[motoring_101]

Help please, I am looking to change the dampers on my car, I changed the springs for Eibach a couple of years ago and as they were plain black, I was comfortable with not informing my insurance company. Now I want to upgrade the dampers for Koni SA which are slightly more obvious!!

However, as soon as I tick the suspension modification button, the insurance quote jumps from 600 to 1500!

Do people just bit the bullet and cough up, or is there anyone that doesn’t load by so much please, tried Adrian Flix but same quote as all the others!

Thanks in advance

[bishbosh]

As on another thread try Howden Thatcham 01635 874646

I've had my modded car insured with them for years.

[gac]

Same as all other insurance, you ring round for whoever does you the best quote, ideas I can provide are Keith Michaels, Chris Knott, Sky Insurance, Greenlight Insurance, Brentacre. I've used all of the above, and all of the above have (at some point) been my best quote, although my last couple of cars have had no modifications to declare.

What you don't do, is not declare it.

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by motoring_101

Help please, I am looking to change the dampers on my car, I changed the springs for Eibach a couple of years ago and as they were plain black, I was comfortable with not informing my insurance company. Now I want to upgrade the dampers for Koni SA which are slightly more obvious!!

However, as soon as I tick the suspension modification button, the insurance quote jumps from 600 to 1500!

Do people just bit the bullet and cough up, or is there anyone that doesn’t load by so much please, tried Adrian Flix but same quote as all the others!

Thanks in advance

Declare your mods and pay the insurance (best quote you can get)

Or remove the mods, keep the car standard and pay cheaper insurance

Not declaring mods is the stupidest thing you can do and one of the many reasons why insurance goes up for everyone else; as they have to cover those that don't declare mods...

[motoring_101]

Thank you for your suggestions, I will give them a go and see what I can get the price down to before deciding on whether it is worth changing the dampers.

[bobby-six-killer]

Try Admiral, mine only went up £60 for declaring a remap that increases power up to 25%.

[Alscoob]

On my last F31 I had full AC Schnitzer sports suspension(springs & dampers) added £30 to the premium but that was 2 years ago.

Recently added (although still to be fitted) AC Schnitzer springs & rear ride level adjusters to my G31, additional premium was £40. Insured through Chris Knott.

Sometimes I have found that it's better to insure your standard car with a company but making all the enquiries first regaring any changes you think you may do in the future. Therefore, if you do modify it you know they will cover the changes at a sensible price.

[Kendo67]

Are Koni SA dampers not just a slight upgrade from OEM dampers ?

Is there anything in you insurance that states any replacement parts must be OEM , the SA`s (Special Active) are marketed as "The next generation of premium shock absorbers", not as a sport upgrade.

Its not as if you are fitting air-ride / coilovers or some hardcore track setup.

FWIW i have informed Admiral of any changes to my vehicle , but only upgrades , as they are pretty accepting of modifications , even wheel spacers.

K

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Alscoob

On my last F31 I had full AC Schnitzer sports suspension(springs & dampers) added £30 to the premium but that was 2 years ago.

Recently added (although still to be fitted) AC Schnitzer springs & rear ride level adjusters to my G31, additional premium was £40. Insured through Chris Knott.

Sometimes I have found that it's better to insure your standard car with a company but making all the enquiries first regaring any changes you think you may do in the future. Therefore, if you do modify it you know they will cover the changes at a sensible price.

The additional B4S shocks and Eibach pro kit springs have't upped my premium with Chris Knott at all; just had to pay the £30 fee

Generally it's power increases that up premiums; but can see some take the piss for the pleasure unfortunately

[danb1979]

To update this again; just spoken to Chris Knott re a standard stage 1 remap on my 325D (218 to c260) and it'd be another £30 on top...

This shows you that it's all down to each individual insurers and them doing their best for you. So doing some digging is needed!

Where as on the other insurance thread; the likes of Admiral, Direct Line and Hodens (A-Plan) wouldn't even quote me!

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by bishbosh

As on another thread try Howden Thatcham 01635 874646

I've had my modded car insured with them for years.

^^ This.

My car F31 330d is heavily modified (remap, suspension, brakes, diff, etc) and Howden (formerly A-Plan) Thatcham is the only specialist insurer that provides sensible quotes.

I found that some insurers were reasonable in terms of minor mods (remap / suspension) but once I'd moved to Thatcham I've not had any reason to leave them.

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Watsey

^^ This.

My car F31 330d is heavily modified (remap, suspension, brakes, diff, etc) and Howden (formerly A-Plan) Thatcham is the only specialist insurer that provides sensible quotes.

