Polestar engine remap on V70 - what insurance companies?

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by GrantA

Okay lets take this one step further, in UK you see a lot of boy racers with "mod'd" cars (all fitted innocently or rather in ignorance ), lowered suspension, body kits, LED lights on the dash and under the car, wide wheels (different from the OEM), blacked out windows (and I mean blacked out not tinted). Do you think for one minute these youngsters go running to their insurance companies to say "I'd like to fit tinted windows" or "I want to ditch the original wheels and fit BSR 19" wheels to my Corsa but you can't tell it's a Corsa 'cause I've taken off all the decals but I do have green LED lights in the front grill". I very much doubt it. They will gaily (sic) drive around until they hit someone - then what happens? They will most likely only be insurance TPFT, if they are insured at all, but will their insurance pay out for the other vehicle? Hopefully, because it is most likely none of the mods could be called "performance mods" but at what point does the insurance company decide that a particular mod is okay? Is it a colour change to the car body, wheels, spoilers (front or rear), ECU remap, tinted windows, different wipers, fatter/lower/wider/thinner tyres, custom steering wheel, Recaro or similar seats, 4 point harness, roll cage, etc the list is endless. I would like to see a comprehensive list of "mods" that would nulify an insurance policy if the insurer was not informed prior to the mod being carried out or an increase to the annual cost if you asked first.

Or is the answer simply to write the insurance company first, before you fit the mod, you wouldn't want to just phone them as they could later deny the conversation took place. Would the insurance company actually reply? Has anyone actually done this, write to the insurance company, and what was the response? I would like to remap my XC70 and not say a word to anyone but I am now thinking should I???

You forgot one thing every insurer is different mainstream are unlikely to take kindly to many mods unlike a specialist. so every insurer will view the risk differently so so long as it is road legal then every insurer will have a different answers. This is not just performance mods obviously, some will have acceptable things for example mine are okay over oem recoloured wheels (same size and design) and tyre size, de badging.

The young ones is upto them to insure themselves properly they will cover 3rd parties even if void via their insurer but if void it will then be footed by the other party, in addition you have the mid uninsured fund so you would always get a payout.

As for writing to an insurer just get written proof following a conversation or take a note of the time and date you spoke to them it only has to be reasonable.

[FaKaWi]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

... before anyone mentions changing tyre brands so long as it came off 205/50 R17 93W and was replaced with 205/50 R17 93W it is exactly the same.

That depends on the cars manufacturer. The more exotic/high performance a car is, the greater the likelihood that there will only be a selection of tyres which the manufacturer approves for use with their vehicle. AMG are a prime example of this, whereby only Continental Sport Contact or one model of Pirelli were approved for the E55 cars. This restriction is well documented, detailed in the owners handbook and also on the tyre pressure sticker on the door pillar IIRC.

So, someone decides to stick a set of ditchfinders on an E55 rather than the approved model of tyre and subsequently has an "off" (and considering how hard the tyres work on one of these cars it would be a case of when not if). Exactly how long do you think it'd take an insurance company to say the policy is void because the tyre's fitted aren't approved?

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by FaKaWi

That depends on the cars manufacturer. The more exotic/high performance a car is, the greater the likelihood that there will only be a selection of tyres which the manufacturer approves for use with their vehicle. AMG are a prime example of this, whereby only Continental Sport Contact or one model of Pirelli were approved for the E55 cars. This restriction is well documented, detailed in the owners handbook and also on the tyre pressure sticker on the door pillar IIRC.

So, someone decides to stick a set of ditchfinders on an E55 rather than the approved model of tyre and subsequently has an "off" (and considering how hard the tyres work on one of these cars it would be a case of when not if). Exactly how long do you think it'd take an insurance company to say the policy is void because the tyre's fitted aren't approved?

Well they need to meet a specification it was an example of it, there is sometimes and manufacturers only specs of course like this so it will void in no time at all.

[FaKaWi]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

Well they need to meet a specification it was an example of it, there is sometimes and manufacturers only specs of course like this so it will void in no time at all.

