Insurance terms and conditions state that car modifications must be declared, or drivers risk having invalid insurance - but with 56% of drivers that own a second-hand unsure whether it has been modified by a previous owner, millions could therefore be driving without a valid insurance policy.
Study Reveals Millions Of Drivers May Unknowingly Be Driving Without Valid Insurance Due To Unknown Car Modifications
- A new study has revealed the number of drivers who may be driving without valid insurance as a result of minor car modifications such as towbars and dashcams
- Insurance terms and conditions state that car modifications must be declared, or drivers risk having invalid insurance
- 56% of drivers that own a second-hand car don’t know whether it has been modified by a previous owner, and could therefore be driving with invalid insurance
- The study also revealed that dashcams are the most common modification on the road, with anti-theft devices such as alarms and hands-free phone kits also popular
A new study by Scrap Car Comparison has revealed the huge number of drivers who may unknowingly be driving without valid insurance, as a result of driving with undeclared modifications on their vehicle.
While most drivers will be aware that some car modifications such as heavily tinted windows, coloured headlights and certain personalised numberplates are illegal for cars on the road in the UK, many will be unaware that even legal modifications can come with their risks.
Though many car modifications are perfectly legal to make, insurance companies generally require any and all changes made to a vehicle to be declared to them when taking out the policy, or when any modifications are made. Meaning that those who haven’t declared any modifications could find themselves in hot water in the event of a crash or vehicle-related crime, as this could give the insurance provider reason to declare the policy as void and refuse any claims made.
Surveying 1,000 drivers in the UK, the study asked those who have previously purchased a second-hand car whether they were aware of which features on the vehicle were modifications made by previous owners versus those which were present on the original vehicle and found that many were none the wiser. A staggering 56% of those who’ve previously bought a second-hand vehicle admitted that they didn’t know, or were unsure, when any modifications had been made, leaving them in murky territory with their insurance. With more than 7.2 million used cars changing hands in the UK last year, this leaves a worrying number of drivers potentially at risk of falling foul of the rules from insurers.
Of the legal modifications that owners can make to their vehicles in the UK, the fitting of dashcams was revealed to be the most popular modification, with almost 1 in 10 (9%) car owners having installed one of the devices in their vehicle. In many cases, dashcams can actually reduce insurance premiums for drivers, as they can record and provide hard evidence for any incidents that can occur on the road, so there’s definitely good reason for drivers to make their insurers aware that they’ve been fitted!
verall, more technical modifications seem to be the most frequently made changes to vehicles, with anti-theft devices such as alarms/immobilisers, tracking devices and steering wheel locks (8%) the second most popular modification, car phone kits such as Bluetooth systems (7%) following in third and SatNav systems (6%) placing in fourth.
The Top 10 Most Popular Car Modifications In The UK
|
Rank |
Car Modification |
% of drivers who have made this change to their vehicle |
|
1 |
Dashcam |
9% |
|
2 |
Anti-theft devices (e.g. Alarms/immobilisers, tracking devices, steering wheel locks) |
8% |
|
3 |
Car phone kit (hands free/Bluetooth) |
7% |
|
4 |
SatNav system |
6% |
|
5 |
Tinted windows |
6% |
|
6 |
Tow bars |
6% |
|
7 |
Alloy wheels |
6% |
|
=8 |
Air filter |
6% |
|
=8 |
Sound system (e.g. Speakers) |
6% |
|
10 |
Brakes |
6% |
The study also looked at which drivers are most likely to make modifications to their vehicles, with those aged 18-24 and 25-34 much more likely to make changes to their vehicles than their older counterparts; for both of these age brackets, only 25% of respondents said they’d never made any modifications to their vehicles, compared to more than 60% of those aged 55-64 and 65+.
Where in the UK is most likely to be driving a car with invalid insurance?
