Direct Line Insurance – Cautionary Note regarding Modifications

[Quackers]

Has he still got this? and considering selling?

It's been welded to his hip for the last 12 years

 

[Crickleymal]

It may cost more to repair though?

Late reply due to illness. Nope, same excess.

 

[PenelopePitstop]

Admiral is asking about factory fitted extras, at least in case of new cars. Can't remember if they asked when insuring used SLK. All other cars I insured with them, were brand new.

There was a post on another forum about stolen and recovered Audi S1. It was written off due to damage but Admiral was trying to wriggle out of payment due to undeclared factory fitted options, and there was a lot of options on the car.

"Admiral are now trying to argue that I didn't declare the options on the car. As I bought it as an approved used Audi, how was I supposed to know that someone had ticked lots of boxes when the car was built? They are saying their risk profile on the car was wrong, and I have countered by asking why they didn't question my valuation of the car of £29k when I first insured it."

In the end they paid out: "They have decided not to make any deductions for the optional extras"

 

[geraldrobins]

Late reply due to illness. Nope, same excess.

It may cost more to repair if its modified hence a slightly higher premium.

 

[moonloops]

It would be interesting to know the number of claims declined due to non-disclosure.

Depends if the non-disclosure was innocent, inadvertent or wreckless.

Only wreckless non-disclosure gives the insurer grounds to stop payouts.

There was a test case where the courts even said lying to the insurers (providing the lie was not material) could not be grounds to deny a payout.

 

[l5foye]

I recently went online to renew the insurance on my wife's car (£268) After filling in the information, when I got to reg no, it stated reg was invalid ! So I had to phone Direct Line, the lady I got asked me if I was happy with the cost. More by way of a joke, I said ' Of course I am not happy'. The lady put me on hold for a few minutes, then came back and said the best she could do was £240 ! There is a lesson there somewhere.

 

[Moleshome]

I've just transferred my Quotemehappy policy across to the Merc, comparison websites only had complete nobodies showing any cheaper and when I had to claim a couple of years ago had very good service.

 

[oldguy57]

Admiral is asking about factory fitted extras, at least in case of new cars. Can't remember if they asked when insuring used SLK. All other cars I insured with them, were brand new.

There was a post on another forum about stolen and recovered Audi S1. It was written off due to damage but Admiral was trying to wriggle out of payment due to undeclared factory fitted options, and there was a lot of options on the car.

"Admiral are now trying to argue that I didn't declare the options on the car. As I bought it as an approved used Audi, how was I supposed to know that someone had ticked lots of boxes when the car was built? They are saying their risk profile on the car was wrong, and I have countered by asking why they didn't question my valuation of the car of £29k when I first insured it."

In the end they paid out: "They have decided not to make any deductions for the optional extras"

Strange then that when discussing values on total loss cars Insurers often argue that optional extras have no effect on market value. Do thieves intentionally only go for highly optioned models?

 

[whitenemesis]

Strange then that when discussing values on total loss cars Insurers often argue that optional extras have no effect on market value. Do thieves intentionally only go for highly optioned models?

Quite right but insurers still need to know what options were fitted, should the vehicle be repairable

 

[PenelopePitstop]

I called Admiral today, to get quote for a change of car. They asked me for non-standard factory options. So I started reading options from sheet but they said they are not interested in any of them. Then I asked for a quote for non-standard exhaust and it didn't change anything, just admin fee for change notification. So I will notify them of non-standard exhaust while updating car on policy and will proceed with it at later date. Swap for identical car is £60 (including £19.90 admin fee). Justification for extra charge is that I got previous car in 2016 and I will get this car in 2018. Argument that car is new to me and greater risk doesn't work in this case, since it's identical to previous one. I will raise it with underwriters.

These admin fees are annoying, £19.90 to remove the plate, £19.90 to change the car, £19.90 to put private plate again ...

 

[oldguy57]

I called Admiral today, to get quote for a change of car. They asked me for non-standard factory options. So I started reading options from sheet but they said they are not interested in any of them. Then I asked for a quote for non-standard exhaust and it didn't change anything, just admin fee for change notification. So I will notify them of non-standard exhaust while updating car on policy and will proceed with it at later date. Swap for identical car is £60 (including £19.90 admin fee). Justification for extra charge is that I got previous car in 2016 and I will get this car in 2018. Argument that car is new to me and greater risk doesn't work in this case, since it's identical to previous one. I will raise it with underwriters.

These admin fees are annoying, £19.90 to remove the plate, £19.90 to change the car, £19.90 to put private plate again ...

Thing to remember when phoning up your "Insurers" is that you are usually dealing with an intermediary and not your actual insurance company. Admin fees are how these intermediaries make their dosh.

