If you plan to modify your car, no matter how simple the modifications are, then you could get higher prices and premiums for your modified car insurance. If you have no idea how insurers raise prices then following are some short discussions which you may need to know.
How do insurance companies differentiate modified from non-modified cars? Insurers categorize vehicles as modified if any of its factory configurations has been altered. That means any installations or changes, no matter how minor they are, are considered modifications. Anything from alloy wheels, tinted windows, body kit, etc. are considered changes in the custom appearance of the car and will result to high modified car insurance rates. Other modifications involving the auto’s performance and speed correspond to higher premiums compared to regular auto policies.
Because of the risks of getting into accidents, custom cars which are heavily modified are not accepted by most insurance companies. Although there are still some who may cover you, their offers are often too expensive. In this case, you may have to find a company that specializes in custom cars to avoid spending too much.
What about alloy wheels and other appearance installations? Although these do not increase the car’s performance or speed, they do increase its value. If the auto gets stolen, then the prices of both the car and all its additions will be calculated accordingly. That is why cars having these are still considered high risk.
You may now be thinking how much they will charge you for having those modifications. Unfortunately, no one really knows. It depends on the insurance company how they will compute prices and determine the risks of your custom car. Most of the time, it also depends on the amount of modifications you have made in your car. If you want to have an idea, then shop for modified car insurance quotes online. There you can prepare for the prices they will offer and even decide which ones to choose.
When providing information regarding a custom vehicle, make sure to include all modifications you made. If your insurer found out you did not disclose all installations, your premiums may increase even further or worse, they might press charges against you and forfeit your deal.
There are installations that can reduce the rates of your modified car insurance. Try a security upgrade to reduce the risks of theft, and your insurer will reward you a discount for it. Alternatively, you might cancel the whole modification altogether. Aside from saving lots of money in your insurance and installations, you will also have peace of mind because you will be considered low-risk.
