installed my Power Commander I told my insurers (Bennetts) about it, they didn't increase my premium for it but did charge me £25 for amending the policy (bastards!)

[nick crisp]

There was apparently a new ruling for any policy taken out after April 1st, that if you answered all the insurance company's questions truthfully on applying for a policy, then legal modifications would be OK, the presumption being that any other questions were not thought by the insurance company to be important enough to ask, and the insurer could not wriggle out of a payout due to "material non-disclosure".(paraphrased from an article in Ride magazine). My guess is that what will actually happen is that we'll get reams more get-out clauses to read in the small print on your policy in future.

[Andy FZS]

It can get stupid, I mean how many 10 bikes or cars will have everything original. They could say the bike had this or that type of tyre or brake pad and yours are not standard. You would expect if you fitted a turbo or something they should be told but if you've replaced rusty pipes with shiny s/steel ones why should that matter? Why does common sense seem so difficult.

[fireblake]

I'm with MCE and told them about R1 forks, R6 shock. Pazzo levers and they charged me £150 for 15 monygs. Bargain imo

Mickey.