SN95 Car modifications with Nationwide Insurance?

[Mildew&Gasoline]

(1994 V6 mustang, stock) For starters, I'm a young adult (ie. with a job, but still on the rest of the family's insurance), with a clean record, living in CA, with liability only insurance. I keep looking it up, and keep finding people talking about insuring their modifications, but not liability only.

Nationwide is already charging me an utterly discussing amount for the insurance, so I've been a little worried about modifying the car (mostly Ignition, intake, and exhaust for now), lest they charge me a whole lot more, or won't insure me. They won't give me a quote until I've made the first modification, which isn't particularly comforting either.

I'm hoping somebody has experience with this, and could throw some numbers or tips at me.

(Or maybe I just need a different company if / when I modify the car.)

 

[Mustang5L5]

Those mods aren't really modifications that would normally be listed on an insurance policy anyway, so I wouldn't add them. Once installed and used, removed they are not really worth much. The premium increase would be greater than the value of the parts.

Usually when people add modifications to an insurance policy, it's items like a set of custom $5K wheels, or $2-3K recaro seats, or other high dollar, high value parts.


In other words, I wouldn't bother telling them about an cold air intake, or a custom exhaust. I doubt anyone ever does.

 

[Noobz347]

living in CA

Leave the car alone. There are few things that you are going to do that will make it [better] particularly, in the kommifornia.

Insurance is not your problem; Emissions are your problem. Your liability insurer could care less about your [modifications] so long as the car is legal to drive in the state.

They won't give me a quote until I've made the first modification,

It's none of their business. When you go to insure the vehicle, it is a 1994 Mustang V6 that has a VIN# indicating it as such.

If you later decide to get [Agreed Value Insurance] (often purchased for classic or heavily modified cars) then it's a different story with different requirements. Furthermore, Agreed Value insurance is not purchased for the sake of liability. lol The only time modifications are relevant to the insurance company is if you are trying to insure the car for more than it is worth.

Rest assured that there is likely no mod that you can come up with that will increase the value of the 1994 Mustang V6 unless that mod is a show-quality paint job. Even then the paint would cost more than the value of the car.

So, keep your mods to yourself and don't change anything that going to get you hung up by the SMOG monkeys.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

I doubt they give a hoot for liability. At least the company does not in NE. Airbags and other safety features help with medical. I think ABS helps on your 94.
Now the specialty car insurance companies have all kinds of restrictions.

 

[Noobz347]

If your insurance guy wants to know about your mods, he can join Stangnet and help you pick them out just like everyone else.

 

[Mildew&Gasoline]

I doubt they give a hoot for liability. At least the company does not in NE. Airbags and other safety features help with medical. I think ABS helps on your 94.
Now the specialty car insurance companies have all kinds of restrictions.

That's good to hear. I'll probably just start with something little and see how much they care. I guess worst case scenario, I get rid of the modification and change insurance companies. I'll be 100 bucks and 2 hours poorer, but it's probably worth it.

 

[Mildew&Gasoline]

Leave the car alone. There are few things that you are going to do that will make it [better] particularly, in the kommifornia.

Insurance is not your problem; Emissions are your problem. Your liability insurer could care less about your [modifications] so long as the car is legal to drive in the state.


It's none of their business. When you go to insure the vehicle, it is a 1994 Mustang V6 that has a VIN# indicating it as such.

If you later decide to get [Agreed Value Insurance] (often purchased for classic or heavily modified cars) then it's a different story with different requirements. Furthermore, Agreed Value insurance is not purchased for the sake of liability. lol The only time modifications are relevant to the insurance company is if you are trying to insure the car for more than it is worth.

Rest assured that there is likely no mod that you can come up with that will increase the value of the 1994 Mustang V6 unless that mod is a show-quality paint job. Even then the paint would cost more than the value of the car.

So, keep your mods to yourself and don't change anything that going to get you hung up by the SMOG monkeys.

I'm not worried about the money I put into the car, especially since none of it will be cosmetic stuff, and should be salvageable if I get hit. You make a good point about the smog, but I'd like to think that with a little mineral spirits and some CARB stickers I can have my way. Besides, bolt-ons can just 'magically' become stock every two years if they have to.

 

[Noobz347]

I'd like to think that with a little mineral spirits and some CARB stickers I can have my way.

Let me know how that works for you. None of my ideas so far, have really achieved the desired effect.

 

[96pushrod]

A 94 v6 mustang isn’t the type of car worth spending a boat load of money to insure. If you have liability coverage only, your insurance won’t cover jack on your car if you get in an accident, only the other person’s car or property.

Unless it’s the nicest 94 v6 car on the planet, I wouldn’t tell the insurance company diddly squat about what you plan on doing to the car.