Warning !!! Canadian Insurance Companies.

Hey guys

This is just a warning to any canadians driving a modified vehicle under a regular insurance policy. I have been having major issues trying to keep my car insured and have now gone through 3 companies to due so and it looks like now my latest one no longer wants me. I have a clean driving record and have owned 7 brand new vehicle and have never had a claim ...ever ! I am now 29 years old and am common law. A modified vehicle means anything different from stock including lower springs or hoods ?????? This is getting rediculous! Please check out this story

http://www.solocanada.ca

You end up with someone else hitting you and that could be the end of it !
If you are found to have a modified vehicle your Insurance is Voided and you will be placed on a High Risk Group with every other insurance company for not following policy. Also if you were to cause the accident, you can now be sued by the indivdual because the company will not back you at all.

If anyone knows who I can reach in the government to try and raise this growing concern please let me know.

Thanks

I went through all that crap last year. My car being an 1989 model qualifies for this company's plan which allows for modifications. There are some things you can not do with your car. Must have another vehicle as a daily driver, cant go shopping with the Stang and can't go to work with it, car must be 15 years or older. I know that's a lot of rules, but I went from 1250$ a year to $200- with better coverage!!

http://www.lant-ins.ca/

thanks bud but that Company is now not taking on heavily modded vehicles anymore. They were the first company I tried and I beleive IAN called the today as well and they want no part of us !

I will keep looking into this a will post any findings.

Thanks for the input !

Damn!! funny I just sent them $$ for another year of coverage.

Did Ian get his insurance cancelled?

Cancelled no, but if I get into an accident I loose my insurance on the spot. Basically it is like driving with no insurance which means I will not be driving.

Some will risk it, but what if you kill someone? They will take everything you have.

It does not look like we will be able to find a company that wants the cars, I still thinking what I could do. Part it out, turn it back to stock, race car only, ect.. A new mustang or bike may be in my future as I will go nuts with nothing all summer.

Ian

Belair Direct told me they would not insure me anymore. I hope I don't go through this crap again this year - if so I'm selling (probably)- cheap to someone in Quebec. I'm tired of this crap.

Motleydrew, is you car off the road now?

I'm going to call my insurance company today/tomorrow to find out where I stand.

Jason,

You have gone as far as we have so if your company says no problem you let us know!! :D

Ian

Yeah, I will. Any word from Brian or is that on hold pending insurance????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alex

Motleydrew, is you car off the road now?

---

Hey Alex

It is not off the road yet but is no longer insured by the regular company I was with. My broker has me bound to Nordique insurance company now which takes accident prone people and drunk drivers, etc.

They are willing to take my car on for $200.00 a month. I am used to paying about $80.00. They have my apprasial sheet and a list of the mods and seem to be willing but at a price. If my car was in a bad accident they said they would right it off for the appraised price of $18,000.00. Stock 1993 stang right off is $4000.00 at best.

I have been given a grace period of a month to decide what I want to do as Nordique has insured me for this month free of charge so I can make a decision. My broker is Jim Mulvihill and his number is 613 623-3123, tell him Drew sent ya :)

Someone needs to provide better rates !

Hey, I just go off the phone with The Personal Insurance Co. and guess what....... in 17 days they are pulling the coverage on my "modified" Mustang. Of course they don't mind keeping the other 2 "stock" cars and the house etc. The woman on the phone made it sound like any cosmetic mods (wheels, stereo, whatever) were fine but as soon as "performance enhancing modifications" as she called them were installed that is it for you. What a joke, no tickets, no claims, had the car for 10+ years and only use it like 5000km a year in the summer in the backwoods upper Ottawa valley. I can see the huge risk, whatever! If I buy a factory 500hp car then everything is OK but don't try and build your own because you can't get insurance.
The only up side to all this is the car is still in pieces in the garage. If it was ready to roll I would really be pissed off right now.

I just read a complete Ontario automobile isnurance policy (Belair Direct). And nowhere does it say if the car is altered/modified coverage will be denied. In fact the only thing they talk about is if the car is raced, used in timed events, or in an illegal way (drug smuggling?) would be the reason for denial. I think the insurance companies are getting rid of high risk customers - I don't think they can deny a claim for it though.
***show me where its written***

Hey Alex

When you do an online quote with Bel-Air Direct one of the last questions is "Do you have over $1500.00 dollars worth of mods" If you select no they accept it and want comfirmation of the mods by appraisal. If you select more than $1500.00 dollars they say to call a number where they tell you, sorry , we don't insure cars like that ! This Sux !

