Gary Foster

Wrote a letter to my insurance company last week as I had some mods done,

Bump Steer
Anti Lift
Prodrive Back Box
K&N

They are now cancelling my insurance in 7 days time.

As I was hit by a drunk driver a couple of months ago, and they have not collected the money from his insurer I have 0 NCB, and I will obviously lose the last 7 months (for the second time !) claim free period (The accident was not my fault so they will be able to get the money back).

The cheapest quote my dealer can do - if I remove the mods, is £3.2K

What do I do ?

Rum where are you ?

Excuse my language, but Insurance companies are a bunch of theiveing ****wit ******* arseholes.

Gussie Cup

Steve vRS

Bugger

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

Gary, that ain't good

Do you know where there problem is with your bods? If it has something to do with the back box or K&N then surely it would be possible for you to take them off for now, and put them back on in 5 months once your insurance is up?

robski

why dont you reverse the mods, and give yourself some breathing space

surely only the whiteline kits is the tricky bit to reverse the rest is just setup, or bolt on stuff

robski

Squizz

Gary,
Sorry to hear that? Surely due to your disculosure in all honesty to your insurance company as soon as having the mods done - They've given you reasonable time to organise your affairs IF they don't normally cover cars with such mods.

Did you ask them before hand if they would be ok with such mods? Got any documented proof or dates/times/names of telephone conversations?

They should still honour their agreement on cover and action for you over your previous claim thanks to that drunk-driver?

Can anyone help if they know of an insurance ombudsman with whom you can raise your greivance?

Hope it works out.

RonaldoH

Yikes!

That is harsh, although my own experience with insurance companies that have a bad rep is somewhat annoying too..

IMHO, I would remove the mods and speak to the most senior person at the company regarding the fact that you have had them removed......just say you thought you had to inform them...not get a quote first.

Be honest, they will surely want to keep your business!

Let us know how you get on...

Best of luck, know what your going through

Ron

Gary Foster

I can't get insured through someone else as I'm desparately trying to get more than 2 years NCB (I keep having to change companies half way through when they won't insure the car I've bought) I should have 4 years by now.

Insurance company are willing to insure the car if I remove the mods. I have 14 days to do this. How do I remove the bump steer mod though ?, and how much is a new exhaust going to cost ?

They want everything removed, and the tracking has to be changed to manufacturers spec (can't have pro drive settings). Also means I can't fit the MY99 4 pots I've bought or the clear indicators / repeaters.

****ing **** **** tit bollocks

Thanks for the advice guys, looks like removing the mods is the way forward then, they probably don't want my custom as my insurance is currently so cheap (£1350) so they are hardly making any money from me at all.

Ps I may well be selling some stuff (only 1 week old !) in the near future. Sod it I feel like just selling the car to be honest.

[This message has been edited by Gary Foster (edited 19 January 2001).]

Andy Hall

Hi Gary,

Sorry to hear about your problems, I guess to remove the bump steer mod you will need to remove the shims, then go to someone like Micheldever and ask them to put on the factory settings(£45ish I think) Might be worth seeing if they will let you have the Prodrive settings. Do they need documentation for your geometry to prove how it is set?. I would have thought that you would get away with it as it is only an adjustment, and the cars are notorious for having wheels out of line on arrival.

Looking on the bright side though, you'll be saving a lot of money on mods we were talking about the other week!.

Cheers
Andy

Gary Foster

Andy

I've phoned them again and I'm waiting for them to phone back. I'm hoping they will let me keep everything except the performance improving mods (K&N and Prodrive Back Box)

I've cancelled the colour coding / WR Sport rear bumper.
Will be cancelling the PIAA's I have on order
Will be cancelling the clear indicators also on order
And I guess selling the MY99 Brakes + hoses etc (due to be fitted monday)

Not happy

chuckster

Try Scoobysport or scoobymania for an original backbox, I'm sure they've loads of the old twin pea-shooters knocking about.
Chuck

SimonH

Just checked with my insurers (Privlege) who say there's no extra premium for colour coding the sills/bumper or getting PIAAs. (Premium's pretty good anyway - £622, 31yrs, 4pts, Full NCB).
Didn't dare ask about bump steer etc etc....

Andy Hall

Gary

Surely they can't stop you putting those bits on, they're just cosmetic and the brakes will slow you down, not speed you up.

See ya soon

Andy

DocJock

Gary

I have an original MY97 backbox (20K miles) you can have for nowt m8. Mail me if you want it.
I'm in Chandlers Ford.

DJ

logiclee

Gary,

Are you going to Oulton Park? 27th Jan

I have a standard back box you can have FOC. Its in average condition but the twin outlet has nice chrome bits on.

Lee

Julian

If only it were that simple.

Adding "cosmetic bits" makes the car more "attractive" to thieves/vandals - hence the insurers don't like them.

Upgrading brakes - the insurers see this as "Well if you need to upgrade the brakes it must be becuase you are driving faster than you should" - hence the insurers don't like them.

You pays your money and then you pays your money again!

Julian.

firefox

With most policies, ANYTHING that alters the cars specification from that of the manufacturer should be declared

They argue that even cosmetic items alters the car value, and its risk of being stolen. (hence the fitment of a Subaru bonnet scoop onto a Ford will double its value - 20 pounds)

Insurance companies suck if u ask me... Sorry Rum.

Sorry to hear about the ****e Gary... I know it took me long enough to get NCD.

I would advice you speak to the Insurance company before doing anything to your car(s).

J.

RonaldoH

Gary!!!!!
Keep your chin up m8, at least they are not saying "tough!" and sticking to their decision!



