Does making modifications in your Car affect your Car insurance? 26^th February 2020

Everyone dreams of purchasing a car in life. Reasons can be numerous; after all, having your car has several benefits. You can visit any place at any time at your convenience. You will no longer feel constrained in your life; cars have made the world a smaller place. That's not all, as owning a car is a status symbol too. People feel more secure and enjoy more private trips in their car.

But owning a car makes you liable to all the extra liabilities that come with it. Your car may get severely damaged in an accident; theft is always a threat; moreover, if you own a car you are also liable to damages caused to it by pedestrians and property. Hence it is important that you have car insurance that covers all these liabilities. You can buy car insurance online within a few minutes. It will make you feel more secure in case of any mishap. But will making modifications in your car affect your car insurance in any way?

More or less, every modification will affect your insurance, increasing the insurance premiums. When arriving at the new quotation insurance companies generally look at two factors risk of theft and risk of an accident. If you have an entirely cosmetic modification, it will increase the value of the car hence increasing its risk of theft. If you are making modifications that affect the performance of the car, it will increase the risk of an accident. These modifications severely affect your car insurance:-

• Engine modification- Engine modifications tend to increase performance and acceleration of the car. This tends to increase the risk of an accident.
• Brakes and Suspension - Overall, control of the car lies in the breaks. Modifying brakes or suspension will affect the overall performance of the car.
• Car Interior - Modifying the car interior is purely a cosmetic change to the car. It would not affect performance. However, it will increase the value of the car and will increase the risk of theft.
• Paint Job - Getting a paint job on your car may end up completely changing how your car looks. Getting decals and vinyl on the car will also change the look of the car. This may make the car more desirable, increasing the risk of theft.
• Rim Job and Wheel Modifications - Mostly wheel modifications and rim jobs are cosmetic effects and do not have severe effects on the performance. Some modifications might change road performance too.
• Change in the Engine - Engine is the heart of the car and a major aspect in calculating the car insurance premium. Getting engine changed can have a severe effect on your premium.

It is important to notify your insurance company whenever any modification or alteration has been made. Not notifying your insurance company may revoke your insurance policy and any coverage will be declared void. Modifying a car generally increases its value. This makes car insurance even more important as you stand to lose more in case of any unforeseen event. If you do not yet have one, you can buy car insurance online. Living in constant worry of losing your car is not worth it. Getting your car insured with a comprehensive policy is a step forward towards a worry-free future.