Notifying insurance of lithium install?

[chaser]

In my case as you know ours is a self converted ambulance insured with nfu, they insured it from the start, never asked what was going in it or anything else as far as I can remember, I just told them when it was finished, and the insurance just carried on as motorhome instead of van and that's how it has been for 8 years.
They have no idea what batteries I put in it. Or anything else for that matter.

Btw this is not a nfu one off , my son hAs done one the same with a different insurer.

 

[Richard n Ann]

It's just a new battery that is lithium rather than lead acid.
Where do you draw the line?
Break pads of a different make or composition or any other part that has been replaced.
Maybe they need to know when the toilet is full modified with a turd

 

[chaser]

I think in our case, that actually what's in it is no different than a van with a mattress chucked in the back, a van is made to carry stuff, you don't tell the insurance every time you put a different load on.

 

[Ernesto]

chaser ‘s point is that if the vehicle was modified by a previous owner, how would/could you know whether it had been modified or not. Consequently, how could you declare it?

Ian

I'll say it again.... it's your duty to find out. Otherwise you take a calculated gamble.

The insurer 'offers' to insure your vehicle on the explicit proviso that you tell them about any changes to the vehicle since it was manufactured. Therefore, they dont (and wont) issue an endless list. They dont have to.

We need the insurance - we have to tell them. It's unfair - but thats how it is. The answer is take all reasonable steps and 99.9% of the time it will be fine

Edit: In the case of the Mercedes Towbar above, the Financial Ombudsman found in favor of the insurance company (not paying out). However the insurer had started to issue new policies for cars with towbars whilst the claim was ongoing. As a result the insurer paid out in the end - astonishing when the ombudsman said it didnt have to. But who wants to go through all that pain and stress.

I'm not accusing anyone here of trying to defraud anyone - it hopefully just helps people to understand what they need to consider

 

[chaser]

I'll say it again.... it's your duty to find out. Otherwise you take a calculated gamble.

The insurer 'offers' to insure your vehicle on the explicit proviso that you tell them about any changes to the vehicle since it was manufactured. Therefore, they dont (and wont) issue an endless list. They dont have to.

We need the insurance - we have to tell them. It's unfair - but thats how it is. The answer is take all reasonable steps and 99.9% of the time it will be fine

Edit: In the case of the Mercedes Towbar above, the Financial Ombudsman found in favor of the insurance company (not paying out). However the insurer had started to issue new policies for cars with towbars whilst the claim was ongoing. As a result the insurer paid out in the end - astonishing when the ombudsman said it didnt have to. But who wants to go through all that pain and stress.

I'm not accusing anyone here of trying to defraud anyone - it hopefully just helps people to understand what they need to consider

I don't want to keep on about this but in my case what am I supposed to do?
The van hasn't been altered in any way outside or mechanical but I have told the insurance exactly what I was doing with out saying what it included and never asked so how can I say I have changed anything if they didn't know it was there in the first place.

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[SandKPhillips]

I don't want to keep on about this but in my case what am I supposed to do?
The van hasn't been altered in any way outside or mechanical but I have told the insurance exactly what I was doing with out saying what it included and never asked so how can I say I have changed anything if they didn't know it was there in the first place.

Why not contact the original manufacturer and ask what the original spec of that vehicle year/model was?

I had to do that when we bought our chausson to see if the aircon, satellite dish and awning were factory fitted as we bought it used and the dealer was clueless......the owners club were very helpful. Good old Coggers!!!

 

[jumar]

Sorry..."What was the question"

 

[Ernesto]

I don't want to keep on about this but in my case what am I supposed to do?
The van hasn't been altered in any way outside or mechanical but I have told the insurance exactly what I was doing with out saying what it included and never asked so how can I say I have changed anything if they didn't know it was there in the first place.

They aren't interested in what you changed, versus what someone else changed. All they want to know what's changed since it was manufactured.

Sorry..."What was the question"

How do you tell insurers about mods you didnt install yourself......and the answer is you ask the previous owner, you ask the manufacturer and you examine it yourself.

I bought a second hand car a few years back that had had transparent paint protection film installed all over it. Had declare it - any shunt and the replacement panel might have had to have been wrapped to look the same.

 

[jumar]

They aren't interested in what you changed, versus what someone else changed. All they want to know what's changed since it was manufactured.


How do you tell insurers about mods you didnt install yourself......and the answer is you ask the previous owner, you ask the manufacturer and you examine it yourself.

I bought a second hand car a few years back that had had transparent paint protection film installed all over it. Had declare it - any shunt and the replacement panel might have had to have been wrapped to look the same.

You don't have much luck or faith in Insurance companies, do you..

 

[Jo-jo]

Using the towbar story above as an example. We have rails (factory-fitted) for a bike rack. We've never fitted one and have no intention of doing so. Could the insurers say well, you didn't tell us about the rails so we're not paying, as they'd never know if a bike rack had been fitted and removed.

Turns out, it's a bit of a minefield as to what is/isn't notifiable.

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[gus-lopez]

and the answer is you ask the previous owner,

My mate bought a coachbuilt off of the original owner that had 38k on the clock & was 10 years old."Has the cam belt been changed?"
"i've no idea what that is or if it has" was the answer. so even if you do ask many have no idea, nor care.

I'll say it again.... it's your duty to find out. Otherwise you take a calculated gamble.

The insurer 'offers' to insure your vehicle on the explicit proviso that you tell them about any changes to the vehicle since it was manufactured. Therefore, they dont (and wont) issue an endless list. They dont have to.

