Are neon lights in the footwell of a car classed as a modification?

Question

I'm thinking of getting blue neon's fitted to the foot wells of my car. These won't be the ones you plug into the cigarette lighter but will be wired up to the car via a fuse. Will this be classed as a modification that I have to declare on my insurance?

Answer 1

YES.

Any modification to a car that is not a consumable (i.e. not tyres, brake pads, oil etc.) that is likely to make the car more attractive for stealing is counted as a modification that the insurance company needs to know about.

Also anything electrical that is fitted to the car after initial factory car assembly, and is not fitted by the car manufacturer, is a potential fire hazard and needs to be declared to the insurance company.

The premium may not increase. If a trivial aftermarket part (like better speakers) was fitted by an accredited professional company then the insurance company may not impose a higher premium. However if a monster audio system was fitted the insurance company would raise the premium as the car is more likely to be stolen and is more likely to be involved in an accident due to noise distraction.

Bear in mind that insurance companies will do all that they can not to pay out money for claims, using any means possible. So if your car burns to the ground due to an electrical fault, and you have undeclared neons fitted, then the insurance company will state that there was an undeclared electrical modification to the car and is likely not to pay out.

The safest thing to do is to notify the insurance company of everything that you intend to do to the car, as and when you are about to do it. Find out from them what effect it will have on your premium and then you can decide whether to go ahead with the modification or not.

It is better for the insurance company to know what you have done, it is better for you to know what the insurance company will tolerate, and, God forbid, if you require a claim then prior full declarations of modifications prevents the insurance company from refusing payout.

Answer 2

Cost u more in the long run payin for the extra coverage,it would be cheaper to buy them if they broke.

My wife got a $300 ticket for having them...the judge threw it out of court said it was b.s.=)

Check with ur local state laws,some states say its illegal to have them on a road vechile,its mostly for show cars.

Its legal here,but u get jerk cops,,blue or red wouldnt be a good idea,they can claim how its mounted it may look like a flashing lite for fire trucks or police cars..give the cops a reason to ticket u.

Answer 3

Yes you will.Plus you will get attention from the police as well.

Answer 4

No, the modifications you have to declare are performance enhancing,or engineering modifications that could affect its handling.

Blue footwell lights would have to be declared to your psychiatrist.

Answer 5

Just as trashy.

C'mon those aren't cool!

Answer 6

You can put anything you want on your insurance as long as your willing to pay extra :)  I don't think accessory lighting is worth declaring.