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Insurance on Aftermarket Mods?

Discussion in 'Performance and Tuning' started by jspadaro, Aug 2, 2011.

  1. Aug 2, 2011 at 7:31 PM
    #1
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Wasn't sure where to put this, mods feel free to move it.

    Some of you guys make my taco look stock. Does anyone have a rider for their aftermarket parts or some other arrangement to cover them in an accident? Who is your coverage with, if so?

    Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
     
  2. Aug 2, 2011 at 7:50 PM
    #2
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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  3. Aug 2, 2011 at 7:59 PM
    #3
    stunt man hans

    stunt man hans DISPLACED VIKING LIVING IN WYOMING

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    my father is an insurance agent and i had just asked him about this today i will have an answer for you soon :)
     
  4. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:06 PM
    #4
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thanks! The blower is the main thing... I talked to Geico, and not only will they not let me put a rider on for the blower and suspension, but they may not even retain coverage on my truck at all!

    Progressive is looking promising though. I can put $3,000 worth of coverage for $50/6 months, which I figure is a realistic approximation for my coilovers, leaf springs, shocks, upper control arms, and supercharger in resale value.

    Edit: the biggest thing I do not want to have happen is to be with an insurer who simply won't cover my truck if I get in an accident!
     
  5. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:08 PM
    #5
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Hah, well, yeah, my DOM sliders vs a hatchback, I think my sliders will win.

    I'm really more concerned about the adjuster seeing my mods and saying "we won't cover this accident." If I can get coverage on my mods, that'd be a nice perk. I just want to make double-dang sure I'm not going to screw myself...
     
  6. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:10 PM
    #6
    achirdo

    achirdo I Weld!

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    I have a plate steel rear bumper in the back. Only thing I worry about is the frame bending like a piece or bailing wire if I got hit
     
  7. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:12 PM
    #7
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    :facepalm: guys, i mean, I know we all put badass steel armor on our trucks and shit, I'm worried about my coverage being void here though, not so much my icons being damaged.
     
  8. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:16 PM
    #8
    jandrews

    jandrews Hootin' and Hollerin'

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    Theft worries me sorta, but not really.

    Like you, my main concern is being at fault in an accident and being found liable because the vehicle was modified. That's a hard one to prove in court though, because the burden of proof by the person bringing suit is essentially to show that without your modification, the accident wouldn't have happened.

    Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer.

    Also concerning is the situation of vehicular manslaughter...if you are at fault in an accident and someone dies, the family's lawyer may like the look of that armor and suggest the deceased could've survived if they hadn't hit that.

    Shorter version: Just don't get into an accident in your modded truck. And if you do, make sure it's their fault.
     
  9. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:20 PM
    #9
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Truth. Unfortunately, despite a great record (knock on wood) i can't be certain of that. I'm going to give Progressive a ring tomorrow and see what the deal is. $481/6 months with 3,000 in custom parts insurance is sounding like the way to go for me.
     
  10. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:22 PM
    #10
    05ImpulseTaco

    05ImpulseTaco Active Member

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    I actually called GEICO today (my carrier) to see how much it would cost to have my new ARB and Camper Shell added to my policy. The guy added it to my policy at no extra charge. I asked him 3 or 4 times and made sure to clarify what I was asking and he confirmed. No charge for coverage of those two mods. As far as a supercharger and suspension stuff goes I'm not sure.
     
  11. Aug 2, 2011 at 8:24 PM
    #11
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Geico is who I have. They absolutely will not cover the blower, and probably won't even cover the truck with the blower on it. (Most of my concern...)

    They wouldn't do a 2" lifted suspension, either. Makes me suspicious about your ARB coverage, man. I'm sure they'll cover a shell, since it's a run-of-the-mill stock part, but yeah...
     
  12. Aug 4, 2011 at 8:16 AM
    #12
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    FY-everybody's-I, I had Geico, switched to Progressive.

    If you have Geico, I'd be a little wary, they made it sound like they would void my insurance in the event of an accident with my mods.

