View Full Version : Declaring Mods To Insurance
TheStudent
09-07-07, 08:48 AM
Got my bikini curvy a few nights ago, I'm 21 and my quote from Bennetts was just shy of £670 which i was pleased with, oppinions?
The bike is mainly stock, it has a powerbronze double bubble, and a stainless steel exhaust. The thing with the exhaust is i didn't notice it wasn't standard when buying the bike, as it is very similar to the standard can, it has no brand on it, only the stamp "NOT FOR ROAD USE", how do i go about delcaring that one?
Will these two bits add much on to the price?
Thanks.
I have declared my Exhaust (Fuel Oval SS)but said there was no BHP gain cos of it. Well to my knowledge there is not, and it would be down to the ins company to prove there was if i claimed.
The reason i declared it was because it could void my insurance. Saying i had one with no BHP gain did not seem to make any diff to the quote. I pay £230 fully comp!! and i am only 28, oh and it was my first bike. cant argue with that?
have not declared the hugger, as i cant see them being that bothered about a piece of plastic that makes no diff to the way the bike handles or performes., and cahnces are in a smash it will shatter and break up anyway!
Ceri JC
09-07-07, 09:02 AM
A lot of the reasonable insurers have no problem with things that aren't performance mods and don't make the bike more nickable. I declared my mods to mine at renewal and it made no difference to my premium.
TheStudent
09-07-07, 09:13 AM
The thing with the exhaust is i didn't notice it wasn't standard when buying the bike, as it is very similar to the standard can, it has no brand on it, only the stamp "NOT FOR ROAD USE", how do i go about delcaring that one?
Thanks.
How do i declare an exhaust though when i don't know what it is, i might phone the previous owner tonight. But my main query is, how do you declare an exhaust that is not for road use onto a road bike with road insurance?
Biker Biggles
09-07-07, 09:27 AM
Just declare it as an aftermarket end can make unknown with no performance gain.Best to mention these things to them so they can't wriggle out of anything later.
Warthog
09-07-07, 09:28 AM
Well I would imagine that you shouldn't be using a bike on the road with a not road legal exhaust!
I rang Bennetts when I was thinking about getting my CCC, and they just said fine whatever, so long as it doesn't change the BHP. So I haven't even told them, they said not to bother.
timwilky
09-07-07, 09:28 AM
Unfortunately Bennetts on line system will not touch any bike with an aftermarket exhaust. Daft as it will actually cost them far less if they have to replace it than with a standard system. But that is their rules.
So you either find an insurer that will accept the can (Warthog says ok with Bennetts if you actually talk to them). Or risk not declaring it and finding your insurance void when you most need it.
However, please get it in writing, don't accept any verbal acceptance and most certainly the "Don't tell us" line as it is their get out in the event of a claim
TheStudent
09-07-07, 09:43 AM
Just declare it as an aftermarket end can make unknown with no performance gain.Best to mention these things to them so they can't wriggle out of anything later.
Tell them it says "NOT FOR ROAD USE"?
DanAbnormal
09-07-07, 09:53 AM
If you are with Bennetts then you cannot have ANY mods to your bike. When you take out a policy with them it states this on the quotation or they tell you on the phone. A bit lame but it's why they are cheaper. Give ebike a go, they can take all and any mods you can think of.
TheStudent
09-07-07, 10:07 AM
If you are with Bennetts then you cannot have ANY mods to your bike. When you take out a policy with them it states this on the quotation or they tell you on the phone. A bit lame but it's why they are cheaper. Give ebike a go, they can take all and any mods you can think of.
I didn't know that, that sucks! eBike are a few hundred more, gutted!
TheStudent
10-07-07, 07:12 AM
If you are with Bennetts then you cannot have ANY mods to your bike. When you take out a policy with them it states this on the quotation or they tell you on the phone. A bit lame but it's why they are cheaper. Give ebike a go, they can take all and any mods you can think of.
