Modifications and insurance

[Throttled]

I decided to read the small print for my renewal (Hastings) and saw there is a section on modifications, which states they include things not fitted at the time of manufacture, like heated grips, braided hoses, performance air filer and bar ends. My bike is down as having no modifications, but when I got the policy via Confused.com, there is nowhere to list them.

 

The bike came with dealer fitted heated grips (they are Oxford, not Kawasaki) and I have fitted a side stand puck, a larger screen, crash bungs and a Kayoko cruise control. Is that the kind of thing I should declare and if so, how much of a difference will it make? They are all mods for comfort, not speed.

[keith1200rs]

I would tell them. In my experience it makes no difference to the insurance cost but they seem interested in the cost of the modifications 

[MikeHorton]

I'd say the same usually it's best to call them I'm sure you will be on hold for ages but they will sort it. I've been with Hastings quite a few times and should make no odds on the policy. Had a similar issue with current insurer it was ambiguous with datatool which tracker I have my tracker renewal had a different model to all the other paperwork I have. Turned out I have a newer tracker which my current insurer did not recognise for a discount the company contacted the underwriter and it was sorted with no cost in the end. However if I'd not sorted and claimed for a theft later I'm sure it would have been an issue! 

[Throttled]

Hastings initial renewal, with no modifications recorded for the bike - £214.24.

Hastings renewal after declaring dealer fitted heated grips, larger screen, crash bungs, cruise control, side stand flat foot - £355.23

 

On Confused. com, where there is nowhere to add modifications when getting insurance quotes, the second cheapest quote was £355.04 from MCE.

 

I am not prepared to ditch the comfort of the mods so I am paying the extra, but what a rip off. Though, having never declared any modifications before, I have obviously been saving money for years.

[fastbob]

2 hours ago, Throttled said:

Hastings initial renewal, with no modifications recorded for the bike - £214.24.

Hastings renewal after declaring dealer fitted heated grips, larger screen, crash bungs, cruise control, side stand flat foot - £355.23

 

On Confused. com, where there is nowhere to add modifications when getting insurance quotes, the second cheapest quote was £355.04 from MCE.

 

I am not prepared to ditch the comfort of the mods so I am paying the extra, but what a rip off. Though, having never declared any modifications before, I have obviously been saving money for years.

I wouldn't have mentioned any of those trivial accessories to the insurance company . None of their business. 

[keith1200rs]

Make sure that the higher quote includes your NCB - I had a problem with them when I made any change they lost a year of NCB in the process

[runningman]

I'd declare any performance mods, but not cosmetic mods. Wouldn't expect to recoup the cost of the cosmetic mods in the event of a claim. 

[Ian Frog]

Totally agree with you @runningman the robbing gits rarely put you back to where you were before the claim even though that`s the sole point of the buggers in the first place.

I wonder how many of us would bother with them if it wasn`t a mandatory legal requirement?

I would be interested in peoples views.

Cheers

Ian

[Throttled]

1 hour ago, fastbob said:

I wouldn't have mentioned any of those trivial accessories to the insurance company . None of their business. 

 

This is the first and last time that happens. I am going to contact Hastings properly to get them to explain why each accessory causes a hike in insurance. The guy on the phone, with a terrible line and English not his first language, was clearly reading from a script/drop down box, try to find each mod to enter on the policy.

[Throttled]

21 minutes ago, runningman said:

I'd declare any performance mods, but not cosmetic mods. Wouldn't expect to recoup the cost of the cosmetic mods in the event of a claim. 

 

That's what I thought a mod was, not heated grips and mods for comfort and to protect the bike if it falls over. A crash bung should reduce insurance, not increase it.

[keith1200rs]

I ended up starting a new quote with them including any mods - halved my premium.

[Throttled]

1 hour ago, keith1200rs said:

I ended up starting a new quote with them including any mods - halved my premium.

 

I tried the Hastings site for a quote and it declined me. What mods did you declare? 

[MikeHorton]

No issues with them when I had my tracer but when I changed to the africa twin they said they couldn't insure me which was a bit odd been with bemoto since and that have been good and no issues re modifications. I don't get how some insurers work

[onesea]

I see insurance as little more than legalised money laundering.  I have little confidence in any insurance companies.

 

However I always try and buy fully comp, just because they have more to loose if you get hit. If 3rd party only they decide it’s your fault regardless as then they don’t have to payout.

 

However, when I got hit when stationary by a van (national parcel delivery company) that pulled out of a side road blocking my carriage way before hitting me. It took them 6 months to go from my fault to 50/50 then to look at the footage to agree maybe I was not to blame.

Turned out we had the same underwriters, I guess they did not want to upset a big client?

