Additional Insurance on AMGs

[CRJ343]

When I insured my E220 cab for the first time in July I mentioned that the vehicle had been fitted with AMG wheels - these are 15" and so not radically different in appearance from the standard 8-hole ones.
Direct Line my insurers increased the premium by another £100 - which is a lot when viewed against an initially quoted premium of £500 and bumped up the excess by another £250.
It seems that if the wheels were not originally fitted then one gets hammered for this sort of excess.
Have other owners had similar experiences ?

 

[A210AMG]

Any changed from the Manufactures standard specification will attach a premuim.

That does sound a lot though, on my last car I had 19" alloys and a Cold air induction kit and the premium was £50 more. The car before that I had a 'Power box' plug in performance chip and again £50 extra.


Its worth telling them if you have ANY changes as they could simply void any insurance if you have an accident or car is stolen and found.

I would ring some other companies though as £100 extra for 15" alloys?? does sound a lot

 

[BTB 500]

Yup Direct Line increased my premium and excess for having M-B 17" wheels on my SL (because they weren't standard spec.). As mentioned recently in another thread, you should declare everything that the car has which wasn't standard (even factory fitted options) as they may (a) affect the theft risk by making the car more 'desirable' or (b) affect the cost of repair should the car be damaged.

Elephant weren't bothered by the wheels btw, and there was no increase in premium when I modified the exhaust either.

 

[comports]

Question...? If my car was originally delivered from factory with all the AMG stuff, do I still need to tell them. My car is a CLK320 Cab but it has full AMG body kit and wheels from factory..?

Please advise if you can.

 

[aka$h]

Question...? If my car was originally delivered from factory with all the AMG stuff, do I still need to tell them. My car is a CLK320 Cab but it has full AMG body kit and wheels from factory..?

Please advise if you can.

It really depends on your insurance company, some want to know all optional extras and other dont. Best to ask the question sooner than later.

 

[Will]

Question...? If my car was originally delivered from factory with all the AMG stuff, do I still need to tell them. My car is a CLK320 Cab but it has full AMG body kit and wheels from factory..?

Please advise if you can.

Why not tell them, and if they put the premium up you know that you were correct to inform them - ie, they wanted to know

If they don't put the premium up, at least you can relax and put yourself at ease knowing you are properly covered

Will

 

[KillerHERTZ]

I wouldnt have mentioned the AMG alloys TBH. When I wrote off my C180, the assessor actually added the wheels into the final total - even though I never declared them!

Who's to say that they werent on them when you bought it?


For my current car I did declare the front AMG bumper as it was rare they told me there would be no additional cost to the insurance, but if I crashed I would only get the standard facelift bumper as a replacement.

 

[Fady]

I found Admiral insurance a real pain in the butt. They wanted a list of every single optional extra on the car even if it was factory fitted (as we all know, that list could potentially be as long as your arm). I switched to More Than at renewal time and they didn't give two hoots about wheels or any other mod as long as they don't enhance the car's performance.

 

[BTB 500]

Who's to say that they werent on them when you bought it?

That makes no difference. All they care about is what the car has fitted to it when you take out the policy (or add while they are insuring it).

 

[aka$h]

I found Admiral insurance a real pain in the butt. They wanted a list of every single optional extra on the car even if it was factory fitted (as we all know, that list could potentially be as long as your arm). I switched to More Than at renewal time and they didn't give two hoots about wheels or any other mod as long as they don't enhance the car's performance.

I had the same problem with Admiral when insuring my CE. The quote initially was round £450 and then went up £300 for the factory fitted options. Apparently AMG kit and wheels enhance performance, yea right!

 

[BTB 500]

Apparently AMG kit and wheels enhance performance, yea right!

However an AMG front bumper (for example) would presumably be a lot more expensive to replace than a standard one, should the car be damaged?

 

[A210AMG]

Also


With the AMG bits surely it also makes the car more attractive to the low lifes that may well steal it?

It may not make it go faster but it does 'look' quicker?

I would simply tell the insurance people everything as if god forbid your in a serious accident and they find out your car is modified you could fine yourself uninsured. Simply not worth it in my book?

 

[Will]

There's no 'grey area' as far as insurance in involved - if there's something you think should be mentioned, then do it - they call these 'material facts'

If there's any chance that by declaring something you think the premium will increase, declare it. No point kidding yourself and wasting your entire premium if the car isn't properly covered.

Will

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Before we bought the ML we looked at one with full AMG kit from new. When I got a quote from Direct Line I declared it, and they said there was no effect on the premium as it was factory fitted.

They made a note of it on the quote too. I know that because when we bought one without the AMG kit they must have based the policy on the original quote, and it featured a note stating it had an AMG kit.

Maybe cheaper to insure an AMG than a regular one with AMG wheels?!

 

[Goldfish11]

With Direct line you have to specify everything. If the car is non standard you have to tell them each change even if they are factory fitted. The standard car is for example a E220 Classic, if you then install leather seats, an auto gear box, a different radio they need to know, even metalic paint I also have factory fitted upgrade wheels and this put the cost up slightly.

The laugh is I even told them about my parking sensors thinking this would reduce the insurance. No, it puts it up a few pounds instead Apparently costs them more to fix if you crash into anything.

However even with the hassle of this declaration Directline still come in over £100 cheaper than anyone else for me and when I did have an incident they sorted it quickly.