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  • 2 weeks later...

I phoned Sky up this morning to add my first modification (with Sky) to my policy - changing my tired stock SMIC to the Whifbitz replacement SMIC - £77 increase in premium! Ouch! :(

 

I think I need to start considering more than just the price of annual cover when it comes to renewal time...

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Like most insurers, we have loading for certain modifications, an upgraded intercooler is always going to attract a load on the insurance premium. You would hard pressed to find any insurer who would not charge for this.

 

I wouldn't have bothered informing them of that to be honest. Yes it's not a genuine Toyota item, but it's a like for like product. I wouldn't inform them if I fitted a blueprint radiator instead of an original OEM item for example.

 

If it is a change from when the car left the factory, it should be declared.

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Like most insurers, we have loading for certain modifications, an upgraded intercooler is always going to attract a load on the insurance premium. You would hard pressed to find any insurer who would not charge for this.

 

Is it a modification though? Surely it's a brand choice replacement part?

 

 

 

 

More fool the guy for even bothering phoning up about it. The very act of it makes it sound like a big deal when it isn't.

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Hi guys,

 

I am telling you the way it is.. I guess you'd be miffed if I said "no dont worry about declaring THAT modification" and then you have a claim and the non disclosed modification causes an issue? I am giving you the official answer, all changes from when the car left the factory need to be diasclosed to the insurer.

 

Is it a modification though? Surely it's a brand choice replacement part?

 

If the brand has changed then yes it is a modification as the car did not roll out of the factory with the whifbitz smic.

 

 

More fool the guy for even bothering phoning up about it. The very act of it makes it sound like a big deal when it isn't.

 

 

No, the guy has done the right thing. Again, if he hasn't and it caused a problem down the line then he would have regretted not informing us.

 

I am going to PM the customer to find out more, i just want to check this has been done correctly.

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If his premium was £300 then I would agree but this is done as a percentage loading on the annual premium. His annual premium may be a lot higher than £300.

 

Andy, you have PM

 

I dont see what his premiums got to do with it to be honest.

 

I dont see why this change of smic ups his premium, it wont make his car any quicker and is a lot cheaper to replace than the o/e toyota smic, if his car had a bump and you had to replace parts on it then it would actually cost less.

 

Sorry and i know its not you guys upping his insurance but this really is a typical insurance piss take.

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If the brand has changed then yes it is a modification as the car did not roll out of the factory with the whifbitz smic.

 

What about brand of spark plugs, oils, lubricants, brake pads, standard sized / spec discs / tyres, etc etc etc.

 

That's what I'm getting at. It's pretty much a like for like replacement. It's not like it's a front mount.

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I dont see what his premiums got to do with it to be honest.

 

The cost is going to be higher to the customer with a £1000 annual premium than it would be with a £300 annual premium.

 

Sorry and i know its not you guys upping his insurance but this really is a typical insurance piss take.

 

Whilst I do agree with what you are saying, I feel you be hard pressed to find an insurer who wouldn't load for an upgrade of IC. The underwriters we use have loadings for certain modifications, unfortunately they do not differenciate between a small SMIC and a large FMIC. The system is perhaps a little flawed in that respect. It does work both ways though, we had a customer who has an ineffective SMIC on his MR2 turbo which was swapped for a charge cooler system. There was no increase in premium for this despite power gains.

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What about brand of spark plugs, oils, lubricants, brake pads, standard sized / spec discs / tyres, etc etc etc.

 

That's what I'm getting at. It's pretty much a like for like replacement. It's not like it's a front mount.

 

I know what you are saying Matt and I refer you to my previous answer made at 12.46pm.

 

In the event of a claim the insurance assessor is not going to start extracting oil from the car to test it is within manufacturers specifications. It is likely though that they would query an undisclosed intercooler upgrade.

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I phoned Sky up this morning to add my first modification (with Sky) to my policy - changing my tired stock SMIC to the Whifbitz replacement SMIC - £77 increase in premium! Ouch! :(

 

I think I need to start considering more than just the price of annual cover when it comes to renewal time...

 

Andy, I've PM'd you back on this one.

 

As I said in my PM, having looked at this situation a bit closer it is clear that this is indeed an intercooler upgrade as the core is more efficient on the Whifbitz design.

I cannot justify going back to the underwriter to ask them to reduce their fee on that bssis unfortunately.

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Ive no problem disclosing mods and bar the silly stuff ( oils wiper blades fuses lol ) ive disclosed every mod on my car.

 

I dont see how this intercooler is an UPGRADE from the o/e one, theres been no testing done by anyone, even the supplier doesnt know or hasnt specified what hp it will support and to be honest i dont think theres a test been done on what the stock o/e unit will support either.

 

Ive read the sales pitch on the smic in question so i see where the ins comp is coming from but doubt its validity as neither has been back to back tested as to what hp they will support but i guess the advert saying its a more efficient core is grounds enough to the ins comp !!

Edited by Dnk (see edit history)
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