We need the insurance - we have to tell them. It's unfair - but thats how it is. The answer is take all reasonable steps and 99.9% of the time it will be fine

Edit: In the case of the Mercedes Towbar above, the Financial Ombudsman found in favor of the insurance company (not paying out). However the insurer had started to issue new policies for cars with towbars whilst the claim was ongoing. As a result the insurer paid out in the end - astonishing when the ombudsman said it didnt have to. But who wants to go through all that pain and stress.

I'm not accusing anyone here of trying to defraud anyone - it hopefully just helps people to understand what they need to consider

Herein spain,most people don't have to worry about any of that as many are t,p,f&t ,unless owned from new,& will be claiming off the other party hopefully

 

[chaser]

That's another thing , most people wouldn't know a lithium battery if they fell over it.

 

[Ernesto]

Using the towbar story above as an example. We have rails (factory-fitted) for a bike rack. We've never fitted one and have no intention of doing so. Could the insurers say well, you didn't tell us about the rails so we're not paying, as they'd never know if a bike rack had been fitted and removed.

Turns out, it's a bit of a minefield as to what is/isn't notifiable.

In that case, anything factory fitted is fine.

I use to own a car that had uprated seats, which were offered by the manufacturer as a factory option, but mine were fitted by the main dealer when the car was new. Had to declare them as they were a £2k upgrade. Without declaring them, they wouldn't be covered

Another second hand car, again had an upgraded sports exhaust system (that the brand offers to all new customers), but mine was fitted by the main dealer when it was 4 years old. Declared again.

 

[Ernesto]

My mate bought a coachbuilt off of the original owner that had 38k on the clock & was 10 years old."Has the cam belt been changed?"
"i've no idea what that is or if it has" was the answer. so even if you do ask many have no idea, nor care.

I get it ...I dont like it either. It's very unfair especially on people who aren't into cars. Totally agree.

Just sayin' as it is though .... and if it helps other people, thats great.

 

[Ditcha]

Don't forget guys and dollys to tell them if you've had your windscreen replaced

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[LostInSpace]

and the dealer was clueless

Not at all. The dealer was very well clued up.

 

[John and Jo]

Or a even a chip.

 

[LostInSpace]

I haven't "installed lithium".

I have just relaced some failed batteries, with a type listed as suitable for all of the factory fitted chargers.

 

[cyberyacht]

I've got lithium in mine which are now (or were until they discontinued them) standard. They weren't when mine was originally made. I've fitted some USB sockets, a clock, etc. The wind out awning is an option, which could have been an after-fit perhaps. Where does one stop?

Is it material to the claim being made should be perhaps the criteria. Add-ons affect the overall value in a written-off situation, so major upgrades might be pertinent although they would seldom add more than a few thousand to the value even if they cost more to fit.

 

[JockandRita]

I can see a little blue bit with "ctron" in the charred remains.

If asked...........Ah yes, that would be the remains of the Victron Smart Battery Sense, which can be fitted to any type of battery bank, providing voltage and temperature information. "Absolutely now't to do with Lithium MR Insurance Assessor."

Cheers,

Jock.

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[pappajohn]

Not a different brand no, but if I switched to winter tyres...probably yes.

Why not a different brand but yes to snow tyres, it was built with that brand tyres at the factory so it's not standard.
It still won't be a mod but an upgrade.

 

[pappajohn]

One of my more recent insurers (I change every year) gave a list of "extras" which you had to report.

If it wasn't on that list it didn't matter.

I told them a towbar and reversing sensors...both on the list but they said "not interested".

 

[Twincam Escort]

It seems to me that if the cost of the claim by the insurance company is potentially substantial (as in the Mercedes towbar), it is worth the trouble of some insurers to look very carefully at the small print of your policy and find a vague bit of wording.
The 'get out' clauses are endless and they know that the alternative is for you to have to fight them legally, especially if the ombudsman is useless.
Having said that there are some mods that materially change the risk and insurance companies have every right to expect to be informed or refuse the claim. However if youre not aware they are mods, what are you supposed to do?
A friend who had is Escort 1.3L stolen had his claim refused because when recovered, they noted that he had put XR3 stickers on the boot lid. In their words it made it a more attractive target.

 

[Ernesto]

Why not a different brand but yes to snow tyres, it was built with that brand tyres at the factory so it's not standard.
It still won't be a mod but an upgrade.

Just following AIB recommendations. But they do change all the time. Insurers arent allowed to charge more for winter tyres

 

[Ernesto]

It seems to me that if the cost of the claim by the insurance company is potentially substantial (as in the Mercedes towbar), it is worth the trouble of some insurers to look very carefully at the small print of your policy and find a vague bit of wording.
The 'get out' clauses are endless and they know that the alternative is for you to have to fight them legally, especially if the ombudsman is useless.
Having said that there are some mods that materially change the risk and insurance companies have every right to expect to be informed or refuse the claim. However if youre not aware they are mods, what are you supposed to do?
A friend who had is Escort 1.3L stolen had his claim refused because when recovered, they noted that he had put XR3 stickers on the boot lid. In their words it made it a more attractive target.

In the Mercedes example, the insurance company had a blanket policy to not insure any cars with tow bars - so they refused the claim on the basis that if its had been declared, they’d have refused cover

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[Ingwe]

I told comfort about my battery upgrades (not lithium) but they said thanks for telling us but made no difference to the premium.

This was our experience too but in our case it was lithium batteries.