Effect of Modifications on Car Insurance

Modified Cars in India

Almost every car owner has had a point in their lives where they might have wanted to modify certain features of their car. It might have been to get the car fit with flashy headlights or turbo engines. Sometimes, it might even have been to replace those boring old wheels with something new and trendy. These different areas of ramping up your car could be in terms of appearance as well as performance. Most people tend to make modifications to different car parts during different times of their journey after purchasing a car.

What are the General Modifications that you can do in Your Car?

In general, different parts of the car can be modified by the car owner during any time of the life cycle of the car. It is only logical that people buy a certain car of a particular brand and a model as they consider its features attractive and eye-catching. However, not all of the features in the car of that particular model might be at their best. In such cases, some individuals may want to modify certain parts of the car to optimize the looks and performance of the car according to their needs.

To begin with, when it comes to modifying the looks of the car, several individuals may change the paint of the car and also include attractive stickers on the body and the bumper of the car. When it comes to changing or improving the performance of the car, many might prefer changing the braking system along with the engine to provide a more powerful boost to the car.

Which Modifications Can Affect Your Car Insurance Premium?

Usually, when people toss around the term “modification,” two extremities are typically considered. Some individuals consider a small repair as little like that of a tire change as per their manufacturer’s requirement to be a modification. Whereas, on the other side of the spectrum, individuals go extravagant on modifications such as changing their entire gearing and silencer system. However, both of these situations are considered to be modifications. Typically, any change made to the car that does not come with the factory settings is considered to be a modification. What modifications can affect car insurance has always been a doubt for many.

Change in safety features

While it can be very tempting to have a modified car, doing so may lead to modified car insurance. Essentially, by changing or modifying your car parts, you change the safety features as your car becomes a modified car thereby leading to modified car insurance. In this process, both the safety of the people inside the car and outside is endangered.

So, having your car modified will come along with changes in your car insurance premium amount. Modifications to any of the parameters of the car such as the braking system, the headlights, the fuel system, the air or power systems also change the entire synchronicity of the car, thereby resulting in the change in premium.

One of the main questions that many have is this; how do car modifications affect insurance? Let’s discuss a list of what modifications can affect car insurance.

• Engine Modification

When it comes to the engine of the vehicle, several people make modifications to the manufacturer’s original specifications as they desire a higher engine power. However, with more engine power, the risk of accidents increases. So, modifying your engine to a higher and more powerful one will cause changes in the premium amount.

• Wheels

A few car owners may change the entire wheel setup of the car and have no recognition of the manufacturer’s specifications whatsoever. While the wheels might have been replaced for many reasons such as improving the looks, grip, etc., it causes safety issues.

• Suspension and Brakes

Brakes are very crucial to the entire system of any car, for that matter. If you plan to change the braking system of the car, ensure to get it checked and fixed by a highly skilled and trained individual as it can determine your safety in the modified car to a great extent. So, if your brakes and suspension system are changed or modified, the insurance provider will definitely alter the premium and the coverage limit. So, it is best to verify these premium changes before modifying your brakes and suspension system.

• Painting

You may consider a new paint job to be the most harmless modification of all as it does not essentially change the functionality of the car in any manner. But, the car insurance company has to be informed as this would affect the insurance premium amount. In cases when you have decorative decals, stickers, engravings, etc., the premium change would be greatly influenced.

• Engine Change

Finally, when it comes to changing one of the most crucial parts of the car, the premium will definitely be impacted. If the engine that has been installed by the manufacturer is replaced, then such a scenario is considered an increased risk by the insurance provider.

Car Modification Impact on Car Insurance Premium

To Summarize

With modified cars, it is important to stay aware of the implications it may have on car premium amount. It is always best to be cautious and aware of the percentage of premium change applicable for each modification before going ahead with the modification. For more details, you can always get in touch with your car insurance provider to get the complete details around this scenario.