 

[markjay]

I declared to Aviva COMAND retrofit, heated front seats retrofit, reverese camera retrofit, sound system upgrade, etc - made no difference to them, all now declared and added and covered by the policy. No cost.

 

[leef44]

I called Admiral today, to get quote for a change of car. They asked me for non-standard factory options. So I started reading options from sheet but they said they are not interested in any of them. Then I asked for a quote for non-standard exhaust and it didn't change anything, just admin fee for change notification. So I will notify them of non-standard exhaust while updating car on policy and will proceed with it at later date. Swap for identical car is £60 (including £19.90 admin fee). Justification for extra charge is that I got previous car in 2016 and I will get this car in 2018. Argument that car is new to me and greater risk doesn't work in this case, since it's identical to previous one. I will raise it with underwriters.

These admin fees are annoying, £19.90 to remove the plate, £19.90 to change the car, £19.90 to put private plate again ...

This year, Direct Line came back with a quote the same price as Admiral for me. I called Admiral to say I won't be renewing with them because Direct Line don't charge for any notification of changes. Admiral dropped their price by £40 to cover for equivalent to two change notifications. Of course, the reality was that they had lee-way to reduce the premium but this was good enough for me.

 

[PenelopePitstop]

I still don't understand what factory options are of interest to Admiral, since they were not interested in anything I told them. I asked consultant, but it was Indian call centre, so he couldn't really tell me. Normally, I disconnect and call again until I get UK call centre, but couldn't be bothered to do this, just to get a quote.

 

[daz-clk55-amg]

If you want a great company for insurance then you'll need Herts insurance consultants

They insured my widebodied clk55 amg, full bodykit, alloys, exhaust, coilovers, remap, window tints, custom headlights etc etc, all mods are declared like for like so if any part is damaged they will replace that part with one of the exact same.... you have to be careful with some company's as they will indeed insure your mods but so your legal to drive with them as such, but in the case of those mods being damaged they will only replace with factory standard options, Herts insurance also offer an agreed value service

1

• daz-clk55-amg
• Jun 9, 2018

I have sadly just had my car written off due to hydrolocking the engine but they where great and settled the claim at the full agreed value of 19k... I have brought my car back off them as going to use the parts for my new car (clk63 amg)

The next chapter begins

• daz-clk55-amg
• Jun 25, 2018

 

[daz-clk55-amg]

I also run a car club for all car and bike enthusiasts and have joined Herts insurance consultants club scheme so you can save even more money.... see below

High Octane Automotive are pleased to announce we have teamed up with the great people at Herts Insurance Consultants to offer you an amazing deal on you vehicle insurance with a saving of up to 15% just for being a member of our club

Herts Insurance Consultants can cover you for all types of insurance as well as being one of the market leading specialists in modified vehicle insurance

some of the added benifits HIC can offer include: like for like cover on modifications, agreed valuations, key care, free legal protection, misfueling protection, hic rescue, windscreen cover and much more

To take advantage of this deal you must let the call operator know at the beginning of the call that you are phoning up as part of the HIGH OCTANE CAR CLUB SCHEME

Herts Insurance Consultants

 

[daz-clk55-amg]

As an added note, Herts insurance consultants only charge additional premiums for power mods, I.e anything that increases the cars power

Cosmetic mods like bodykits, wheels, stereo equipment usually do not increase your premium

 

[flowrider]

If you want a great company for insurance then you'll need Herts insurance consultants

They insured my widebodied clk55 amg, full bodykit, alloys, exhaust, coilovers, remap, window tints, custom headlights etc etc, all mods are declared like for like so if any part is damaged they will replace that part with one of the exact same.... you have to be careful with some company's as they will indeed insure your mods but so your legal to drive with them as such, but in the case of those mods being damaged they will only replace with factory standard options, Herts insurance also offer an agreed value service

1

• daz-clk55-amg
• Jun 9, 2018

I have sadly just had my car written off due to hydrolocking the engine but they where great and settled the claim at the full agreed value of 19k... I have brought my car back off them as going to use the parts for my new car (clk63 amg)

The next chapter begins

• daz-clk55-amg
• Jun 25, 2018

I have followed your thread regarding the unfortunate loss of your 55, I would be very keen to follow any updates concerning the 63. A build thread would be great.

 

[400ixl]

I used to use Herts insurance consultants until they were unfortunately purchased by the Adrian Flux group. Barge pole is the first thing that comes to mind now.

 

[AMGeed]

I used to use Herts insurance consultants until they were unfortunately purchased by the Adrian Flux group. Barge pole is the first thing that comes to mind now.

+1. I wouldn't go near AF knowing what they did to my son in law a few years back.

Glad to see the OP is back on the road with a nice CLK63. As mentioned, a thread on its modifications would be of huge interest.