As for declaring modifications, non OEM exhausts heated grips are just the norm aren’t they?

 

[MikeHorton]

9 minutes ago, onesea said:

I see insurance as little more than legalised money laundering.  I have little confidence in any insurance companies.

 

However I always try and buy fully comp, just because they have more to loose if you get hit. If 3rd party only they decide it’s your fault regardless as then they don’t have to payout.

 

However, when I got hit when stationary by a van (national parcel delivery company) that pulled out of a side road blocking my carriage way before hitting me. It took them 6 months to go from my fault to 50/50 then to look at the footage to agree maybe I was not to blame.

Turned out we had the same underwriters, I guess they did not want to upset a big client?

As for declaring modifications, non OEM exhausts heated grips are just the norm aren’t they?

 

Yes ur right there and it's never straight forward. I had a collision in 2013 clearly not my fault I took photos and printed pics off, someone overtaking me where 2 lanes merge into one on a dotted white took put my offside. It ended up being 50:50  but took a year to get that far I got about £600  quid from quote me happy for their incompetence . 3 years later out the blue I had some random solicitors letter with another apology and a further £1000 on the form of a cheque. I think by the end of it I was in profit I only had a £200 excess and they never asked for that! Needless to say I won't deal with quote me happy which is part of aviva

Edited July 23, 2022 by MikeHorton

[keith1200rs]

1 hour ago, Throttled said:

 

I tried the Hastings site for a quote and it declined me. What mods did you declare? 

I can't be certain, but different riders footpegs, handguards, pillion pegs,  and maybe something else 

[bud]

I know from last insurance, that most won't charge anything for two modifications as long as not increasing performance. But three of more you can start to see a loading of the policy.

Certain things like crash protection a lot of insurance companies don't actually like. I guess there reasoning is the same with roll cages in cars. You only fit it if you think you are going to need it.  

Most people will fit heated grips, rear huggers, or crash protection of you use the bike all year.

[Bender]

7 hours ago, runningman said:

I'd declare any performance mods, but not cosmetic mods. Wouldn't expect to recoup the cost of the cosmetic mods in the event of a claim. 

I have once been asked about mods and all they wanted to know was were they increasing the value of the bike. 

[Throttled]

I have complained to Hastings. If there is one mod causing the problem, like crash bungs, I will remove them. 

 

 

 

(Reference Id-O56Z7835 for my own info).

[daveinlim]

On 23/07/2022 at 22:04, bud said:

I know from last insurance, that most won't charge anything for two modifications as long as not increasing performance. But three of more you can start to see a loading of the policy.

Certain things like crash protection a lot of insurance companies don't actually like. I guess there reasoning is the same with roll cages in cars. You only fit it if you think you are going to need it.  

Most people will fit heated grips, rear huggers, or crash protection of you use the bike all year.

 

I can see how someone fitting a roll cage to a car would be a red flag for insurers. But you can't accidentally drop your car and it fall on its side. Crash bungs or the likes should free to add for bikes, it's a precaution against a genuine issue. 

[Bender]

46 minutes ago, daveinlim said:

 

I can see how someone fitting a roll cage to a car would be a red flag for insurers. But you can't accidentally drop your car and it fall on its side. Crash bungs or the likes should free to add for bikes, it's a precaution against a genuine issue. 

Maybe if they were called fall over bungs it wouldn't sound so bad  

[daveinlim]

39 minutes ago, Bender said:

Maybe if they were called fall over bungs it wouldn't sound so bad  

There's a marketing angle in there somewhere

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Bender said:

Maybe if they were called fall over bungs it wouldn't sound so bad  

How about 'destabilisation baubles' or 'ground unison stabilisation support element tripods' gusset for short.

[Stu]

On 23/07/2022 at 12:24, Throttled said:

Hastings initial renewal, with no modifications recorded for the bike - £214.24.

Hastings renewal after declaring dealer fitted heated grips, larger screen, crash bungs, cruise control, side stand flat foot - £355.23

 

On Confused. com, where there is nowhere to add modifications when getting insurance quotes, the second cheapest quote was £355.04 from MCE.

 

I am not prepared to ditch the comfort of the mods so I am paying the extra, but what a rip off. Though, having never declared any modifications before, I have obviously been saving money for years.

 

And this is the reason I am with bennetts insurance 

 

Other insurance companies do the same so check the policy wording before declaring mods and buying is what I do 

 

[Joe85]

I’ve had two written off with post-purchase mods like full-exhaust, LED’s, mirrors, tailtidys, the lot. 
 

Insurers never said a thing. 
 

*just read Stu’s post. Probably why. 

Edited July 25, 2022 by Joe85