For those who had their engine re-mapped AND declared it to their insurance;

How much did your insurance go up by?

Who was the insurer?

What type of Policy? (standard, specialist policy for performance/modded cars, or specialist policy for self-build motorhome?

Its one of those things that once you ask for a quote, you can be sure you name has been flagged for hassle with a claim later! I’m already with an broker that is recommended for those with re-maps, but my policy is unlikely to cater for performance mods.

Just tell them what you plan to do and ask for a quote? Then you can make a reasoned decision as to whether or not you can afford to do it. Not telling them will be far worse in the long run if you have a claim.

I had a tuned mini, remap, bigger inter cooler, pulley wheel change, insurance was okay.

I had my previous car chipped with an approved manufacturer chip (the only one my insurance company would accept). They are standard fit on some of the manufacturer cars. As long as it didn’t increase the bhp by over 25% they were Ok (21% :)) and the insurance went up by about £70.

Best to declare. I was initially with direct line for my 20yr old Porsche as they were by far the cheapest and most comprehensive cover. As soon as I rang them up enquiring about some mods I was planning (Chips, turbo mods, ECU mods, Brake conversion) they wanted 5% per mod, so that would have bumped my premium up a lot. I went with another company (can’t remember which) and they quoted me a much better quote with all the mods, and were much more relaxed about them – and included track day cover, so its always worth declaring and shopping round.

Check out Chris knott. They understand modifications so you actually get a sensible conversation. Mine is about £100 over the cheapest Internet quote (without the remap) to fully insure with a ~25%map.

My car is remapped and most main insurers wouldn’t quote, those did were stupid prices. I went through a specialist and ended up with a cheaper policy and smaller excess than I had using comparison websites prior to the remap. The policy has always been under Highways or Zurich and no problems when I’ve had to make non fault claims. Since I’ve had the car remapped I’ve also had the suspension and brakes upgraded with no increase in policy either.

If you do get a remap and it isn’t declared are insurers able to pick up on it if there is a crash. Reason I ask is a mate bought a car which on the book was 110bhp but had definitely seen a remap at some point in its life and was a hell if a lot faster, but to him it was sold stock.

Ignorance is not a defence unfortunately. Despite what remappers say, the manufacturers can tell it’s been done but wether an insurance company would think to ask is another question. Not worth the risk IMO. mine is declared.

I view it as similar to going over a mileage limit…if they check then they could withhold your fully comp cover, but your 3rd party legally required cover is still in place.

I’m leaning towards the ‘ask first’ approach, but my policy is a self build camper one so there is little flexibility to go with one that caters for mods.

Your insurers may still have to pick up any third party claims under agreements/legislation, but if the undeclared remap or whatever makes them declare the policy invalid they will then come looking to you to reimburse them.

My Focus has the Mountune conversion. Its under Fords performance mods, as I wanted to keep the Ford warranty at the time, insurance cost the same with the conversion.
Our audi Tdi had a remap done, as the ecu was faulty and the garage we took it to, didn’t have a base map , so did a tweaked map. We sold the car px and never thought to mention the tweaks, as it was going to auction anyway.

Had my Focus RS mapped and was insured with Sky Insurance who were a specialist insurer linked to the owners club and there was no increase in price.

The year before Admiral did not want to know.

So going with a specialist and then declaring is the way to go.

When I had Smart ForTwo I had a stage 1 on it and told my InsCo (although I was told I didn’t need to) and they said it wasn’t really tuned so my Ins didn’t go up.

Useable blufin to remap my mini, extra £10.00 on the insurance cost with Adrian Flux 🙂

My RX7 was extensively modified, including remap, taking power from 255bhp to just shy of 400bhp. Insurance was £520 fully comp with Adrian Flux, 8000 miles allowed per year. Don’t think it was much cheaper for a standard RX7. Other insurers were quoting well into the thousands, so it definitely pays to shop around.

1.8T 150bhp Golf remapped to 210 bhp, 312 mm brake conversion, full turbo back SS exhaust, 18’s, modified air box and Filter, front and rear splitters, lowered suspension. Was with Green light or Adrian Flux for the years I had it.

All mods declared and piece of mind, think the policy was an extra £100 a yr

Be aware that if you ask your insurance company about mods and then don’t decide to do them they may ask for proof that you haven’t done them come renewal time.
This happened to me when I asked about putting a 2.0 litre engine in my 1.6 car. They wanted an engineers report to prove it was still a 1.6 before they would renew.

When I first declared a re-map it had a minor uplift on the insurance (about 10 years ago). Then it got harder and harder to find insurers who would touch a modded car, all the mainline ones like Direct Line started declining modded cars. In the end it was more than doubling the insurance and I had to go via a broker to find someone to cover the car.

Thanks guys. Bit more research needed I think before I go for it.

Insurance is really pain the backside.

How about tuning the car without any remapping? Does that constitute a “modification”? i.e. adjusting the timing, air intake, mixture etc …

Changing to different brand of suspension shocks or getting an upgrade coils … ?

If “standard from stock” means nothing can be upgraded or changed then practically any minor fixed to the car can be considered as modification.

Bloody hell taking about a parasitic industry that make life difficult for everyone that actually produces nothing but moving money around.

Everyone might as well give them a cut of their earning to be “insured”. (I bet even a slight tuning of the car or perhaps having the evidence that someone has taken a look at the car management system would constitute modification … because you could have tempered with the system.)

😡