Declaring optional extras on car insurance quotes

[Sponge]

The time is soon approaching for renewing my car insurance and I've just been getting a few quotes (via comparison sites) and there appears to be a dramatic difference between declaring thing like tinted windows, air/con and parking sensors (all factory fitted) and not.

Saying the car is standard factory spec gives me a best quote of £343 with Sheila's Wheels.

Declaring non-standard paint (pearlescent), rear parking sensors, a/c and tinted windows (all factory fitted) results in a dramatic decrease in the numbers of insurers providing quotes and of those that do, the best price has increased to £605!

[Merlot]

This is the exact reason why I will never use Admiral again. Many insurers are not bothered by options fitted at the factory whereas some want to know everything. Trouble is if you bought the car used then you might not know what was standard and what was an option.

I'd love to know what percentage of Audi output is non-optioned, I suspect its next to none bearing in mind that metallic paint is an option on all bar the top models.

[Sponge]

Indeed. Several of my 'optional extras' were free as part of a special offer at time of purchase, i.e. they came as standard.

The £605 quote was from Admiral.

[JonC]

Try Specialist Car Insurance & Cheap classic car insurance UK | Adrian Flux. They replace like-for-like and don't count leather, cruise control and the like as "modifications" as the likes of companies such as Elephant. would. They're particulary competitive for modified cars.

[farmerpalmer]

I had been with bell (part of admiral)for several years, and when i bought the ed30last year, they wanted to know everything that was not standard, even if factory fit (and even if a safety feauture e.g. xenons, cruise ), so i told them, and of course, now classed as "modified" which is bollocks.
this also increased my premium.
This year, went thro some comparison site, and privelege was £150 cheaper, for same level of cover. I checked with them, and they do not class factory fit as modified.
so guess who my new insurance company is ;-)

[Booster]

I have always thought that insurers were only concerned with after-market options rather than stuff the car came out of the factory with.

Am I supposed to tell them about the £11k's worth on my car? I told them the full price before discount.

[JonC]

er, privelege?

[Sponge]

Originally Posted by Booster

I have always thought that insurers were only concerned with after-market options rather than stuff the car came out of the factory with.

Am I supposed to tell them about the £11k's worth on my car? I told them the full price before discount.

I think the short answer is yes. If you haven't told them they might just assume a 'standard' vehicle, with no extras, even if they are factory fitted and/or spec'd at time of purchase.

I've never placed much regard on specifying the value of a car. I list it when asked, but assume they'll never do more than insure 'market value', irrespective of one saying it's worth more.

[Cuprabob]

I thought the insurance company just gave you "market value" for your car anyway and as the majority of us know, optional extras add very little value at resale regardless of the cost when new.

[Merlot]

Factory options are worth zip by and large on resale but are a great way for insurers to try and get out of a theft claim. Probably half of Admiral's policies are technically invalid because the metallic paint is not declared!