Insurance and remap

[ULP]

Well, I've decided to remap with Stealth, I've now made the booking for the end of May.

My excitement is short-lived however. I have rang Privilege (I am yet to have any...) to ask them how it affects my premium - my monthly premium rises from £30 to £45 (ouch) and my excess from £175 to £425 (double ouch). What galls me is that it'll probably have similar performance to a stock '90' yet that would cost the same to insure as my '75' (give or take a little) in its current format.

So, it seems I have three options:

1) Cancel the remap (not really an option then).

2) Let Mr. Privilege shove his 6' wide fist up my behind and hope I don't have an accident that I can't reclaim on.

3) Cancel (forefitting one months premium) and secure new insurance.

The last one seems best, but does anybody know of an insurance company that is likely to treat me as anything other than a lepper? Sadly, after being forced off the road by Stevie Wonder in a HGV last October, I now have a claim on my policy (although protected NCD) so I'm worried insurance companies will think I'm a demon on a mission to an early grave despite my previous impecable history.

I'm guessing most people don't notify of remaps, but I won't get that through my own personal fun nanny so I have to look at the options.

Any help on finding reasonable insurance companies will be most helpful. I have heard Adrian Flux do modified cars - any experiences?

One amusement when I rang Privilege - the dolly on the other end of the phone asks me how much power it will increase by "A third" say's I - "how many percent is that". Throw me a frikkin' bone...

[Marco77]

I wouldn't tell them.

Simple as that.

How are you supposed to know if a car has been remapped as you nothing about cars;) ;) .


my excuse anyway

[Skipton01]

I know what you mean about a personal fun nanny - mine is more forgiving, seeing insurers as the highway robbers they are!

You could go down the little white lie route I s'pose - it's that or get your wallet raped I'm afraid. And you're right, I'd say that 99.9% of re-maps are undeclared and to be honest, they're of no significance to insurers either, in the same way that the fitting of a non-original wiper blade should also be declared, strictly speaking.

Look at it this way, I have a tracker and Supaglass now fitted to Tank, meaning that toe-rags can't get in and even if they did, the car would be recovered within a few hours. Has this dropped my premium like it should have done? Has it bug*ery!

Cheers,

Mike

[shao_khan]

If you want to ring around Tesco were fair for me with a modded car, but I have been told they are re-working their business model - so I guess youll need to ring see what they say.

Otherwise give Lockyers a try - www.lockyers.co.uk, if you speak with them mention me - not because I get owt, but it helps them know where the recomendations come ffrom.

[ULP]

Thanks chaps.

I'm still undecided at the moment but I will try Lockyers to see if they are any good.

I'd prefer to tell them than not, and don't mind a small hike in premium/ excess but Privilege are just bending me over.

[MPG Lover]

If you want to ring around Tesco were fair for me with a modded car, but I have been told they are re-working their business model

I recently changed from one A2 to another and Tesco, my insurer, asked me "what optional extras did the car have". Thinking that I hadn't quite heard them right I said "no it hasn't been modified" but they really did mean to ask what optional extras it had. I kept quiet to avoid an unjustified insurance hike. Any excuse nowadays...

[Skipton01]

Thanks chaps.

I'm still undecided at the moment but I will try Lockyers to see if they are any good.

I'd prefer to tell them than not, and don't mind a small hike in premium/ excess but Privilege are just bending me over.
There are some specialist insurers who advertise in Audi Driver magazine - I'll post their details when I get home (still Jeremy Kyle-ing!) unless someone beats me to it.

Cheers,

Mike

[ULP]

still Jeremy Kyle-ing!

Mike, do you ever wonder where it all went wrong in life? :o

Joking aside, I would really appreciate it.

I have spoken to Adrian Flux today - they have quoted me £380, which is about £17 more than I am paying for my standard car with Privilege, and my excess will be £250. That sounds like a fair deal for peace of mind, especially as it includes legal cover, hire car and free European cover (which I would need to take out for my trip to the 'ring in September). Can't remember the name of the company but it's underwritten by Lloyds.

As you mention it, how do you get the Audi Driver magazine - I have never seen it in the shops.

[spike]

Hi ULP

Just in case Skipton missed your question - see link for more info on the Audi Driver mag.
http://www.audidrivermag.co.uk/

Cheers Spike

[Skipton01]

Chris, try www.hertsinsurance.com whose advert says "modifications no problem, in fact most are covered free of charge".

Also, why not give Audi Insurance a go - 0800 051 3135 - it might be worth a try.

For the price of a tank of fuel, Audi Driver is really worth subscribing to, as it gives a decent insight into all the goings on across the entire Audi spectrum, both at board level (Porsch take-overs and such) and details of technical stuff and write-ups of old classics etc.

I look forward to the new copy every month now and wouldn't be without it.

Cheers,

Mike

[wooly A2]

As you mention it, how do you get the Audi Driver magazine - I have never seen it in the shops.YOU Can get it from good old WHSmith.....

[Skipton01]

YOU Can get it from good old WHSmith.....
But only certain shops and you need to be quick - they normally only get a couple of copies in.

The mag comes out usually around the end of the first week each month.

Cheers,

Mike

[Colin]

Audi Insurance have transfered the underwriters from Equity to Zurich and they are one big bunch of Rip off Merchants, wanting extra premium for just breathing. I am certailnly not renewing my insurance with them

[ScotAlan]

Hi Guys,

I called "Audi Insurance" a few years ago after seeing the ad in the back of Audi driver. I could hear other phones being answered in the background as "Hello, BMW insurance" and "Hello, Performance Ford Insurance!" etc. Sounded to me like a standard brokers office, with a few additional phone lines linked to adverts.

Their "specialist" status was also shaken by the fact that they had never heard of my car ( Audi 200) and had no-one in the entire office knew that the "quattro" in the title meant that it was four wheel drive "Really! .... I didn't know that!; let me ask my supervisor (mumble mumble..) No, he did not know that quattros were four-wheel drive either"

They were also about £200 more than direct line!

ScotAlan