I've been on Bennetts and i couldn't find a anything in their policy documentation about bike modifications, will they not even allow you to put them on but just not cover them in the event of an accident? What difference is a DB gonna make?
Warthog
10-07-07, 09:49 AM
I rang Bennetts when I was thinking about getting my CCC, and they just said fine whatever, so long as it doesn't change the BHP. So I haven't even told them, they said not to bother.
Ring them! The woman was nice, and said it was fine and I didn't have to tell them if it didn't change the BHP.
TheStudent
10-07-07, 10:37 AM
Ring them! The woman was nice, and said it was fine and I didn't have to tell them if it didn't change the BHP.
Will do, i have a double bubble aswell, but i also have the original so that won't be a problem, don't really want to pay £300 more unnecessarily.
DanAbnormal
10-07-07, 10:53 AM
When you get a quote from Bennetts it's based on some general assumptions. One of these assumptions is that the bike is not modified in anyway.
I took this direct from the Bennetts website just now.
They may be able to add some stuff now, but every bike I've ever had they have told me that I could not add even a fly screen as it would make the bike non-standard. If they can help you, then great, I'm going by what they have told me over the past 4 years and 13 bikes. If you have any luck let me know, I will be having words with them!!
Try Bike sure (Adrian Flux).
northwind
10-07-07, 12:48 PM
Unfortunately Bennetts on line system will not touch any bike with an aftermarket exhaust. Daft as it will actually cost them far less if they have to replace it than with a standard system. But that is their rules.
Is it just the online system, or are they the same in the flesh? I wouldn't touch Bennetts with a 10 foot pole myself, but they do price well sometimes. Carole Nash are pretty much the winners for modified bikes IMO, they even do agreed value on recent bikes (mine's off agreed value but it was comedically down for £5000 last year, which was like sending me a letter saying "Dear Mr Cunningham, please commit insurance fraud now") But then, you do tend to pay more with CN.
Like has been said, make sure you have anything in writing.
ASM-Forever
10-07-07, 01:44 PM
I second northwind's comments....Carole Nash may be more expensive, but when it comes to claim time, i know who i would rather be on the phone with!
Factor in the extras you get with CN as well.
IMO if Dan is right, then its probably worth declaring all the mods. If that means paying more for insurance then thats unavoidable. No point finding out you have no insurance if involved in an accident.
With specific regard to the exhaust, if its marked "not for road use", then surely it is a race/performance exhaust that will modify BHP.....
barmy.biker
10-07-07, 04:20 PM
try www.expressinsurance.co.uk (http://www.expressinsurance.co.uk) they are very cheap for suzukis coz they sponsor the bsb team. im 23 first big bike £290 fcomp last august, just been quoteed £246 fcomp with them , cheapest elswhere is £438 so far give them ago
barmy.biker
10-07-07, 04:23 PM
http://www.expressinsurance.co.uk/scripts/servlet.cgi?page=suzuki.html
Official Suzuki Motorcycle Insurance
Express Insurance one of the UK's largest independent insurance intermediaries, has teamed up with Suzuki to offer highly competitive motorcycle insurance for ALL riders of new and used Suzuki motorcycles and scooters.
The new Suzuki Insurance scheme has been designed to provide wide ranging cover with special benefits for Suzuki bike riders and offers excellent rates, backed by our strong commitment to customer service and support to Suzuki riders in the UK.
The new scheme will offer FREE Third Party Only cover on all new and unregistered models under 125cc purchased from an Official UK Suzuki Dealer, including the stylish Katana R50, RV125 Van Van, VL125 Intruder, UH125 Burgman and GZ 125 Marauder (subject to status). There are options to upgrade to Third Party Fire & Theft or Comprehensive cover, supported by a Suzuki subsidy.