Owning a second-hand car that has been fitted with a modification you don’t know about, or simply driving a car with the likes of a dashcam or towbar that you didn’t realise was actually a modification will likely mean you’re driving without valid insurance.
The data highlights that certain cities in the UK might be fouling foul of this more than others, with Bristolians the most unclear on the changes that have been made to their cars. 75% of car owners in the southwest city who’ve previously bought second-hand vehicles stated that they were unsure if modifications were original or made after purchase. Norwich residents follow closely behind (70%), with those in Leeds following in third (68%).
|
Rank |
City |
% of drivers who were unsure of modifications made to their second-hand vehicle |
|
1 |
Bristol |
75% |
|
2 |
Norwich |
70% |
|
3 |
Leeds |
68% |
|
4 |
Manchester |
62% |
|
5 |
Cambridge |
60% |
|
6 |
Leicester |
56% |
|
7 |
Chelmsford |
54% |
|
8 |
Belfast |
53% |
|
9 |
Birmingham |
50% |
|
=10 |
London |
49% |
|
=10 |
Newcastle |
49% |
|
=10 |
Sheffield |
49% |
To avoid running into trouble with insurance, the motoring experts at Scrap Car Comparison have shared their top tips on how to spot potential modifications when looking at purchasing a second-hand vehicle:
Ask the question
It may seem obvious, but simply asking whether any modifications were originally on the vehicle or made by a previous owner is a good place to start. If you’re buying the car from a private seller who has owned the vehicle from new, then they’ll know the original state of the vehicle. Similarly, any dealership should have thoroughly background checked any vehicles they are selling, so they should have an insight into any changes that have been made.
Do your research on the model
Taking your time to do some research on the car model you intend to buy is another good place to start. Head to AutoTrader or the manufacturer’s website to look at the different models and get a sense for what is ‘standard’ and what is an optional extra. When you come to view the vehicle, you’ll be better placed to make a judgement on whether any changes look like they may have been made by previous owners.
Take it to a dealership, garage or mechanic
It’s always a good idea to get a second-hand car checked over before purchasing, particularly if it’s from a private seller, and any garage, mechanic or dealership should be able to help you with this. Dealerships may also be able to check the numberplate and VIN of a vehicle to see the full factory specification, to help you identify any aftermarket modifications. This is particularly true when it comes to any ‘tuning’ that’s been done on a vehicle, that may be harder for the untrained eye to notice.
Take a look at the areas that are most likely to be modified
Some areas of a vehicle, such as the wheels, are more likely to be modified than other areas, so it’s worth taking the time to look at these a bit more closely when viewing a vehicle. Doing your homework beforehand will also help with this – for things like wheels in particular, take a look at whether they look like different wheels than you’ve seen listed as ‘standard’ or if they’ve been painted. Similarly, when it comes to paintwork, things like vinyl wraps and decals are likely to have been added post-purchase.
Double check the built-in features
Interior elements such as dash-cams are also classed as modifications, so it’s worth double checking which built-in features come on the vehicle whether as standard, or an optional upgrade. If the owner has added it themselves and is including it in the vehicle sale, it classes as a modification that should be declared to insurers.
David Kottaun, Operations Manager at Scrap Car Comparison commented: “Although car modifications may have a bad reputation, there are many changes that owners can make to their vehicles to increase their security and safety on the road, which is only ever a good thing. However, no matter what type of modification you’re making to a vehicle, including the good kind, it’s important to declare this to your insurance company at the earliest opportunity to avoid falling foul of their rules. No-one wants to be in the position that they need to claim on their insurance, only to find that their insurer is refusing their claim as the result of a seemingly small change made to their vehicle, which could be very costly!
“Additionally, it’s staggering to see how many people are unaware of whether any after-market changes had been made to vehicles bought second hand - these rules apply to any modifications made to the car, not just those made by you as the present owner, so you really want to avoid inheriting any issues by asking plenty of questions when purchasing a vehicle that’s had other owners.”
