aftermarket parts and insurance
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,434
From: Orlando, FL
no earthly idea....but from what i was told aftermarket parts dont void ur warranty so dealership should cover..but u need to call ur insurance company and add them onto ur coverage....and say hello to a higher insurance payment lol
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Joined: Sep 2005
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When I had that issue with my truck, I just talked to the guy at the body shop and he put them on the claim as a direct replacement part. If you're not dealing with a body shop, talk to your insurance co. Since it is what you had on there, and most likely can prove it, they have to cover it since it was directly connected to your car some how. I don't think it'll jack up your insurance rates unless its a godly expensive part.
Example, you buy OEM replacement tires of a different brand, insurance has to cover to put on there exactly the same make/model of tire.
Example 2. You put on an Injen intake. It gets damaged in an accident, it has to be claimed since it is a vital part of your car and was attached.
Example, you buy OEM replacement tires of a different brand, insurance has to cover to put on there exactly the same make/model of tire.
Example 2. You put on an Injen intake. It gets damaged in an accident, it has to be claimed since it is a vital part of your car and was attached.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,327
From: Nine-Zero-Nine
about that, your insurance will cover anything that is bolted onto the car. a while back my system got stolen, and insurance didnt cover it because the box was just lying in the trunk, so if you do have a system make sure it is bolted on to the car with something, like L brackets. also most mods wont increase your insurance, unless it is FI or something like that.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 181
From: Fort Wayne, IN
This topic has been discussed countless times previously, so a search may yield more useful information.
That's a pretty blanket statement, and one that is not necessarily true. Granted, most companies will not automatically cover you for the contents of your car (i.e. stuff that is not bolted down), but just because something is stuck to the car doesn't mean that they will cover it either.
Depending on the degree (and more importantly, the cost) of aftermarket parts, your insurance company may or may not include them in your basic policy.
If you have any significant amount of money invested in aftermarket stuff:
a. make sure your insurance company is fully aware of the mods, and their dollar values
b. talk with your agent about possibly adding a "custom equipment endorsement" to your policy that would guarantee coverage of aftermarket parts. It will raise your premium, depending on the amount of the endorsement, but it will guarantee coverage for the parts in question.
Just for the sake of argument, suppose I buy a car. I call my insurance company and tell them I just bought a tC for $19,000, and give them the info. Suppose that afterwards, I decide to sink an additional $10,000 into mods and upgrades. When I total the car, how much do you think the insurance company is going to pay me? Certainly not the $29,000 that the car cost total, since I've only been paying premium for the $19,000 they're aware of.
For little stuff, your insurer may not make a fuss, since they don't want to lose you as a customer, but if there is a significant amount of work done, you can almost guarantee that the stuff they don't know about won't be covered.
(p.s. I write software for an insurance company. The guys that make the decisions about who pays what premium work one floor above me, and the guys that decide how much we're going to pay a customer on a claim work one floor above them, so if there's anything I can't answer already, I can find out in a hurry).
about that, your insurance will cover anything that is bolted onto the car
Depending on the degree (and more importantly, the cost) of aftermarket parts, your insurance company may or may not include them in your basic policy.
If you have any significant amount of money invested in aftermarket stuff:
a. make sure your insurance company is fully aware of the mods, and their dollar values
b. talk with your agent about possibly adding a "custom equipment endorsement" to your policy that would guarantee coverage of aftermarket parts. It will raise your premium, depending on the amount of the endorsement, but it will guarantee coverage for the parts in question.
Just for the sake of argument, suppose I buy a car. I call my insurance company and tell them I just bought a tC for $19,000, and give them the info. Suppose that afterwards, I decide to sink an additional $10,000 into mods and upgrades. When I total the car, how much do you think the insurance company is going to pay me? Certainly not the $29,000 that the car cost total, since I've only been paying premium for the $19,000 they're aware of.
For little stuff, your insurer may not make a fuss, since they don't want to lose you as a customer, but if there is a significant amount of work done, you can almost guarantee that the stuff they don't know about won't be covered.
