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U.K - My Insurance would not allow exhaust upgrade on 2020 GT

Moaslon

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Hi!
I was getting a little excited about finally getting a new exhaust fitted on the car ( Borla Atak ), but when I called up my insurance company to see if my premium would go up, they said that any mods to my car will automatically void my insurance. Tried speaking to the insurance a few times, but the answer was the same.

As far as I know my 2 realistic options are as follows:
1. Wait until my current insurance expires in 8 months and find an insurer who will allows the exhaust swap
2. Cancel my current insurance and get a new one now.
3. Are there any other options ( not telling insurance about the mod is not an option for me )?

I'm 26 and live in London. My current insurance cost me Ā£3.2K ( I was 25 back then) as i paid all in once.
I got a quote from another insurer for Ā£4.1K that would allow the exhaust. But thats just too much for me, as i would not get the full refund from my current insurer for cancelling it.

Would anyone be able to suggest an insurance company to contact or any other option I may have?
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Vegas5OH

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why would you tell your insurance about mufflers, of course they are going to say don't mod the car.
 
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Moaslon

Moaslon

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why would you tell your insurance about mufflers, of course they are going to say don't mod the car.
I thought Borla was Ford's approved parts supplier, so this exhaust should be perfectly road legal so would pass all MOT's. And its not performance booster ( which is what insurers dont like ). So I thought that it would be best to tell them. As if i made a claim, they could refuse it since i did not notify them about the mod.

Im all new to this. And from what ive heard is that insurers (most of them) dont even consider exhaust as a propper mod
 

Cpcloud

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U.S. here - I don't see how an exhaust modification can be the at-fault reason for an accident occurring.

Go for it.

If the insurance company happens to deny your claim, threaten to sue them. (It would never go to court because they have to prove the exhaust caused the accident)

I work an insurance, the last thing a claims adjuster wants is to keep dealing with a claim and increase his/her loss reserves due to court expenses.

If anything, they just won't cover the aftermarket exhaust in the claim - but that's a given.
 

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To call and ask insurance for permission? Hell, even in America they would probably try to say something like that. The obvious approach is to just put the exhaust on and not tell anyone. If it still had mufflers, it's not like it won't pass inspection. I don't have mufflers or resonators where I live and I'm supposed to but it's overlooked.
 

Mike Clark

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For my US based cousins:

In the UK, it is a requirement of just about every Insurance firm, to declare any modification that is done to the car after it leaves the factory or Dealership from a "Brand new" state. If you don't and you get stopped by the Police, they can query with the Insurance Firm and get a list of the mods..... and you will be in a whole heap of bother - think massive fine, points on driving license and a marker on you so that any future insurer will want to rip you a new one price wise.

Edit: And if you have an accident and get caught with the mods, the Insurer would be within their rights to refuse to pay out.....

So my GT Vert that has: Roush Axel Backs, Vinyl Stripes, Stubby Aerial, LED interior lights, the GT350 Start button/Shift Knob/Steering wheel pack, Strut bar, Sto n Sho, Steeda Jacking Rails and US Spec Deck lid all declared on the Insurance Document, one to keep the nice Police Officer happy, but should anything happen, you can cliam for the stuff (importing from the US is not a cheap exercise)

OP - when your renewal is up, contact APlan (Thatcham Branch) or Adrian Flux or Brent Acre and they should be more helpful as they deal with modded cars. The mainstream insurers in the UK are very wary of modded cars. I'm with APlan and they've been very understanding.
 
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WD Pro

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For my US based cousins:

In the UK, it is a requirement of just about every Insurance firm, to declare any modification that is done to the car after it leaves the factory or Dealership from a "Brand new" state. If you don't and you get stopped by the Police, they can query with the Insurance Firm and get a list of the mods..... and you will be in a whole heap of bother - think massive fine, points on driving license and a marker on you so that any future insurer will want to rip you a new one price wise.

Edit: And if you have an accident and get caught with the mods, the Insurer would be within their rights to refuse to pay out.....

So my GT Vert that has: Roush Axel Backs, Vinyl Stripes, Stubby Aerial, LED interior lights, the GT350 Start button/Shift Knob/Steering wheel pack, Strut bar, Sto n Sho, Steeda Jacking Rails and US Spec Deck lid all declared on the Insurance Document, one to keep the nice Police Officer happy, but should anything happen, you can cliam for the stuff (importing from the US is not a cheap exercise)

OP - when your renewal is up, contact APlan (Thatcham Branch) or Adrian Flux or Brent Acre and they should be more helpful as they deal with modded cars. The mainstream insurers in the UK are very wary of modded cars. I'm with APlan and they've been very understanding.
From another U.K. guy / U.K. experience, the above is correct - if they choose to enforce it to the full extent.

I am with A-Plan and from my quote, to telling them about filter + exhaust changes and then to taking the policy out, it didnā€™t alter my premium (and they were the cheapest I could find anyway / even before declaring my chosen mods).

Great choice of colour @Moaslon ... :wink:

WD :like:
 

raptor17GT

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i have used Admiral in the past and they've been great with mods for previous cars and the Mustang, recently changed to LV and again no problem with the exhaust change on the Stang. OP, find out how much it'll cost you to cancel your current policy and go elsewhere that will allow mods ?
 
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Moaslon

Moaslon

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i have used Admiral in the past and they've been great with mods for previous cars and the Mustang, recently changed to LV and again no problem with the exhaust change on the Stang. OP, find out how much it'll cost you to cancel your current policy and go elsewhere that will allow mods ?
Thats the plan. Im waiting for them to come back to me and me how much they would refund me if I cancelled. Although I think they would not refund much at all...
 

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young at heart

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Wow, the U. S. is getting crazy but that stuff is ridiculous.
Yeah but much as I hate to say it just give it a little time...
 

MidwayJ

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For my US based cousins:

In the UK, it is a requirement of just about every Insurance firm, to declare any modification that is done to the car after it leaves the factory or Dealership from a "Brand new" state. If you don't and you get stopped by the Police, they can query with the Insurance Firm and get a list of the mods..... and you will be in a whole heap of bother - think massive fine, points on driving license and a marker on you so that any future insurer will want to rip you a new one price wise.

Edit: And if you have an accident and get caught with the mods, the Insurer would be within their rights to refuse to pay out.....

So my GT Vert that has: Roush Axel Backs, Vinyl Stripes, Stubby Aerial, LED interior lights, the GT350 Start button/Shift Knob/Steering wheel pack, Strut bar, Sto n Sho, Steeda Jacking Rails and US Spec Deck lid all declared on the Insurance Document, one to keep the nice Police Officer happy, but should anything happen, you can cliam for the stuff (importing from the US is not a cheap exercise)

OP - when your renewal is up, contact APlan (Thatcham Branch) or Adrian Flux or Brent Acre and they should be more helpful as they deal with modded cars. The mainstream insurers in the UK are very wary of modded cars. I'm with APlan and they've been very understanding.
Since it's a requirement for insurance companies to declare any modification, why don't they do so (and raise the premium as appropriate) instead of refusing to cover the car?
 
 




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