Honestly, you might wanna give your insurer a quick call just to be safe. I once found out my dashcam was considered a "modification"—go figure. Better to know upfront than deal with surprises later...
Had a similar thing happen when I installed roof racks for our family trips. Thought it was no big deal, but turns out my insurer considered it an aftermarket mod. Quick call sorted it out, but yeah... insurers can be picky about the weirdest stuff.
"Thought it was no big deal, but turns out my insurer considered it an aftermarket mod."
Yeah, insurers can be surprisingly particular about modifications—even minor ones. When I upgraded my wheels to a premium set, I figured it was purely cosmetic and wouldn't matter much. Turns out, my insurer saw it differently and adjusted my premium accordingly. Makes me wonder, has anyone had issues with insurers over interior upgrades like custom upholstery or infotainment systems? Curious how far they take this "modification" thing...
I ran into something similar when I swapped out my seats for custom leather upholstery. Thought it wouldn't matter since it was purely cosmetic and didn't affect performance or safety, but nope—my insurer flagged it immediately. They claimed it increased the car's value and raised my premium slightly. Honestly, felt a bit nitpicky to me...but I guess they're covering their bases. Lesson learned: always double-check before making changes, even if they seem minor.
Had a similar experience when I upgraded my wheels to vintage alloys—thought it was purely aesthetic, but insurance saw it differently. They argued it made the car more attractive to thieves, which bumped up my premium slightly. Felt a bit over-the-top to me, but I guess insurers have their reasons. Definitely pays to check first, even if you're just tweaking minor details...they'll find any excuse to adjust your rates.
