FOOTBALL fans could be pushing up insurance costs by putting stickers of their club’s crest on their car – or even make the policy worthless.
Experts have warned that pledging your support to a team on your car could make it more of a target for vandals who disagree.
The investigation by Auto Express, British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) and Aegon insurers looked into they types of modifications that can push up premiums.
It’s all to do with the way firms define what counts as a modification.
Some class it as anything that’s been changed since it was first supplied by the vehicle manufacturer and others even deem added extras as modifications, like getting a sat nav fitted when buying a new car.
If you fail to declare the modifications, such as football or political stickers that have been stuck to the window or body of your car, then it could invalidate your insurance if you come to make a claim.
But it also found that in some cases it can hike your premium by over a hundred pounds.
The same rule doesn’t seem to apply to hanging Football club air freshener from the rear view mirror – unless you have too many of them and they’re obstructing your view.
Even modifications that you make to improve safety need to be shared with your insurers.
Back in 2011, 70 per cent of insurers signed an agreement not to increase prices if owners fitted winter tyres during the colder months, but many still want to be told about the changes.
When buying a secondhand car, you’ll also need to keep a record of any add-ons made by previous owners because failing to mention them to your insurer could have seriously damaging effects.
Modifications like adding a roof rack and tow bar shouldn’t add any extra costs to your premiums, but BIBA says it’s “prudent” to let your insurer know anyway.
IN general, your insurer needs to know about any modifications you make to your vehicle.
In some cases, this might push up your premium but if you don’t let them know, then your policy could be invalid when you come to claim on it.
Here are some examples of what modifications are, according the Moneysupermarket:
We ran our own price comparison on a Renault Clio 1.2 16v 75 Authentique to show how much modifications could push up costs.
For example, annual insurance on a standard car cost £556.81 but add a sat nav and your premium will shoot up by £114.93.
A rear roof spoiler will add £124.30 to your premium, while parking sensors will see you pay an extra £77.57.
Adam Clark, chief underwriting officer at Ageas told The Sun: “When you buy a new car from a dealer you know which optional extras you paid for.
“Optional extras are actually modifications so to fully cover your vehicle make sure you declare these features.
“When you buy a second hand vehicle it’s a great opportunity to ask the seller for information about the optional extras they fitted so you can let your insurer know.
“Most modifications like alloy wheels and tow bars are covered by the majority of insurance policies.
“However if your vehicle has been fitted with an enhanced induction kit or it has been treated to a bespoke paint job you may need to ask a specialist insurer for cover.”
BIBA has a free “find a broker” service online that can help you find a specialist insurer for this.
Earlier this week, we revealed how drivers are being charged up to £367 more by car dealers for insurance add-ons compared to buying a policy directly from insurers.
Even the way you pay for your insurance makes a difference – some companies are charging drivers £365 a year extra if they pay monthly, rather than in one lump.
Meanwhile, some Brits are losing out on saving £500 on their car insurance each year by not installing affordable black box.
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