Hypothetical question about aftermarket accessories and insurance.

How does insurance work if a vehicle is totalled that has 15k or more of aftermarket accessories installed? Especially in the case of an uninsured or hit and run driver.

Does insurance usually cover the accessed value of those modifications, can one remove them to transfer to another vehicle before getting payout or does one have to buy the vehicle back in order to remove any parts?

I'm just thinking long term as I see more and more reckless and presumably uninsured drivers on the road lately.

 

you're out the money unless you have all receipts and a special rider on the policy for the extras
mods don't add value

 

No. Many threads on this- the general answer is unless you have additional aftermarket coverage listed in your policy (at an additional premium) then you only get covered for stock parts in a collision.

*For most policies - every policy is different and up to the individual to read their own coverage.

 

Yeah, i'm keeping the receipts. I've been kind of wondering if I would be better off just getting the trail hunter as it has most of the features I would want factory.

 

Has anyone experienced an accident where it was total for reasons that did not destroy most of the modifcations, and they were allowed to reclaim them (roof rack, bed rack, skid plates, wheels)?

If "totaled" means you can keep the specialized after-market bits, would be nice.

Or does the insurance company just take possession of everything?

 

I've been considering going with a lift kit, larger wheels and tires, batter audio, alarm/remote start, dual battery, Magnuson or pro charger, full under body skids, different bed rack, decked, roof rack and some other stuff but that shit adds up and I would definitely want to make sure to have a way of retaining those parts or being reimbursed for them in some sort of major accident .

 

It depends on your state. In MA, my aftermarket stereo system is listed on my comprehensive piece by piece. They took photographs of it all showing it was bolted in and have copies of the receipts.

 

Jumping in.

My 22 TRD OR was recently hit and totalled by another driver, who was found at fault and given a ticket. They had State Farm and they accepted liability. State farm is being a dick, and will only pay for the value of the vehicle, accessories are $0. So I removed everything I could and am suing their policy holder who hit me for the accessories that were damaged / could not be removed. TBD if I will succeed, but I have high hopes.

Trying also to get them to reimburse for permaplate windshield protection that was $1800 and only 12/84 months used...

 

Personally that's exactly what my approach would be. Take what you can and go after the individual for that which couldn't be salvaged.

 

1. Some insurance companies let you purchase additional insurance on a rider for your accessories. It's usually structured along the lines of +$1 premium for every $100 of insured value.
2. Some insurance companies will drop you if the mods exceed a certain value. Some will drop you if you have suspension lift above a certain amount, or if you did any powertrain mods (cold air intake, catback exhaust, supercharger) whether they increase performance or not.

Some insurance in category 1 may later go into category 2 because of some internal policy change, so you may unexpectedly find them declining to renew your policy after a few years.

Long term, you'll have no coverage anyway, because in the eyes of insurance companies, all accessories you add depreciate to $0 after about three years.

 

largely speaking, the vehicle must be complete when you sign it over to them.

in my case, the last vehicle i had that was totalled, that meant that i gutted my aftermarket stereo system(my only mod), right down to the wires, and threw the oem head unit and speakers all in the passenger footwell.

 

The answer to your question is contained within the four corners of your insurance policy.

 

What if you were not at fault and someone else’s insurance is covering it?

 

I don’t know about other threads on the topic but this one seems one-sided, from
the point of view of an accident for which you the owner are at fault, and for damages to your vehicle which had aftermarket accessories installed.

What about an accident in which the other driver is at fault and you have aftermarket accessories installed. Unless the value of the other party’s insurance policy is exceeded, why wouldn’t their policy cover anything and everything that was damaged? If they drove over your mailbox that would be covered. If you were hauling a trailer and that was damaged it would be covered. After all their insurance is for “property”, not for “the other person’s vehicle but no accessories”.

@BulletsBurritosBeagles this is why you need to reengage with the insurance company for the driver who hit your vehicle. They should be paying for anything damaged in the accident, aftermarket or not.

 

My truck was totaled; other driver was found at fault. I didn't have many modifications - a bed cap, 4Runner SEMA wheels, Clazzio seat covers, BumperShellz, Husky mats, and some audio components (speakers, subwoofer). The adjuster for the other driver's insurance company figured the bed cap into the valuation, but nothing else. I did ask about the other mods, but they wouldn't allow anything for them. They told me I could remove anything that I added; even the wheels, but I had to put some replacement wheels back on the truck.

In the end I reclaimed the Clazzios, Huskys, and audio parts. The BumperShellz were obliterated, and all of the wheels had deep scratches/gouges.

 

Very true, the fact that the other driver's insurance is paying is a sticking point here in my book.

 

insurance doesn't even give you what your vehicle is worth.

Would require extra coverage.

 

Subrogate the claim.
Again, this would be described in your policy.

We don't know anything about YOUR policy. And the insurance regulations in YOUR state.

The policy is the only thing that matters.

Do you have a human, licensed insurance agent?
If you do, ask them these questions via email.

 

Your insurance probably won't cover them, but send me a DM... I'll see what I can do for you as far as a discount on some new ones.