Modified Car Insurance

Why could I pay more for my insurance if I modify my car?

When you take your car to the garage to have a modification fitted, which increases the performance of the car or changes how it looks, it can increase what you pay for your insurance. One reason for this is that your car could be at greater risk of being stolen or being involved in an accident.

Car insurance for modified cars has to be carefully calculated. If you modify your car with a part, that gets discontinued, it might take your insurer some time to find a replacement. The extra time taken, and money spent in the process is why you could pay more on your car insurance.

Can any modifications reduce what I pay for car insurance?

Yes! Parking sensors could reduce what you pay, as you’re less likely to prang your car when reversing into tight spaces.

Do I need to tell my insurer about my modifications?

If you’re thinking about getting any modifications fitted it’s important you tell your insurer beforehand so you can work out if you need to pay anything extra on your insurance, and if you have the budget to do this.

When choosing modified car insurance, UK insurers just want you to be honest about the level of changes you plan on doing to your car.  If you ever have to make a claim there is a strong chance they will find out what has been done.

If the modifications are allowed by the insurer they will probably update your details and charge you any extra amount that is owed on your policy.

The only time you would find yourself in hot water is if the modifications aren’t allowed by your insurer, and they find out. When this happens they may want to cancel your policy as it might be construed that you deliberately kept your modifications a secret.

The best modified car insurance is…

Sorry if we got your hopes up then, but unfortunately there is no such thing as the best modified car insurance. Everybody has different needs so what might be the ‘best’ package for one person could be the complete opposite for another.

While some drivers would never choose anything other than fully comprehensive insurance, others may only want Third Party Only, or Third Party, Fire, and Theft.

When shopping around for car insurance, modified car cover can vary greatly between insurers, so it’s important you choose the best cover for your needs.

Can I insure my modified car with Sheilas’ Wheels?

When getting a modified car insurance quote with Sheilas’ Wheels, we only ask that you tell us the extent of your car’s modification. Other than that the quote process is exactly the same. Our comprehensive insurance includes:

• Unlimited legal liability cover if you cause death or injury to another person when driving
• Up to £20 million to cover any damage you do to another person's property with your car
• Courtesy car while your motor is being fixed at one of our recommended repairers, following an accident
• 5-Year Repair Guarantee when one of our recommended repairers is fixing your motor​
• In car entertainment cover on your permanently fitted electronic equipment if it's damaged
• Windscreen Cover. From small chips to big cracks, our specialists will do a top job repairing or replacing your windscreen
• Up to £200 cover for your handbag and anything inside it if it's lost or stolen from your car

 

What else can Sheilas’ Wheels offer me?

• We know your time is precious so all of your important documents are available on our customer portal for you to access when you need them!
• Our cover has been given 5 Stars from independent financial researcher Defaqto
• If you have any questions relating to legal motoring issues our motor legal helpline is included as part of your policy. This line is available 24-hours a day, every day of the week!

 

So you’ve modified your car, but what about modifying your car insurance?

You can make your cover as individual as your car with our optional extras.

If travel expenses for getting to and from work  when you’re without your car are a concern, or your policy excess is particularly high, you could recoup these costs from the third party with Motor Legal Protection if you are the non-fault driver.

You can also enhance your injury cover with Personal Injury Benefit, so if you’re at fault in an accident you’ll have greater cover for your injuries.

If these Optional Extras aren’t for you, you might be interested in breakdown cover, car hire benefit, key cover, and misfuelling cover (please note: Misfuelling benefit does not cover fully Electric Vehicles).