Im pleased you got a way out of it, if you know what I mean

And there is of course people as cool as Doc Jock/logiclee who are diamonds

I dont think I have anythink that can help, but if you need a hand do no less than shout in my direction!!!

Ron

Edited to include Logiclee to the kind comment

[This message has been edited by RonaldoH (edited 19 January 2001).]

Gary Foster

DocJock

I love you and I want to have your babies. Emails not working at the mo, so I'll email you from home tonight. I work at Hursley so CF is easy to get too.

And

Apparently they can. We have come to a compromise however, I can have the following

Anti Lift + Bump steer
Colour coding + big rear wing + clear lenses

Can't have
K+N, Rear box, Eibachs, MY99 Calipers (??? Don't understand this !)

I'm taking a chance on
PIAA driving lamps, and not telling them

Guess I'll just keep all the stuff till renewal time and chuck it all back on then.

Dave T-S

Correct me if I am wrong, but as insurance is arranged on a basis of utmost good faith - as it said on the proposal form you filled in when you took out the cover - you are required to advise any material facts such as modifications that alter the risk BEFORE you carry them out.

Another "all insurance companies are robbing ba5tards" thread but you have not done what you agreed to do when you filled in the proposal form. The insurance company are not now insuring the same car they agreed to when you took out the cover, and are receiving what is effectively a reduced premium. Can you blame them?

If you had a crash you would still expect them to pay the claim however........

And yes, I do work in the insurance industry as it clearly states in my profile.

RonaldoH

Whhhhooooaaaaa!

Dave! chill man!

I think Gary was a bit confused with his policy here and was not aware of needing to inform them before hand, the fact that he used some ****'d out swear words was because he was worried because it was cancelled in 7 days time because he was honest in the fact that he wrote to them...he need'nt of bothered and for his sake is probably glad he did.

On a Friday the last thing you want is greif! I am glad Garys sorted! Its horrible being faced with that!

The power of the Internet helps all! Im sure no malice was meant to insurers

Gary Foster

Cheers for pointing that out Dave.

You are of course correct I am at fault and would best be locked up - preferably for a long time for the scum I am. Possibly hanging should be brought back, certainly some sort of punishment is in order for daring to feel I am being treated harshly for my oversight.

I am stupid however, and until someone mentioned it I did not realise that these modifications would made a difference - not being in the industry and all.

Ps Was a bit upset when I posted this thread and a bit flustered so don't take any aggressive comments too seriously.

Anyway, my broker has come to a compromise with the Insurance company on my behalf and the compromise solution is far better than my original situation (cheers guys)

Pps, I'm terrified of doing this, but I don't think I told them it had aircon and cruise control when I first got insured (sorry Dave, another oversight on my part) should I tell them or just keep stum ?

Gary

Gary Foster

Posted previous one at same time as Ronaldo,

thanks Ronaldo thats is absolutely correct, you have put it better than I could, I'm still a little shaky and not thinking straight.

(Thank god for the Internet !!!!, at least it's sorted

IntegraR

Dave's in brutal form this afty, for Christs sakes Gary, dont tell him you're a tyre kicker AS WELL as an insurance dodger!! or you will be known throughout history as "The one who unleashed the Wrath of Dave"
and punishment will be swift and severe

Dave T-S

Gary
The main point is that if you had a crash and it was NOT even your fault, your insurer is legally bound under the Road Traffic Acts to pay the third party - and could then sue you for the cost back, and refuse to pay a penny to you for your written off car, because they were not insuring the risk they originally accepted because of the mods - so it could be a LOT worse.....

So I guess this might answer your question about advising ALL non manufacturer spec parts (apart from consumables)?

I probably was not awfully subtle in my previous reply, but it does say about declaring all material facts on the proposal....

Mike Rainbird

You have mail....

Karlos

Dave,

Little bit to much Gold Blend again? Jesus, I'm surprised you haven't had an bloody heart attack or somthing yet! Gary, my insurance is £1000 and I have declared all mods. Dave. With regards your point about if Gary had an accident caused by a third party, and him not being insured.... I had an accident in my old Nova GTE a couple of years back, caused by a Salesrep in and Audi pulling out of a junction into the side of me. The police were called, and the driver was done for driving with undue care and attention. From what I remember, my insurance company didn't have absolutely anything to do with my claim from the third parties insurance company... just my legal cover company. I had Nova GSi bumpers on my car, which I had not declared... they were replaced by the third party insurance.....

Obviously I see your point so don't have another embolism, you should declare everything otherwise you run the risk of being uninsured...

No matter how much firefighting you do though Dave, your never gonna change peoples opinions of Motor Insurers... We all think they're robbin b****rds!

Karlos

Carolyn T-S

What of course Mr T-S didn't tell you is wifey at home went ahead and had some mods done to her car and wrote to the insurance company afterwards - and guess what, they cancelled my insurance (however it was immediate).

Mr T-S in his infinite wisdom advised them that they had a duty to give me 7 days notice.

I then obtained insurance with the same underwriter who cancelled my previous cover. Different broker but same underwriter.

In fact the underwriter told the original broker to continue cover and the broker refused. As a gesture of goodwill, the underwriter agreed to insure my car at the rate far below market rate at a princly sum of £330 fully comp for a year on a MY00 with mods.

So Mr T-S not so holier than thou

Tim W

iTrader: (1)

Oh domestics are such fun ROFLMAO at that one Carolyn (SLAP... Tim, get it right)

On the insurance front, I guess I've been lucky/had a lot of help apart from the joys of 2 other party fault prangs exactly a year apart...

[This message has been edited by Tim W (edited 19 January 2001).]

Dave T-S

.....As the old saying goes....I am not my brother's (or wife's) keeper......