Car owners often modify their cars to enhance aesthetics and make them look appealing and unique. Other than age, gender, and driving experience, car modifications can affect your car insurance.
What Qualifies as Modification?
A modification refers to any change you make to your car's company model to improve functionality, efficiency or make it appear appealing. Any slight deviation from the company's original car model is considered a modification.
Why Modification Increases Car Insurance Premiums
An insurance cover aims to cover you and your car from unforeseen risk. Once you get modifications for your car, it deviates from the manufacturer's model and thus increases the chances or risk. Your insurer will become cautious and increase your premiums.
If you have a car, get spoilers installed, or tune a turbo engine for higher speed, it increases your chances of getting into a car accident. Another example is adding attractive modifications to your car such as alloys, increasing the probability of theft. This will increase your premiums.
Types of Modifications That Will Increase Your Premiums
Wheel Modification
Making wheel modifications can help your car stand out, but it will also upturn its value, making your car a target for theft. Disclose any wheel alterations to your insurer to keep your policy valid as soon as you get them done.
Mechanics Modification
Any alteration done to increase engine power will lead to accelerated speed and increase accident risk. Many road accidents are caused by over-speeding cars, and altering your car's mechanics to increase speed is considered high risk. Alterations such as adding nitrous oxide, a turbo, or a supercharger will significantly raise your premiums.
Brakes
A car's vehicle control lies in the brakes. Therefore, altering a car's braking system means its performance will also change. Since brakes are a critical car component, your insurance company should assess any alterations made to them.
Paintwork
Changing your car's paint seems harmless and non-invasive, but it is not. Getting paintwork like eye-catching designs or racing paintwork design makes your car stand out and prone to theft. Always notify your insurance company for extraordinary paintwork done.
No matter how slight, car modifications can significantly influence your insurance premiums. Therefore, consider reaching out to your insurer and informing them of any modification you would like to make. Also, ask how the modification will impact your premiums. Failing to disclose modifications can nullify your policy and cause inconveniences when making a claim.