(p.s. I write software for an insurance company. The guys that make the decisions about who pays what premium work one floor above me, and the guys that decide how much we're going to pay a customer on a claim work one floor above them, so if there's anything I can't answer already, I can find out in a hurry).
even alerting the insurance company to aftermarket leather will increase your premium.
My experience (and others) has been this. If you have to push a claim through your own insurance company you will need to have the endoresment that Ziggy mentioned.
When going through another persons insurance having the coverage may not be necessary. I know a mechanic whose custom mustang was hit by a lady who claimed full repsonsibility (that hardly ever happens!), and they went through her insurance. When the adjuster showed up, he merely provided photos and receipts for the modifications he had done and got paid for all of them.
My experience (and others) has been this. If you have to push a claim through your own insurance company you will need to have the endoresment that Ziggy mentioned.
When going through another persons insurance having the coverage may not be necessary. I know a mechanic whose custom mustang was hit by a lady who claimed full repsonsibility (that hardly ever happens!), and they went through her insurance. When the adjuster showed up, he merely provided photos and receipts for the modifications he had done and got paid for all of them.
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Scion Evolution
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,109
From: Woodbridge, VA
I went to my State Farm agent and told them I had the supercharger put on. They had to call someone else higher up, but when my agent called back, they told me that the supercharger was added to my policy and there wasn't any increase in my premium (I have the message saved on my voicemail). I told them that it was a fully warrantied Toyota part installed by a Toyota dealer. I also told them that the cost of parts was $3200, so that's what my policy would cover. As far as other items being added to your policy, I wouldn't have a clue. Easiest thing would be to talk to your insurance agent. Not all agents handle things the same way.
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Scikotics
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 469
From: Moore, Oklahoma
I work at Farmers. I don't know how all insurance companies work, but you have to add endorsements for extras, like stereo equipment, and mods. I know with Progressive, they cover up to $500 of mods with any policy, but you can add additional coverage if you choose.
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Scion Evolution
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,277
From: Andersen AFB, Guam
texas, I have USAA as well. I have been hesitant to call them and tell them that I have put 6 grand in parts in to my car. But if they didnt raise your premium i think i will call them tomorrow.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,228
From: Irvine, CA
Some insurance companies will cover, others will not.
Some will not cover any performance related mods....simply because those mods are unacceptable in relation to their guidelines.
The term is called "special equipment," or simply put, anything other than stock. It is true that you can cover anything under special equipment, but that equipment has to be within their guidelines. For example, spinners on a $5000 car will probably NOT BE COVERED for the obvious reason that those themself costs more than the car.
Claiming aftermarket parts from another insurance company would be easier simply b/c by law they have to "compensate you back to how you were before...no loss, no gain." Claiming an aftermarket part loss from YOUR OWN insurance company is different. It all depends on your insurance company and their guidelines. Let me just note that insurance companies cover STOCK prices usually....never anything more unless specifically stated.
Some will not cover any performance related mods....simply because those mods are unacceptable in relation to their guidelines.
The term is called "special equipment," or simply put, anything other than stock. It is true that you can cover anything under special equipment, but that equipment has to be within their guidelines. For example, spinners on a $5000 car will probably NOT BE COVERED for the obvious reason that those themself costs more than the car.
Claiming aftermarket parts from another insurance company would be easier simply b/c by law they have to "compensate you back to how you were before...no loss, no gain." Claiming an aftermarket part loss from YOUR OWN insurance company is different. It all depends on your insurance company and their guidelines. Let me just note that insurance companies cover STOCK prices usually....never anything more unless specifically stated.
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 25
From: Hampton, VA
My last car was a highly modified 97 Toyota Celica. I had a fully molded body kit, shaved emblems and sidemarkers, custom hood vents, and a candy orange paint job from Lamborghini. I spent around $7000 on the car in mods. A month ago some a** runs into it while it's parked outside and totals it. The insurance company says the N.A.D.A. value of the car is only $4700 and they will only give me $575 for the mods I did to the car. I was furious.
