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When I last changed my car and informed Tesco, they gave me the spanish inquistion as to any modifications and any optional extras. I told them it had a couple of factory fitted options and surely it didnt make any difference, but they insisted it definitely did. I said rear parking sensors and they went away for several seconds and came back and said ok that option didnt affect the premium but did need to go on the certificate.
What factory options do you think, would attract a higher premium?
Non standard alloy wheels probably.
I'm particularly interested if factory fitted "sunset glass" (privacy tints) would attract a higher premium and how much as my sons considering this option on his new car (he's with Direct Line).
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I found that it started to get more difficult when I had more than two additions. I have tinted rear windows and a towbar. Some class the towbar as a modification, others not. I decided not to get any other mods.
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I got into a right royal battle with Elephant when I bought the Skoda. The optional spare wheel counts as customisation in their eyes and had to be referred for underwriting. Cheeky bar stewards wanted to load the premium by 10% so I'm no longer a customer.
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> The optional spare wheel counts as customisation in their eyes and had to be referred for underwriting.
Cheeky so-and-sos. You did the right thing to walk away. If only more people did that eh?
This can cut both ways, if you have an insurer who knows what they are talking about. I had a rubber-nosed MGB and I lowered the suspension back to the original, chrome bumper type levels. On declaring this to the specialist insurer, they classed it as a safety modification and lowered my premium(!)
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Wow! That is downright disgusting. The spare wheel is not a fitment to the car, its something you carry in the boot like luggage!
Just phoned Direct Line, who said that factory fit options have to be declared but do not affect the premium.
However tints have to be less than 30%. How much is factory sunset glass tint in a Skoda?
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Reading around, it seems that standard car glass usually has a native tint of approx 20%. So that implies that sunset glass would definitely be more than 30% and hence attract additional premium from Direct Line. That and the safety concerns of visibility with tints at night / dull weather, we decided to stick to standard glass!
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One of my bugbears is the sort of "privacy glass" that completely blocks the view through the car in front , thus converting the car in front into a van! Some of the aftermarket fitments are downright stupid, even covering the glass over the high level brake light. As an aside, whatever became of those rear window louvres (think Mk 1 Capri) that allowed for vision fore and aft but kept the sunlight out of the car? I even remember some interior "venetian blind" fitments, which did the same job but tilted to block out the rear when the car was parked, especially down a lovers' lane in the late evening. Ahem...
Motoring laws are much stricter in Spain, to the extent that any modification (towbar, extra lights, retro-fitted rear seat belts...) requires a new MOT, even on a brand new car, at which point the car is "reborn" and the insurance company does not need to be informed, unless engine performance or anything "structural" is affected. Sounds sensible to me. As MoT stickers have to be shown in in the window, el Plod is able to stop any suspicious chavmobile and cars can be clamped on the spot.
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One of my bugbears is the sort of "privacy glass" that completely blocks the view through the car in front
Thats sort of the idea, so as you cant see into the car.
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The spare wheel is not a fitment to the car, its something you carry in the boot like luggage!
Can't comment about the Skoda in question, since I don't know, but some spare wheels (incl my current one) is harnessed OUTSIDE of the vehicle hence subject to a greater degree of theft.
On a similar note, you can all start to budget for an increase in premiums due to the theft of exhausts - the cat is becomeing a prime target
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I wonder if 4x4's or vans have a higher insurance rate due to how much easier it is to steal its Cat.
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One of my bugbears is the sort of "privacy glass" that completely blocks the view through the car in front
Thats sort of the idea, so as you cant see into the car.
The problem is with long lines of traffic, where the sequence of high level brakelights coming on, giving advance warning of holdups or a hazard ahead, is masked by the black glass in front. I wonder if there's a James Bond/Knight Rider LCD glass type of accessory allowing the window darkening to be switched on and off - with automatic deactivation whenever brake lights come on ahead. Just a thought...
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The spare wheel went under the boot floor in a proper well, where it sits in cars for markets where the importer doesn't try to charge extra,,,,,,,
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