I also called Insurance Bureau of Canada

Head office
151 Yonge Street, Suite 1900
Toronto, Ontario M5C 2W7
Tel: 416-362-2031; Fax: 416-361-5952


they said that the trend is that all normal type insurance companies are no longer doingg modded cars and that only High risk groups are taking them. This is exactly what I was told by my Broker.

All these companies run as idependants and can insure what they please

Excactly my point, they're getting rid of high risk customers. Has anyone actually asked their insurance company where in the contract it states they can cancel for modifications? I was so pissed when it happend to me I hung up in the guys face - It doenst mean that they wont pay a claim if you have one. I think I will call the insurance bureau of Canada, I've got questions.

They can cancel for whatever reason they like. My parents got a letter in the mail from their insurance company that said the oil tank in their house was now too old according to their new regulations and that if it was not changed within 30 days their home insurance would be cancelled. In short, it is the insurance company's choice if they care to insure you or not (they are providing a service to you). If you choose not to disclose your mods then the insurance co. thinks you are driving a 92 notch (or whatever) like everyone else and this is what they are providing coverage for. According to them, as soon as you start adding performance enhancing mods then it is not the same car (different cost, differnt use?, likely more to cover) and they do not have/nor do they care to have a box/clause on thier computer to account for this. They do however, have a clause for business use of your personal vehicle, like delivering pizza. If you were delivering pizza and they were not aware of it and you had an accident while doing so and they found out I would bet there would be no coverage for you. Think I'm going to have to find one of those private insurance companies and let them nail my a$$ to the wall so I can drive a few km's in the summer. Or maybe I should sell the 92 now and start saving for the 07 GT-500! (no mods but 450hp)

Darknotch, You and I have really similar setup :) I see your changing to 42's and pulleying up as well !

I had a new 2.95 Pulley made and sent my maf out for re-cal then was the 42's are in I am getting an SCT chip tuned at a local speed shop. Once I get my number from the dyno over there I will let you know. You and me would be a great race !!!!

take care Bud

There is a place in Ottawa that burns chips?

Yep Tapp Auto..

Ian

Drew, I'm going to bypass the chip and go straight to the PMS....... if I can get some #*&^ing insurance, man this sucks.

Alex - Ya I am going to TAPP auto, the guy is a geneous ! They have a dyno there as well so the tune should be great !

Darknotch - Ian is the expert on those PMS thingy's :) Ya the insurance thing is awful but it looks like I am going to bite the bullet and pay the $190.00 a month for 6 months :(

I just called Drew's guy and will let you know what the quote is tomorrow :)

Ian

I bought a PMS, works great! - Just need to get some time and tune it - It fixed my idle issues in less than 30 seconds! Darknotch, you will need a wideband 02 to get the most out of it though.

Ian, keep me posted on the insurance thing.

Heres a couple of pics, I don't think you guys have seen them.

Where are the pics??

Alex, I just installed the WMS wideband..... only need the PMS.

Drew, or Ian, which insurance company is this you are talking about. What do you get for the $190/month? Can you pay for only the 6 months you drive?

Tonight, I'm rebuilding a used 130A alternator I just picked up to keep up with the Ramcharger - I think I killed my battery last year with the underdrives on the stock alternator.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by darknotch

Alex, I just installed the WMS wideband..... only need the PMS.

Drew, or Ian, which insurance company is this you are talking about. What do you get for the $190/month? Can you pay for only the 6 months you drive?

Tonight, I'm rebuilding a used 130A alternator I just picked up to keep up with the Ramcharger - I think I killed my battery last year with the underdrives on the stock alternator.

---

Hey bud

I am going through a broker and he is saying its a High Risk company. For $190.00 I will get full coverage, collision, 1,000,000 comprehensive, fire , and theft. I believe you can pay monthly, that is what I want to do. I will PM you my brokers name.

How come I cant put up some pics?

Alex.

I fixed the pics, car looks great.

Ian

edit

Hey guys ..... with all this talk of ins. I did a little research in to my coverage and low and behold I am in the same boat as the rest of you. But my broker did give me the name of a broker, which I think has already been mentioned but here it is again

Lant & company (aka) Silver wheels
1-800-461-4099

The company is in toronto, i just spoke to them and they gave me a qoute between 420 -500 (full coverage) a year on a fully modded 88 mustang with a value between 15-18K . so it is available but we just have to pay thier price......

That's who I'm with!

Hey Alex, I'm pretty sure I am going to go with that company .... any complaints with them? I must say the quick qoute I got from them was very reasonable.

I've had no issues at all. You have to get your car evaluated 1st. But overall, good service.

I called Lant & Co. and they only insure cars older than 15 years so my 92 is out of luck!!!!!!!!! That really sucks, because I could have an identical 90 and things would be OK. I'm still looking around