Insurance

[VW GTI]

As you may have read, I'm getting my baby modified a little next week, all APR stuff.

ECU Upgrade
Downpipe with High Flow Metal Cat
TIP
Engine Mount Insert

What will I need to mention to my insurance company? Do they care about all of these modifications?

[MACCAA]

They most certainly do.Any changes not reported generally void your policy.
Some are OK with some mods,others refuse to insure you if the car is modified.Ring them and find out for sure.

[RhysQ]

yeah most companies are pretty tight on mods. some places will refuse to ensure your car with only 1 basic mod like a pod filter. so yeah, best of luck with it, let us know how you go.

[Blitzen]

My insurance company(TIO) was pretty cool with the mods I had on my last car, and didn't charge any extra(aftermarket wheels and full exhaust). I'm not going to tell them about the ECU tune as you can turn it on and off anyway, and they cannot see it regardless, as it is a tune in your standard ECU, and not a piggyback system. The dog bone wouldn't matter, but the exhaust may matter, and so may the TIP(but if it was me, I wouldn't worry about that either). Your best bet is to just ring up the company and ask them, and find out what you can and can't have.

[VW GTI]

AAMI said I can only do 1 of ECU, Exhaust or lowering (which is coming).

Bye AAMI.

[Grant]

a friend of a friend had his car written off. he's insurance company (AAMI) refused to pay because he's steering wheel (undeclared on policy) was about 2" smaller in diameter than stock. he took them to court and ended up getting 1/3 of the payout

so yeah, its better to declare.. except maybe the reflash

[VW GTI]

Yeah, that's what I was told. Even a smaller steering wheel will count as performance enhancing.

Not telling about the reflash won't help much cos I'll still have 2 (lowering and exhaust).

[VW GTI]

Who here has or hasn't told their insurance about the reflash?

[Grant]

and if you did, how much extra was the premium?

[VW GTI]

Didn't get that far, also the 1 modification restriction is because I'm under 25.

[gareth_oau]

Didn't get that far, also the 1 modification restriction is because I'm under 25.

Ive got an FPV GT-P with about $10k worth of mods, from 290KW standard to 375KW.

I called CGU and they refused me, but when I asked a broker to investigate, CGU gladly accepted my policy with all the mods included and listed.

Its worthwhile getting a broker to have a look for you as the insurance companies will deal them when they might not touch you directly

[morbo2000]

I haven't done any mods yet but called my broker when my renewal came through to check if there would be any problems when I eventually chip mine and install a rear sway bar. He got back to me with an answer from the insurer (CGU) saying it was fine as long as it's legal.

[jasn78]

toss pot i am also with aami and declared my mods cept for chip and they where fine with it all and i have ALOT more than 2 mods done

[The_Hawk]

My VR6 is insured with NRMA, it's rated in a bad category and I live in Campbelltown where a car is stolen every 1.8 seconds so my premiums are awful. On the upside, NRMA cover up to two mods as long as they are not turbo or supercharging your car.

I have the lowering listed on my policy, but otherwise it's stock... although the question remains, what is a mod? I had a long discussion with NRMA on the phone asking what does and doesn't need to be listed. For example, I have leather seats, although it's not factory original. I have VW alloy wheels, although they are off a Mk4, it has Hella fogs, which I don't believe ever came standard in Australia... And on the list goes.

Chances are if I ever needed to claim something it would pass since you'd have to know a good deal about my particular model to pick up on most of the subtle changes, but they are there and I don't know how much I trust the word of some random sales person I spoke to. Mind you the one thing I have gotten from a few of them now is that as long as it's legal it's ok. Don't really want to test that out, but I keep hearing it.

[VW GTI]

toss pot i am also with aami and declared my mods cept for chip and they where fine with it all and i have ALOT more than 2 mods done

How old are you and how did you get that? I hadn't even said what I'd done and they were saying no more than 1.

Any brokers recommended?

I need to know by Tuesday haha.