I found that some insurers were reasonable in terms of minor mods (remap / suspension) but once I'd moved to Thatcham I've not had any reason to leave them.

So what's the difference between them and the Howdens number I called yesterday?

Surely they all reach out to the same panel of providers seeing as they're a broker...

As said yesterday; the laughable excuse of it being a diesel was their first marker and then said diesels and 'modded' diesels are cars they're just not interested in entertaining currently... Even said if it was a 320i or 330i; I'd have had little to no problems!

Very odd...

I'm sticking with Chris Knott as they haven't done anything to let me down in years now and always come up with the best prices for me personally

[Pond]

Like all things car insurance there is definitely no 'one size fits all' when it comes to anything, let alone 'modifications'.

EVERYBODY's circumstances are unique, so everybody's premiums on mods will be different, irrespective of what the car is, or what the mods are.

NO....I don't understand it either, but it seems to just be the way it is.

I have declared many mods to a 'major' run-of-the-mill insurance company (LV) and had to pay nothing. I remapped one car from 156bhp to 280bhp and they charged me nothing! Not even an admin fee

Same with the MPPSK on the 440i; no increase, just 'noted' it (that was Hastings I think).

I have never got anywhere with the 'specialist' brokers, like Chris Knott, FJ, A-Plan etc. They have always been really expensive for me but the likes of Hastings, Churchill, LV, etc have always been dirt cheap.

I am with SAGA for my F31 (yes I'm old). They cocked up a car change so I now have 6 months FREE insurance with them!

[Pond]

Originally Posted by danb1979

Not declaring mods is the stupidest thing you can do

What? Ever?

I can think of many more stupid things to do than that TBH.

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by danb1979

So what's the difference between them and the Howdens number I called yesterday?

Surely they all reach out to the same panel of providers seeing as they're a broker...

As said yesterday; the laughable excuse of it being a diesel was their first marker and then said diesels and 'modded' diesels are cars they're just not interested in entertaining currently... Even said if it was a 320i or 330i; I'd have had little to no problems!

Very odd...

I'm sticking with Chris Knott as they haven't done anything to let me down in years now and always come up with the best prices for me personally

The Thatcham branch has been A-Plan’s/Howdens’ specialist office for several years and they seem to have a different approach based on an understanding of their customers and cars.

The first time I called A-Pan for specialist insurance (significant mods) the local branch immediately said they couldn’t provide cover and then referred me to Thatcham - this branch had no problem providing cover at a reasonable price (subjectively).

[Alscoob]

Originally Posted by Watsey

The Thatcham branch has been A-Plan’s/Howdens’ specialist office for several years and they seem to have a different approach based on an understanding of their customers and cars.

The first time I called A-Pan for specialist insurance (significant mods) the local branch immediately said they couldn’t provide cover and then referred me to Thatcham - this branch had no problem providing cover at a reasonable price (subjectively).

They insured my F31 340i with mods too but when it came to the 540i with just suspension mods they wouldn't cover it, due to the annual mileage (12k PA), althought the F31 was on 15K PA ?! didn't make sense, so moved on.

[Spangle]

One thing I'd advise anyone is to always say "I'm thinking of..." rather than "I've just had..."

Made that mistake on fitting lambo doors to a Mk.3 Golf and lost 11 months NCB

[motoring_101]

So by way of an update...

I tried the following insurers

Keith Michaels
Chris Knott
Sky
Greenlight
Brentacre
Admiral
Howden Thatcham

The cheapest came out as Admiral, their quote was over twice what I have at the moment and surprisingly didn't increase if I selected suspension modifications.

My thoughts are that those insurers that do not increase the premium when declaring mods, may be due to the fact you are already paying way over the odds so it doesn't matter.

Howdens Thatcham said they wouldn't be competitive as the car wasn't modified enough to make their specialist insurers quote anywhere near the likes of Admiral.

[Allworth]

I am thinking the reason behind such a drastic increase in price is not the mods themselves that make car stiffer or lower or louder, is just the people who do mods are often (not always) misbehaving on the road, hence the price. So unless you know the insurer, like other people suggested, you might get cheaper quote than generic one.



but best go oem and keep bmw a bmw

[motoring_101]

Thank you Allworth

I agree from a financial perspective, sticking with OEM make sense, it is just a shame BMW messed up the handling on the X-drive's!

Running a 15mm rear ARB from a 135i and the Eibach Springs have helped a huge amount, but that's as far as i am happy to go without informing the insurers!!