The insurance benefits over 125cc are equally attractive and can include:**
Enhanced No Claims Discounts - up to 60 per cent
Free Guaranteed for Life Bonus, with 5 or more years No Claims Bonus
Security discounts - garaged and/or Thatcham approved devices
Suzuki training and Advanced Rider discounts - up to 10 per cent
Female rider discounts - up to 12.5 per cent
Length of bike ownership discount - up to 10 per cent
Green Card cover - up to 90 days free
The ability to ride other motorcyclesIf that wasn't enough, the Suzuki Insurance scheme will also offer these fantastic options:**
Track day cover at £125 per year - covering up to eight track days (Terms & Conditions apply)
Low cost breakdown and legal cover
If that wasn't enough, the Suzuki Insurance scheme will also offer these fantastic options:**
Low cost breakdown and legal cover
which isn't worth the paper that it is written on.
express have been utterly rubbish for us. they got details wrong, wouldn't send out amended insurance documents when we added cover (for business use), and were hopeless when we got knocked off the bike.
which isn't worth the paper that it is written on.
express have been utterly rubbish for us. they got details wrong, wouldn't send out amended insurance documents when we added cover (for business use), and were hopeless when we got knocked off the bike.
Yup - mate was supposed to have breakdown cover with them.
Chain came off his SRAD on the M1 one afternoon. Left him there for a good few hours, when he finally had enough and arranged other transport to pick him up and his bike.
Never use breakdown cover with insurance, as the times I've had to use it in the past, it's been krud.
northwind
10-07-07, 07:43 PM
I had RAC cover through CIA (terrible company btw, either criminally incompetent or incompetent criminals, I'm not sure which) and that was as good and bad as the RAC are for direct membership...
Carole Nash seem to have a network of local firms, which suits me very well indeed, last time I logged the call to their call centre, and 10 minutes later got a call back from a local company. Usually it takes that long for callcentre monkeys to find you on the map.
Also no arguing about what was going to happen, I told them on the phone "It's knackered, needs a new starter relay, I can get it going but it's not safe to ride" and there was no mucking about at the roadside, just right on the trailer and home because that was what I asked for. I liked that a lot.
Carole Nash are pretty much the winners for modified bikes IMO, they even do agreed value on recent bikes (mine's off agreed value but it was comedically down for £5000 last year, which was like sending me a letter saying "Dear Mr Cunningham, please commit insurance fraud now") But then, you do tend to pay more with CN.
If CN agree to a stupidly high value given the mods you've done and informed them about then you're not commiting insurance fraud. They took on the risk at a price that was set to take into account the value, and they agreed that value. If you valued it higher than it was actually worth, and they agreed to it then it's their problem for not negotiating the value down or the premium up.
Mind you, if you'd 'had the bike stolen' or it 'suddenly and unexpectedly caught fire' miles from a fire extinguisher and claimed the agreed value from them, then that is insurance fraud.
I've used CN's breakdown cover a number of times over the years and they've never let me down. Last time was when they picked up my smashed Bandit off a country lane in Norfolk and trailered it back to Flitwick in Bedfordshire. I was in hospital when they collected it, and still in hospital when they dropped it off outside my garage 3 hours later, out of sight of the road at the back of my house.
DanAbnormal
11-07-07, 09:22 AM
See Bennetts have come through evertyimr for me. My first off was not my fault but bike was written off. I had a hire bike delivered the next day (although I could not ride for a week) and I had my cheque for the cost of the bike within a month!! The injury claim came through about 6 months later. I have broken down 3 times and each time have been picked up within an hour of calling Bennetts. So although they don't cover mods for me the experience has been great.
TheStudent
11-07-07, 10:00 AM
See Bennetts have come through evertyimr for me. My first off was not my fault but bike was written off. I had a hire bike delivered the next day (although I could not ride for a week) and I had my cheque for the cost of the bike within a month!! The injury claim came through about 6 months later. I have broken down 3 times and each time have been picked up within an hour of calling Bennetts. So although they don't cover mods for me the experience has been great.