But what you have to realize, and what I had to accept, is that when you modify stock parts, such as fenders or the quarters with molded in kits and stuff, you actually decrease the value of the car. You've in affect, ruined the stock parts in the eyes of the insurance company, and others who would want to resale the vehicle. When you modify the car to that degree you ruin it's trade in value. Top that off with an exotic candy orange paint job and you've lowered the value even more, because bright candy orange only appeals to a small portion of the population. Mod all you want, but be careful you don't destroy your cars resale value.
Or get an appraiser to appraise it and find an insurance company who offers Stated Value Insurance. That's where a value is set for your car, including the mods, and if anything were to happen to the vehicle, that amount would be paid back to you. Of course, you'd have to pay a higher premium in relation to that amount.
But what you have to realize, and what I had to accept, is that when you modify stock parts, such as fenders or the quarters with molded in kits and stuff, you actually decrease the value of the car. You've in affect, ruined the stock parts in the eyes of the insurance company, and others who would want to resale the vehicle. When you modify the car to that degree you ruin it's trade in value. Top that off with an exotic candy orange paint job and you've lowered the value even more, because bright candy orange only appeals to a small portion of the population. Mod all you want, but be careful you don't destroy your cars resale value.
Or get an appraiser to appraise it and find an insurance company who offers Stated Value Insurance. That's where a value is set for your car, including the mods, and if anything were to happen to the vehicle, that amount would be paid back to you. Of course, you'd have to pay a higher premium in relation to that amount.
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,228
From: Irvine, CA
Originally Posted by tricked_tC
My last car was a highly modified 97 Toyota Celica. I had a fully molded body kit, shaved emblems and sidemarkers, custom hood vents, and a candy orange paint job from Lamborghini. I spent around $7000 on the car in mods. A month ago some a** runs into it while it's parked outside and totals it. The insurance company says the N.A.D.A. value of the car is only $4700 and they will only give me $575 for the mods I did to the car. I was furious.
But what you have to realize, and what I had to accept, is that when you modify stock parts, such as fenders or the quarters with molded in kits and stuff, you actually decrease the value of the car. You've in affect, ruined the stock parts in the eyes of the insurance company, and others who would want to resale the vehicle. When you modify the car to that degree you ruin it's trade in value. Top that off with an exotic candy orange paint job and you've lowered the value even more, because bright candy orange only appeals to a small portion of the population. Mod all you want, but be careful you don't destroy your cars resale value.
Or get an appraiser to appraise it and find an insurance company who offers Stated Value Insurance. That's where a value is set for your car, including the mods, and if anything were to happen to the vehicle, that amount would be paid back to you. Of course, you'd have to pay a higher premium in relation to that amount.
But what you have to realize, and what I had to accept, is that when you modify stock parts, such as fenders or the quarters with molded in kits and stuff, you actually decrease the value of the car. You've in affect, ruined the stock parts in the eyes of the insurance company, and others who would want to resale the vehicle. When you modify the car to that degree you ruin it's trade in value. Top that off with an exotic candy orange paint job and you've lowered the value even more, because bright candy orange only appeals to a small portion of the population. Mod all you want, but be careful you don't destroy your cars resale value.
Or get an appraiser to appraise it and find an insurance company who offers Stated Value Insurance. That's where a value is set for your car, including the mods, and if anything were to happen to the vehicle, that amount would be paid back to you. Of course, you'd have to pay a higher premium in relation to that amount.
my last tc just got destroyed in november. my insurance company is supposed to cover up to $1000 worth of extras-that's it, and they still haven't even paid that out yet. F-in ridiculous. progressive may just be the worst insurance company in the world. not to mention they gave me only $11,500 on my 2005 tc. granted the miles were high 25K, but similar ones are selling for $15-$16 still on autotrader in my area. what's the point of going with a big insurance company if they're not gonna pay or do the right thing. if nothing happens, they keep ur money. if something happens, they don't want to pay u. either way, being in insurance is def an extremely profitable thing.