Does modifying a car affect insurance?

(Photo Credit: Freepik)

Your original car doesn’t stand out much, so you decided to customise it a bit to look cooler. But does customising a car to be different from the factory specifications affect its motor insurance coverage?

Customised cars can be insured, but they must comply with legal requirements and you must inform the insurance company of any additional equipment or modifications made to the car which are different from the original factory specifications. In some cases, you may need to pay an additional insurance premium for these modifications (depending on the terms and conditions of each insurance company).

Types of modified cars that may not be covered by insurance:

• Modifying or altering the licence plate.
• Modifying turn signals and brake lights to deviate from standard specifications.
• Partially or completely changing the car colour without informing the Department of Land Transport.
• Lowering the height to less than 50 centimetres (from the ground) or raising it by more than 175 centimetres (from the ground).
• Modifying the engine to increase power, with a full panel console gauge.
• Installing an exhaust pipe that produces noise exceeding 100 decibels.
• Other modifications where applicable.

In reality, we can insure almost every piece of modified equipment on the car, but it all depends on the details and conditions set by each insurance company. You can consult your current insurance company or next insurance company you are considering for more specific information.

Read More: Which Type of Car Insurance is Best for a Used Car?

Looking for a car appraisal? You can contact us for a free car valuation within 24 hours…