Were any of the bikes you have claimed on modified in any way?
northwind
11-07-07, 01:03 PM
Mind you, if you'd 'had the bike stolen' or it 'suddenly and unexpectedly caught fire' miles from a fire extinguisher and claimed the agreed value from them, then that is insurance fraud.
Well, yes, that was what I was getting at ;)
DanAbnormal
11-07-07, 04:25 PM
Were any of the bikes you have claimed on modified in any way?
Yes but it was a non-fault claim so the other part paid out, if I was at fault I'm sure Bennetts would have inspected the bike and told me to shove any money I would have got. What I don't understand is that Bennetts say that the bike has to be the same as when it came from the factory, so theoretically putting a different make/spec tyre can invalidate your insurance if you had a fault claim. Also alledgedley (and I find this hard to believe) adding an alarm is seen as a non standard part!! Crazy.
TheStudent
13-07-07, 09:54 AM
Bennetts were fine about the modifications on the phone, pushed the price up to £800 but they were ok with it, BUT....
Rang express, all declared honestly, £270 :O
So, it sounds fishy to me so i am going to ring them today and ask for the quotation to be sent out in the post so i can check it over before taking it out. There is one minor snag, if you tell an insurance company your exhuast is stamped "NOT FOR ROAD USE", will they refuse to insure the bike, ask you to change it, or still cover you at an obviously increased price?
Also, do seat cowls and crash bungs need to be delcared? I suppose i should just ask them that one really.
northwind
13-07-07, 12:14 PM
So, it sounds fishy to me so i am going to ring them today and ask for the quotation to be sent out in the post so i can check it over before taking it out. There is one minor snag, if you tell an insurance company your exhuast is stamped "NOT FOR ROAD USE", will they refuse to insure the bike, ask you to change it, or still cover you at an obviously increased price?
Also, do seat cowls and crash bungs need to be delcared? I suppose i should just ask them that one really.
Remember you get a cooling off period for all insurance products, not to mention that if the policy turns out not to provde what you were advised over the phone you have a guaranteed out on mis-selling grounds, I've had to use that myself.
I declare everything, down to flush mount indicators :) It makes a longer list that way. Though CN's forms put me in my place. "Turbocharged?" "Is it a trike?" "Has it been lengthened more than 12"" "Has the engine been replaced with a more powerful engine?" "Is the power output over 300bhp?"
NFRU is an interesting one, there's no reason at all why they can't insure you and they can't use it as a get-out of a claim as long as you do, but some companies won't touch it on the basis that they thinj a NFRU can will be performance enhancing. SO just ask, everyone is different.
NFRU makes it illegal for the road!
so don't see how an illegal for the road bike can be insured. you wouldn't be able to get an MOT for example. No MOT = no insurance
all that if you wanna ride it on the public road
northwind
13-07-07, 03:46 PM
NFRU makes it illegal for the road!
so don't see how an illegal for the road bike can be insured. you wouldn't be able to get an MOT for example. No MOT = no insurance
Not at all, a bike has to have an MOT to be insured but the MOT isn't invalidated by subsequent mods. So, get your MOT, insure it. Roadworthiness is different, if an accident occurs and the insurers can prove that the vehicle was unsafe then you're in trouble, but an exhaust can't be proven to have caused an accident so no danger there.
Road legality is now a complete mess, because the MOT now uses different rules than the... wossname, terms of use thing for the road. There's a name for it, I forget what it is. So you can actually pass an honest MOT then get stopped outside the station and issued with a rectifier.
the_lone_wolf
13-07-07, 03:51 PM
"Is the power output over 300bhp?"
An SV650?
i always liked a challenge;)
TheStudent
13-07-07, 07:47 PM
NFRU makes it illegal for the road!
so don't see how an illegal for the road bike can be insured. you wouldn't be able to get an MOT for example. No MOT = no insurance
all that if you wanna ride it on the public road
Passed its MOT with the exhaust on last week.
