FAQs about modified car insurance

The first step you need to take to insure a modified car is to talk to an insurance provider. They can help you get your hands on a policy which provides comprehensive cover, protecting you and your vehicle. Rule #1 of insuring a modified car is telling your insurance provider about your car’s modifications.

An easy way to get a modified car insurance policy is to speak to an insurance broker, such as Howden. Brokers can compare policy options across a range of specialist insurers on your behalf, before presenting you with a package which would not only tick all your boxes, but would also not exceed your budget.

A modified car insurance policy works in the same way a standard car insurance policy does, except it also considers any modifications or changes that have been made to your vehicle, by yourself or previous owners.

However, because these policies take into account the modifications on your vehicle, they might therefore also differ from standard car policies in that they need to cater for any perceived risks that come with added modifications.

Typically, yes, modified cars are more expensive to insure than standard cars.

Because a car’s value usually increases when it’s modified, insurers tend to raise premiums in order to cover them. It does depend on the modification, but some have been known to increase premiums between 10% and 100%.

You can read more about how much modified car insurance policies are worth in our guide: How much is modified car insurance?

Yes! Absolutely! It’s vital that you tell your insurer that your car has been modified, regardless of whether you altered the vehicle yourself. The consequences of not declaring modifications to your insurer are not worth the potentially cheaper premiums.

Read more about notifying your insurer about modifications here: Declaring modifications to your car insurer.

There are three important reasons why you should declare modifications to your insurer:

1. Not declaring modifications to your insurer is often considered to be fraud, which is illegal.
2. You risk your policy being invalidated or made void by your insurer.
3. You might not be eligible for compensation if you or someone else makes a claim against you.

Even if you’re not sure whether your car is modified, you should still make that clear to your insurer before taking out a policy on the vehicle.

We’d always recommend that you declare any car modification to your insurer. Essentially, any change made to your vehicle which differs from the manufacturer’s original specification should be declared, whether that affects the vehicle’s safety, appearance, handling or performance.

Here’s some examples of modifications you need to declare:

• Suspension upgrades
• Tinted windows
• Custom paint jobs and body kits
• Engine tuning
• Improved exhaust systems
• Alarms or security features
• Enhanced brake pads

There’s a few ways you can check if your car has been modified:

• Check visually if anything looks or feels different in terms of appearance, performance, or handling.
• Contact the seller of the vehicle to find out more.
• Use the registration number or VIN number to find out the manufacturer’s original specification.

We have a more comprehensive guide on identifying car modifications which you can read here: Driving a modified car and don’t know it?

Insurance providers will do everything they can to avoid insuring a car with undeclared modifications. Whilst some insurer might not personally check whether a car has been modified or not, it’s still important that you declare modifications to ensure you don’t invalidate your policy.

Your insurer would find out if car is modified is someone else were to make a claim against you and your vehicle.

Crashing a vehicle with undeclared modifications puts you at great risk of having your policy cancelled or invalidated. If you were to make a claim to your insurer with a car which had undeclared modifications, it’s very likely that the insurer will opt to cancel your policy and refrain from paying out any compensation.

What’s worse, having your policy invalidated could make it harder for you to get an insurance policy in the future, especially for a cheaper premium.

Here are some common car modifications which are illegal in the UK:

• Neon headlights
• Tinted windows - anything over 75% tint free
• Headlight tints – red, green, or purple
• Rear light tints – bright neon or flashing
• Exhausts over noise limit of 75 decibels
• Engine modifications with nitrous oxide

Yes, parking sensors do count as a car modification, mainly because they increase the value of a car.

Yes, modifying your car will most likely affect your insurance policy. The main change you can expect to see will be to your premiums.

As most car modifications either increase a car’s value, the likelihood it’ll be stolen, or risk of an accident, insurers are most likely to charge a modified car with a higher premium.

However, there are car modifications which act as safety enhancements, such as alarm systems, parking sensors, or tow bars. Whilst these modifications can increase a car’s value, they are also deemed to lower the risk that the driver would be involved in an accident. Making these modifications are, therefore, more likely to lower your insurance premium.

Read more on how this works in our comprehensive guide: What modifications affect car insurance?

Want to learn more about modified cars? Read one of our modified car insurance guides or any of the articles  below, which you can find on the Howden Blog!

• Is modified car insurance cheaper?
• How much is modified car insurance?
• Does your insurance go up if you modify your car?
• Driving a modified car and don’t know it?
• Can you get modified van insurance?

You can also read:

• Free MOT checker - Check a vehicle's MOT history
• Car Insurance Groups [A Complete Guide]
• Car Insurance Group Checker
• Car Tax Checker: check if your car is taxed
• How to check your car insurance expiry date
• When is my car insurance due?
• Car insurance for new drivers: all you need to know
• When’s the best time to renew car insurance?
• What is legal cover on car insurance?
• What are car insurance occupation categories?