Do insurers keep a record of declared mods on a car? I ask this questions because if I was to use the same insurer as the previous owner then I would expect the insurer to be able to advise me if there were mods that they thought were fitted that I might not spot. (at least all declared ones) any undeclared ones that I knew about from a sale I would declare or remove as I just don't want to risk things.

As so many of these cars have some kind of mods now I just want to know the best route to take. What I really don't want to happen is to get insured and then for it to turn out that there is a mod that I was not aware of that the previous owner may not have declared or that I had not spotted and for my insurance to be invalid if there was an incident. I believe even small things like stickers or different glass than originally installed could effect things. Basically if there is any reason to get out of paying than insurers will use it, I don't want to be in that position and prefer a hassle free life knowing that if something happens that I am covered.

Also what is the best way of getting an agreed insurance value on a car? I would expect some kind of inspection but do the popular ones on here like Lancaster or Adrian Flux offer this kind of service? I am not after a show car but just don't want to be putting money into something that is not properly covered.

We all want the best price for insurance, I want to start with knowing that the cars insurance will be valid. I have heard that you can also agree that a car comes back to you if it has an accident with an insurer, how does that work, is it a particular term you need to agree with them as I have heard of some good cars being taken from owners with very little damage as they were counted as insurance write offs, that sounds like a nightmare.

Any pointers on this issue for Z owners would be most welcome.

For your first point I would say no, it will be a new policy and so the declaration would have to start over making it your responsibility. If you want help, we can help you identify any potential modifications that your unsure of?

 

The second point, both Lancaster and Adrian Flux carry out their valuation agreement service via pictures from several angles and the paperwork that you supply with the car. Most insurers do it this way these days and will generally make an agreement on principle at the quote stage.

 

Thirdly, most companies offer a buy back clause in the salvage agreement, there will usually be a fee for this which can be a percentage of the payout value or a set fee. Some companies, such as Footman James offer a zero salvage retention add on to your policy which allows you to get the full agreed value in the event of a write off and get the car back at no extra cost.

 

You’re right to have concerns and it’s always worth making sure your policy is water tight in the event of an unfortunate accident. If you’re insuring on a classic policy, make sure the mileage is enough and also make sure you’re allowed to drive it to work (if you occasionally do that on sunny days throughout the summer like myself!).

Edited March 9, 20196 yr by Joely P

Hi.

If you need any help with an agreed value insurance quotation then please feel free to drop me a line.

Regards,

Dan.

It was a very long time ago now but I had an xr3i in my youth and when I came to insure it for the first time I was asked if it had any mods. I said no but was asked to double check by the operator as it’s previous owner had declared some mods and they felt that I might not have “noticed” them.

Another issue A friend of mine once had was that after a write off he claimed on his insurance. He wasn’t happy with the first offer the insurance company offered him so tried to contest it. The operator this time said it was fair and that if he wished to continue fighting the offer then they would send out an inspector to visit the car as they had found the car on a forum with a list of mods as long as your arm that hadn’t been declared.

Declaring mods really doesn’t add that much to a premium when you reach a certain age. I would advise getting someone with a little knowledge to view your car if needed to help you compile a good list to give the insurance company. :wink: