Modified Car Insurance
If you’ve spent time and money modifying your car, it’s important to have insurance that recognises that. Standard car insurance policies don’t always reflect the true value of your car once modifications have been added. That’s where specialist modified car insurance makes the difference. Whether your vehicle has subtle cosmetic upgrades or is heavily modified for performance, our Chris Knott team can help you find cover that protects what you’ve built.
Why Choose Chris Knott for Modified Car Insurance?
As an independent FCA-regulated broker with over 40 years of experience, we understand modified vehicles inside out, from body kits to heavily upgraded engines.
- Insurer access
Our Personal Lines team has over 180 years of combined experience, working with insurers who cover modified cars properly. Many of our providers don’t appear on comparison sites. - Modified car knowledge
We understand your specific modifications and how they affect cover and pricing. - No-pressure service
Our UK-based team listens and guides you through your options without pushing you. - Owners’ club discounts
If you’re part of a car club or forum, you may benefit from exclusive discounts through our partnerships.
What Is Modified Car Insurance?
Modified car insurance refers to a specialist vehicle cover designed for cars that have been changed from the manufacturer’s original specification. This includes any adaptation made after the car leaves the factory, including minor additions for styling.
Everyday insurance policies may not fully cover modifications to your car, since any change can increase value, which, in turn, affects premiums. Not to worry – with modified insurance, you can choose the same levels of cover as standard vehicle insurance, including fully comprehensive and third-party, fire and theft.
What Counts as a Modification?
If you’re modifying your car in any way that changes how it looks, drives or performs, it must be declared.
Performance Adjustments
These changes refer to those which affect performance and how the car handles. These options include ECU remapping, aftermarket exhaust systems and suspension adjustments. It also includes upgrades, such as turbo- and brake-related ones.
Aesthetic Modifications
Exterior tweaks, like paintwork, tinted windows and body kits, can affect premiums. Additionally, interior customisation and installing entertainment systems can also have an impact.
What Optional Extras Can Modified Car Owners Consider?
Specialist modified car insurance can include useful additional cover:
Breakdown Cover
UK-only Breakdown Cover (in partnership with the AA) is available if you don’t travel abroad. A breakdown can be stressful enough, even more so with a modified vehicle.
Excess Protection
Excess Protection Insurance can reimburse up to £1,000 of any additional costs if you need to make a claim, even if you’re at fault. Modified car owners often choose this as specialist policies can carry higher excess levels.
Agreed Value Cover
If your car is written off or stolen, Agreed Value cover can provide much-needed protection. This is especially important for performance and modified vehicles, where upgrades significantly increase the value of your car. We can arrange Agreed Value policies where modifications are minor.
How Do Modifications Affect the Cost of Your Insurance?
Because your car’s risk profile changes when you modify, costs adjust, too. Performance upgrades, for instance, often lead to higher premiums because they enhance your car’s function. Cosmetic upgrades can also increase the cost, particularly if they make your vehicle more attractive to thieves.
Other factors that affect the cost include:
- Your mileage
- Where the car is kept overnight
- Your driving history
- The overall car insurance cost in your area
Get Your Modified Car Insurance Quote
With decades of experience, strong relationships with leading insurance providers and a genuine understanding of vehicles, we provide modified car insurance built around enthusiasts. You don’t have to settle for a generic car cover that doesn’t consider your vehicle upgrades and tweaks.
Contact us, and our friendly team can provide more information on our Mod Car Insurance options. You can understand how we can help protect what you’ve built without obligation.
Modified Car Insurance FAQs
Got questions? Our Motor Insurance FAQ section answers all the usual—how pricing works, what cover levels mean, how excess protection works—and cuts through the jargon so you can make informed decisions. Think of it as your quick-read road map to better insurance understanding.
Luckily, modified cars can be affordable when you insure smartly, especially since not all adjustments increase costs. You can help reduce the cost of your premium by:
- Adding security upgrades (immobilisers, alarms and tracking devices)
- Joining a car club for discounts
- Selecting a higher voluntary excess (if affordable)
- Building your no-claims discount
- Being accurate about mileage (Low Mileage Car Insurance may help keep premiums manageable if you don’t use your car often)
- Planning modifications in advance and discussing them with your broker
At Chris Knott, we understand that classic and performance car enthusiasts also want to keep their pride and joy safe. Our team can arrange Classic Car Insurance, cover for Japanese imports and modified Performance Car policies. If you’re making changes to your vehicle, let us know the details when you request your insurance quote. We’ll search our network to find cover that reflects the true value.
If the car modifications are legal, insurers can keep the process simple. Some prohibited changes include neon lights, stretched tyres, obscured headlights or taillights, excessively loud exhausts (74 decibels or higher), suspension lowered to the point where it dazzles other drivers, changes to the colour of your headlights or rear lights and the addition of flashing lights.
In many cases, yes, because we understand that owners are more comfortable with repairers they already trust. If this is something you’d like to try to do, make sure you discuss this with us when you make a claim, so we can confirm whether it’s possible in your situation.
Because insurers view young drivers as higher risk, our modified policies have a minimum age of 21. However, if you’re under 21 and looking for standard motor insurance, we partner with We Are Marmalade, offering young drivers peace of mind.
Motoring Knowledge Hub
Dive into our Knowledge Hub to explore easy-to-read articles on all things motor insurance—from breakdown cover and agreed value policies to the latest news, tips on excess, no-claims bonuses and more. It’s our way of empowering you with insight—because informed drivers make better coverage choices.
