Does insurance cover modified cars?

True car lovers, who own cars for personal use or just for fun, are always looking for modifications that make their vehicle more suitable to their needs. But does insurance cover modified cars? Find out in this article.

People who are passionate about cars know them very well and are usually always looking for ways to make them more suitable to their lifestyles.

We often make adaptations that give the vehicle its own unique and distinctive characteristics.

In this quest to give more personality to the vehicle, anything goes, from putting on a sticker to even making modifications that affect its structure.

Lowering the floor, raising the suspension, changing the door system and much more.

But those who have this habit always find themselves with the same doubt: does insurance cover modified cars?

If you are one of those people who dreams of giving your car a personal touch, but worries about what happens afterwards, read this article and see if your auto insurance covers modified cars.

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Does insurance cover modified cars?

What happens is that all these changes can damage the structure of the car or make it more interesting for criminals, and so you need to think about their safety and see if the insurance covers modified cars, because when taking out insurance, some unpleasant surprises can appear.

When looking for an insurance company, the car will undergo an assessment before the insurance is finalized and this is when problems can start, as insurance companies will not always accept the vehicle.

Refusal may occur for several reasons, such as the possibility of damage to the vehicle, which is very common when lowering the vehicle, lack of experience with this type of modification and even the lack of labor to carry out the repairs.

Among them, one of the reasons that increases the chance of refusal is the fact that there are insurance companies that believe that modified cars can affect the driving and safety of the driver and others.

Therefore, there is a possibility that the insurer may consider that the car coverage is not advantageous for it, due to the increased risk of accidents.

However, there is no need to worry that this will be impossible, some small modifications such as headlights and paintwork are easily accepted, what really starts to make a difference are the larger ones, even so it is still possible to guarantee the desired protection.

Is there insurance for lowered cars?

In recent years, the demand for insurance for lowered cars has become much greater, which has led insurance companies to start adapting to the market in order to absorb this demand, since today modifying a car is very simple and quick.

Therefore, the answer to the question of whether insurance is available for lowered cars is yes.

There are currently companies that accept lowered vehicles and vehicles with other modifications.

But it is worth mentioning that the policy value for these vehicles is usually much higher than normal.

The price increase occurs because the downgrade is one of the changes associated with accidents by insurance companies.

They believe that lowered cars and their drivers are more likely to suffer accidents.

Which insurance company insures lowered vehicles?

As mentioned, most insurance companies, especially the larger and more well-known ones, accept modified cars.

Therefore, if you have a modified or lowered vehicle, the best thing to do is to contact a specialized broker.

This also applies to those looking for insurance for cars with sports springs!

This professional will be able to help you more effectively find an insurance company that insures lowered vehicles at a slightly higher price, but without the headaches.

It is worth mentioning that it is often more advantageous to purchase simpler coverage.

With coverage against theft and robbery, in addition to paying a more affordable price for car insurance, you will have few problems when hiring the service.

Another important thing to say is that if this or any other modification to your car does not comply with the law, you will hardly be able to get insurance.

Are there any laws about modified cars?

Yes! As we indicated above, this is an important aspect that cannot be forgotten.

Due to the popularity of the practice of modifying cars, the National Traffic Council (CONTRAN) together with the National Traffic Department (DENATRAN) added new regulations to the Brazilian Traffic Code (CTB) so that the laws would adapt to this reality.

As a result, some types of modifications are considered legal and others are prohibited.

Lowering, for example, is considered legal, but it must comply with the required specifications regarding the vehicle's height.

These measures extend to other modifications.

For example, vehicles whose engines have been modified must follow the same pollutant emission limits as those for unmodified vehicles.

Failure to comply with CTB requirements may result in fines.

We recommend that, in addition to planning insurance-related issues, you check whether your vehicle complies with CTB regulations.

And if you haven't made the modifications yet and are getting information here at Afrilatest, here's a tip: one of the articles of the CTB states that no owner can make modifications to the car's factory features without first asking permission from the competent authority!

To find out about the legislation in force since 2008 regarding the changes, it is worth checking Resolution No. 292, of August 29, 2008.

It contains the specifications that must be met when modifying cars and which modifications are prohibited by the CTB.

How does it work when you already have car insurance and modify your car?

You may already have car insurance and are thinking about changing something about your car to make it more interesting, efficient or powerful.

First, check whether the modification you want is permitted by traffic laws.

If not, reevaluate the change projects.

If the change is legal, the next step you should take is to contact your broker and ask some questions.

See if the modifications you intend to make to your car will be accepted by your insurance company.

If so, all you will need to do is, after carrying them out, duly authorized and registered by the responsible authority, as required by law, inform the insurer, through an endorsement, of what has been changed.

This communication to the insurer is very important, because in the event of a claim this may influence the receipt of reimbursement and, depending on the modification, if it is very large, the insurer may review the contracted policy.

Now, if you have already made the changes but have not notified your insurance company, inform them as soon as possible.

If you are involved in a traffic accident, for example, or need to use your car insurance for any other reason, you probably won't get the assistance you expected.

This happens because, upon receiving the request, the insurance company will inspect the vehicle and find that the car has changes that are not included in the insurance policy, because you made modifications without informing them.

This conduct will result in denial of coverage and compensation.

To avoid any inconvenience, we would like to remind you that it is best to notify us as soon as possible.

What are the most common car modifications?

The habit of modifying vehicles, making them faster or more stylish is known by some people as 'tuning', making the vehicle different and better.

Among the possibilities for customizing a vehicle, the most common in Brazil are:

• Change vehicle performance;
• Promote changes to the engine;
• Install audio and image equipment;
• Change the suspension, making the vehicle higher;
• Installation of sports springs;
• Change the vehicle's lighting patterns;
• Apply stickers to the vehicle and/or change the color of the original paint;
• And lower the car.

Among all these possibilities, the most common is certainly lowering the vehicle.

Therefore, it is common that whenever a person encounters problems with their car insurance due to a modification to the vehicle, this is most often the reason.

Another type of vehicle modification that often causes problems when taking out car insurance is armoring.

Armored vehicles, despite being safer, cannot be insured by any insurance company, because the labor for repairs is quite expensive and still scarce in the market.

What about cars modified for PCD?

In addition to the modifications already mentioned, there are also those known as adaptations, structural changes and the installation of equipment that allow people with reduced mobility to drive the vehicle normally.

As is the case for people with physical disabilities, where changes are made to the brake and accelerator controls, in addition to adaptations to the steering wheel and the installation of ramps, platforms and special seats.

These changes generally do not interfere with the purchase of car insurance, however, they can make the service more expensive.

Since common protection will not cover this equipment, it will be necessary to purchase specific coverage for it.

It is important that the vehicle has been inspected by DETRAN to check for safety issues and to ensure that the vehicle is in fact suitable for a person with a disability.

Even with this inspection, it is common for the insurance company to request its own inspection.

If the modified vehicle you are seeking insurance for was purchased with a tax exemption for disability benefits, inform the insurer at the time of purchase.

This will cover the payment of your insurance taxes.

How much does insurance cost for modified cars?

The cost of car insurance, whether for a regular or modified car, varies greatly.

After all, the pricing of this service depends on a series of factors such as the car model, year of manufacture, vehicle conditions, driver profile and much more.

What we can say in the case of modified vehicles is that, in addition to the entire analysis of the driver's profile and vehicle usage habits, the modifications also make hiring this service more expensive.

This happens for two main reasons, the first is that in many cases these modifications make the vehicle more beautiful and more attractive to criminals.

The second is that maintenance or replacement of parts in the event of a partial accident becomes more complicated when the car is modified.

Add to these reasons all the others that may lead the insurer to rethink whether it is advantageous to cover the modified car (increased risk of accident, safety issues, among others).

Therefore, it is worth saying that the price of insurance for modified cars is generally much higher than it would be for the same model of a vehicle without modifications.

But to know the exact value, it is recommended that an insurance quote be made.

If possible, plan ahead.

Therefore, if you wish to modify and have the vehicle insured, a good idea is to carry out this price survey before the change.

This attitude helps your financial management, because in addition to the costs of the modification itself, you must keep in mind that insurance is essential to protect your improved vehicle and be able to enjoy it with the support of your auto insurance.

After all, enjoying your tuned car with the peace of mind that it is insured is even better, isn't it?

Now that you know whether insurance covers modified cars, don't forget to keep your car protected with the help of Afrilatest!