So then, one tyre isn't exactly the same as another

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by FaKaWi

So then, one tyre isn't exactly the same as another

Yes but specification wise they will more than likely not be, more than likely they will have unique and specific load ratings and speed ratings so that will have to be kept in manufacturers specs to even keep it valid which is what an insurer is interested in not the exact brand of rubber it is riding on (even though some cars will of course only have on specification).

[x70jwo]

Originally Posted by apersson850

I don't know anything about this in the UK, but it's interesting to see that it's considered differently. Here in Sweden, Volvia (Volvo's "own" insurance company) adds nothing to the cost if you have added the Polestar tuning to your car.

Also, in Sweden (and Holland alike) your daughter can borrow & drive your XC70 without incurring extra insurance premium -we obviously won't tell her. Here in Britain the privilege of having your daughter registered on your policy would set you back £2,000 = 21,000 SEK.

Yet amongst all obvious rip-offs in Britain we can buy (new) Volvos for the same price as in Sweden. People in most other countries pay a lot more.

[harveys]

Originally Posted by watson-lfc

I'm thinking of having the polestar upgrade put on my c30 d5, but I won't be telling insurance about it!
There's no way they can tell it is on the car, it's a risk to take but I've never heard of insurance companies sticking a computer on to read engine maps!

Sorry volvo will have it on there server that a software upgrade has been done.
Also if the car is in a bad crash the police we inpound it and look at every inch of it,the insurance will do the same.
Also the number of people think it will never happen will be in for a nasty shock.
My last insurance company would not insure my car if it had,
Tinted windows rear,a stainless steel exhaust non factory system,not factory wheel rims,was a long list of must not have.

[mollusk]

I think one has to be a little carefull in the UK, insurance seems to be regarded very differently here by providers than in many other countries.

We have to realise the original principal of insurance seems to no longer apply - certainly some years ago, and indeed in other markets now, an insurer will assess a genuine risk and charge a premium commensurate with that risk - often the the risk is presented by the driver, not the car and many changes are regarded as unimportant.

Now, in the UK, however the principal seems to be ruled by corporate greed, with swingeing annual increases for those foolish enough to display any loyalty. Any excuse is used as a reason to load premiums, and any excuse used to void claims. Most (if not all) insurers have departments set up specifically seek reasons to refuse claims - whist at the same time actively marketing your details to ambulance chasers and leeches. If you have a potentially sizeable claim reasons for non payment WILL be looked for, and yes, ECU mapping would be considered. I really do understand the temptation to "chip and be damned" but the consequences could be huge. A sympathetic ear is a concept unknown to the average insurer.

Not so very long ago I wished to fit a strut brace to the wife's C70 ragtop, at the time we were covered by Zurich via the "club recommended broker" - being sensible I checked first. To start with the "adviser" had absolutely no idea what I was talking about and simply said NO. I asked if I could explain to a real underwriter and was informed " if it's not on my screen we won't do it" Fortunately it was close to renewal and our "new" choice (NFU) had no problem.
(I was damned sure I got confirmation in writing first though).

Since then NFU went the way of them all (huge unwarranted increases for renewal, but not for new business) almost forcing you into changing each year.
Currently we have the XC70 with LV and are paying what I consider to be a reasonable premium - but I am expecting the same game at renewal.

Having had a good whinge I think it only fair to say that the "old ways" still seem to be extant in the world of "classic car insurance" I have had exemplary service from Footman James to the extent of adding a second 300 to my policy for a small admin fee - efficiently processed and giving effectively 2 cars covered for the price of one. Well done FJ!.

Mollusk.

[S60D5GMX]

Elephant.co.uk, Admiral, Diamond, these are a few insurance companies that will insure your vehicle with the Polestar upgrade. I'm personally with Elephant and I paid an extra £30 extra to my premium, I'd rather pay £30 and be fully covered instead of not declaring the upgrade and not get a penny in the event of an accident.

[FaKaWi]

Originally Posted by S60D5GMX

Elephant.co.uk, Admiral, Diamond, these are a few insurance companies that will insure your vehicle with the Polestar upgrade. I'm personally with Elephant and I paid an extra £30 extra to my premium, I'd rather pay £30 and be fully covered instead of not declaring the upgrade and not get a penny in the event of an accident.

Admiral are actually pretty good for insuring all sorts of modifications.