NFRU stamped on the exhaust should not pass an MOT.
If it's not stamped, then it's up to the tester's discretion.
timwilky
13-07-07, 08:17 PM
Not at all, a bike has to have an MOT to be insured but the MOT isn't invalidated by subsequent mods. So, get your MOT, insure it. Roadworthiness is different, if an accident occurs and the insurers can prove that the vehicle was unsafe then you're in trouble, but an exhaust can't be proven to have caused an accident so no danger there.
Road legality is now a complete mess, because the MOT now uses different rules than the... wossname, terms of use thing for the road. There's a name for it, I forget what it is. So you can actually pass an honest MOT then get stopped outside the station and issued with a rectifier.
Andy, Wossname = Construction and Use regulations?
northwind
13-07-07, 08:29 PM
That's it. Wossname, like I said :)
TheStudent
14-07-07, 08:39 AM
NFRU stamped on the exhaust should not pass an MOT.
If it's not stamped, then it's up to the tester's discretion.
MOT's are more of a roadworthy test than a bike check-up, i've had no CAT on my car for years, illegal but still passes an emissions test, car passes.
kwak zzr
14-07-07, 01:05 PM
i always tell my insurance co about any mods, give the lill gits any chance of not paying up and they will take it.
MOT's are more of a roadworthy test than a bike check-up, i've had no CAT on my car for years, illegal but still passes an emissions test, car passes.
I'm aware what an MOT is thank you.
It's still a failure for a motorcycle to have an exhaust which displays:
"Not for Road Use," or "Off - road use only" on the exhaust(s).:rolleyes:
northwind
14-07-07, 07:34 PM
Yup, that one's specifically in the book. Or was, last year, and I'm sure it's not changed since.
My bike is stupidly loud and still passed it's MOT due to a reasonable tester. 106 dbs but loud cans save lives. Mine is declared to my insurance company who raised the policy by £18.
TheStudent
16-07-07, 02:30 PM
My insurance said it would be alot of money to add a race can, as "apparently only one company allow it", KGM.
ASM-Forever
16-07-07, 02:43 PM
It might be worth getting a Fuel can for £100 then, as limiting yourself to one insurer is never good.
My insurance said it would be alot of money to add a race can, as "apparently only one company allow it", KGM.
Does your can specifically display NFRU on it?
If so, you could always polish it offf...:bigsmurf:
northwind
16-07-07, 05:51 PM
My insurance said it would be alot of money to add a race can, as "apparently only one company allow it", KGM.
Rrrrrrubbish :) CN gave me quotes from 3 insurers, all of which cover my bike with all its mods and it's illegal race can. NU do for sure, I can't remember the other 2. Admittedly, one of the NU policies was going to cost me £6000, but still.
pacocity
17-07-07, 09:54 AM
I didn't know that, that sucks! eBike are a few hundred more, gutted!
What I usually do at renewal time is that I select about 6 insurers and I call them all. I finish with my current insurance company (MCE right now - they are good - www.mceinsurance.com (http://www.mceinsurance.com))). You can play them against each other. One tells you 400, you call the next one and you say you got quoted 400 but that it is outrageous. they'll prob go for 300-350, then you do the same with the next one. After you've called them all, call you own insurance and tell them the best price you got, they'll match or improve it to keep you, or you can get less excess, or protected bonus, etc.
I think I'm now paying 130 TPFT on my SV, with 200 Excess, and protected bonus with that system. Oh and do not wait till 2 days before renewal coz you insurance will try and down the price by 2 pounds or so and it doesn't leave you much time to call your life away with other insurers.
and for race cans, forget it. If you crash, take it to a "nice" garage and they'll replace it for you before the insurance guys come and see you bike. My garage in central london has loads of cans for that use only (and they have proper scraps, etc) :-) - avoid going to metropolis or infinity to do that though...
vBulletin® , Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.