Where abouts are you gents getting insurance for modified cars? Silverwheels requires 10 year of continuous coverage, kind of blows for the younger guys, and I don't want to get caught up in insurance fraud cases so I plan to divulge all modifications to insurance.

 

I use http://www.wawanesa.com/

My car was stock when I joined and now its not. The guy I am with is pretty cool though. I told him what I have done with it, and he said if I passed this on they would drop you, so I didn't hear it.

It certainly is not the greatest feeling nor do I think they would be happy if I ever got in to a serious accident

 

yah the fact that your insurance would be void. Although you could sue them for neglegence because you did inform him!!

 

Just another way that extortion is legalized in this great country of ours

 

Ins is a great thing. Nobody wants it, but it's law to have it. Once you get it, you are often too afraid to use it because of the rate hikes.

 

I got dropped from bel air for a cone filter on the end of the Afm and a pair of slip on mufflers....

 

I'm with Pilot. Or it use to be called Pilot. Now it's just Aviva something or other.
Gotta talk with insurance brokers. They'll get the car appraised and then you'll be insursed. Mine you, there are very few insurance companies who will accept modified cars.
And of course a small premium follows.

 

Well the other issue is that I'm not 25 until September, which is a requirement for classic insurance...

 

yah it makes me wanna take a bank loan and start me own ins company. I don't see a downside.

 

i was thinking the same thing.

talk to any broker and tell them the mods, they will find you a company that will insure you. you just might have to pay a little more until you old enough for a silver wheel insurance plan, but what ever you do don't tell them you have intentions of racing with the car.

 

+1. Can't speak to other province's motor vehicle codes and insurance regulations, but here in Alberta at least, you can legitimately be denied coverage for any sort of motor sports participation, including for your non-tracked daily drivers. Motor sports can include any sort of timed or high-speed event, not just fender-to-fender roadcourse or oval racing - so drags, autocross, solosprint, HPDE, track days, etc. So ironically, insurance that you are required to carry for street driven vehicles can be legally denied if you participate in any form of motorsports, even if your competition/track car never sees the street.

I'm aware of a local, former professional racer who, when he called his insurance company to make sure his new trailer for his track-only car would be covered by his tow-vehicle's policy, was asked what the type and use the trailer was for. He answered honestly, saying it was an enclosed trailer for his race car - and was dropped outright by his insurer.

Another instance that happened in Alberta, though not Calgary, an autocrosser damaged his car at an event and claimed it on his insurance, which was with AMA (a big no-no, emphasized at every driver's meeting I've ever attended). AMA not only cancelled his policy, but went online and looked up results to find any other AMA-insured competitors and canceled their policies as well. As a result, most clubs now post only first name's of competitors, and many drivers of street-registered cars remove or obscure plates at track events so that photo's can't be used to identify them.

 

that's ******* insane.

if you ever do get dropped make sure you get it in writing as to WHY.

Are dirtbikes and gokarts considered motorsports as well?

I'd kill if that happened to me.

 

Yes, it is insane. It essentially forces Alberta motor sports competitors to lie to obtain insurance, even for non-tracked cars (or if not lie, fail to inform - my current company (CDI) didn't actually ask me about timed competition or racing, though that usually is one of the questions, but they did ask about performance mods - which at the time was only exhaust - I haven't let them know of the suspension and other changes since though).

In another case, a local participant in autocross and track-days had his near-new AMG SLK rear-ended on the street, causing damage to the unibody around the rear suspension mounts. He told his insurer (again AMA) he wanted a proper repair, not just pulled out, as he didn't want it weak when he was taking a corner on track at speed. Oops. They did the repair, but wouldn't renew him - even though the accident was the other driver's fault and expense.

Strange but true, apparently about 1 in 7 vehicles on Alberta roads is uninsured. Go figure.

 

why hasn't anyone complained to parliment out there?

 

I told my broker that my car was heavily modified and just needed insurance to and from the track, not sure if she told that to the insurance company. she told me very clearly that the company would not accept a claim if that car was damaged on the track.

If anyone is curious i'm with nordic isurance and i pay about 148$ per month.

 

I think you are being unnecessarily forthcoming with your insurance. What are you worried about happening? I am not suggesting that you lie to them, but don't volunteer information unless you asked or obligated to provide it.

Your car is currently completely unmodified. Get your insurance started now. If you modify items after the inception of the policy I don't think there is a clause in the policy that states that you have to inform them of modifications.

Someone with their policy handy(that can also read 4 point font) can verify whether such a clause exists.

If it makes you feel any better my car had a hail damage claim last year. As you know from my threads on my car it is far from stock. I didn't have an issue. I am with State Farm if it matters.

I can imagine an issue if you are going to be driving around town like an a-hole, but I am sure you will not.

 

I am 95% sure when I signed up with my current broker that I signed something about modifying, but in the subsequent policies I receive on renewal it mentions nothing!

 

The question I answered to my broker was:

"is it modified?"

The answer for you currently and me then was "no".

And even if it was modified exactly what is the definition of "modified" that you are answering to in a verbal agreement on the phone?

My point is don't think too much, ignorance is bliss, and in this rare case probably a defense too.

 

Generally speaking I think modification can only apply to a complete change from the cars original design, and you could probably use that argument in court. EG: swap out my solid axle for a complete IRS system. I swapped in stainless braided brake lines. While yes, that is a performance upgrade over the 25 year old factory soft lines, it is also a safety improvement. Same with the brake pads, tires and the suspension. I've replaced old worn out parts with parts that will allow me to control the car with more precision and predictable response. Luckily my carb is a stocker that's just heavily modified, and it would take a very knowing adjuster to notice anything past the reduction in exterior components. My exhaust, well I needed to replace it and this was far cheaper than 3 brand new cats and a full stock system, etc, etc.

 

What is more ironic about this issue is that, even people with guarantee pull over driving records are still getting insured. But yet some others with a clean record that only do it on the track gets dropped....


Anyways, this is how the game works, don't tell them about the mods, don't get caught with the plate on track, get the policy paper while the car is still stock, get the car plated and off you go. If anything happens, worst come to worst is the insurance won't paid the full amount for your car if anything happens but atleast cops won't be able to charge you for that. Better than driving around without insurance then gets pull over by some random "I AM IN A BAD MOOD" OPP/York Region cop.



Personally i been doing that for the last 7 years back in Toronto with 2 integras, 1 mr2, and 1 rx7. (get insurance and plated while stock, get the emission in another way...)