    I was up front about the mods with Progressive, and they verified that what I have can be covered with an additional rider if I want, as well as that they would still cover the truck itself, supercharger or not.

    If I want to get my aftermarket stuff covered under a rider, I must have receipts to present when I make a claim.

    $3,000 in aftermarket parts coverage + double the limits on bodily injury, etc than I had on Geico brought my premium from $469/6 months (geico, no aftermarket) to $489 / 6 months (progressive, $3,000 coverage)
     
  13. Aug 4, 2011 at 8:48 AM
    #13
    Pugga

    Pugga Pasti-Dip Free 1983 - 2015... It was a good run

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    I'm in MA so our insurance is run a little differently but I had a converstion with my insurance agent a couple months back about this issue. I don't have LT or anything but I do have a decent amount of aftermarket add-ons. Their advice to me was, keep receipts and generally if it's something permanently installed on the vehicle and adds value to the vehicle, they cover it in the event of a loss. I went through the list of items on my truck and they agreed most items would be covered to an extent. Their biggest piece of advice was keep your receipts and told me they covered a totaled Honda Civic for $30k, 10k of which was aftermarket accessories in which the owner had all the receipts for. I'm insured by Liberty Mutual and will stick with them!
     
  14. Aug 4, 2011 at 8:55 AM
    #14
    JLee

    JLee The Man! Vendor

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    I lost track thousands of dollars ago.
    This^^^^ i have AAA and they told me as long as it's attached to the truck it's covered just keep all receipts for everything you buy.
     
  15. Aug 11, 2011 at 11:02 AM
    #15
    colder

    colder Well-Known Member

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    Online, I asked for a quote to cover the TRD catback and CAI. They wrote it into the policy and didn't even raise my premium.
     
  16. Aug 11, 2011 at 11:08 AM
    #16
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    TRD catback and CAI are both dealer-installed parts, but also don't increase the insurers risk as much as a supercharger anyway. Even so, I'm imagining TRD superchargers are covered without issue. None of my shit is TRD though.

    Fortunately for me, this is resolved - Progressive got me covered for $3,000 in parts, they OK'd the blower and have nothing in the policy about any exclusions for any particular types of parts. :) And it only cost another $12 / 6 months more than I was paying at Geico (for no extra coverage at all.) (Progressive actually got me 481 rather than 489, fwiw.)
     
  17. Aug 11, 2011 at 11:10 AM
    #17
    TacoCat

    TacoCat These pretzels are making me thirsty

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    Johnny-5
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    I asked my Allstate agent about this a couple months ago and he told me as long as the mods weren't for racing (which was when I laughed) they would be covered but to just keep receipts in case I needed to prove what the modifications cost me.
     
  18. Aug 11, 2011 at 11:11 AM
    #18
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I don't trust agents, I read the policy. :) I've heard plenty of stories where the agent said the wrong thing and the insured person didn't find out til after an accident. What's in your policy is what matters, not what anyone says.

    For example: If there's a civil war and it damages my truck, Progressive will not cover it.
     
  19. Aug 11, 2011 at 11:18 AM
    #19
    extremachn1

    extremachn1 I am an asshole, deal with it!

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    Turd Furgison
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    TRD S/C, TRD quick shifter, AFE CAI, Magnaflow cat back exhaust, Fox racing shocks, TC UCA, All-pro expo leafs, Bestop soft top, Wet Okole black seat covers, Scan gauge II.
    If there is a civil war and my truck gets damaged there is bigger problems and I will do some serious damage to who ever damaged my truck.
     
  20. Aug 11, 2011 at 11:19 AM
    #20
    jspadaro

    jspadaro [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Well, duh there are serious problems, lol. I found some of the exclusions pretty hilarious, and that was intended as a joke. But seriously, reading the policy is always a good idea.

    For example, on a more serious note, it appears as though Progressive would cover an off-road accident, or at least has no exclusions I could readily see on it. (Though I would probably not even try to involve insurance unless I did something really stupid, like hydrolocked it or rolled it.) However, they do have an explicit exclusion for damage to a vehicle if it is on a race track.
     

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