Had a similar moment when I threw a roof rack on my old Jeep for camping gear—didn't even occur to me to tell insurance. Then came renewal time, and they asked about mods... umm, does a slightly rusty rack count? Apparently, yep. Didn't hike my premium much, but better than a nasty surprise later. Moral of the story: insurers have eagle eyes, even if your ride's more shabby-chic than showroom condition.
Yeah, insurers definitely notice even the little stuff. From experience, though, minor mods like racks or aftermarket wheels usually don't bump your premium much—especially if they're practical rather than performance-based. But skipping disclosure can bite you later if you ever need to claim. Best bet is to mention everything upfront, even if it's a bit shabby or DIY... cheaper than dealing with headaches down the road.
Good points there, especially about being upfront. I've seen insurers get picky over some pretty trivial stuff, but honestly, most are pretty reasonable if you're transparent from the start. Had a client once with a vintage VW camper—he DIY'd almost everything inside, cabinets, bed, the works. He thought it'd be a nightmare to insure, but the insurer barely blinked. Just snapped a few pics and noted it down. Better safe than sorry... transparency usually pays off in the long run.
That's actually pretty reassuring to hear. I'm still pretty new to all this, and when I started looking into insuring my classic Mini (which is also a bit of a DIY job), I was convinced I'd run into trouble. But like you said, being upfront really helped. The agent was chill about the mods once I showed them clear pictures and explained exactly what I'd done.
Guess it makes sense, though—insurers probably see a lot of unique setups, especially with classics and vintage rides. They're probably more used to it than we think. Your VW camper story gives me hope that if I ever tackle something bigger or more custom later on, insurance won't be the nightmare I've imagined... fingers crossed anyway. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Definitely true about insurers being more flexible with classics than you'd think. I've had my '68 Mustang insured for years, and each time I tweaked something, I worried they'd freak out. Turns out, they're mostly concerned about safety and clear documentation. That said, did your agent mention anything about agreed-value policies? Regular insurance can undervalue custom or vintage cars... might be worth looking into just to avoid headaches if something does happen.
