Rather than owning a standard car, your own car may have been subject to certain custom modifications. Modifications may include specialist paint work, body alterations, engine tuning or other mechanical changes, altered interiors, or alloy wheels to name just a few; if so you will require specialist modified car insurance.
For some cars this work can be essential; for instance in the case of classic cars, where mechanical changes and repair works are often necessary to maintain good working order, such work can also be costly.
A standard motor insurance policy is intended to replace or restore your car to its original condition in the event of an insured event, however the insurer assesses the car by referring to trade manuals, and these do not take into account the repair or replacement of custom modifications; modified car insurance is essential to ensure you are fully insured for your vehicle and all of its alterations.
It can be the case that modified car insurance is more expensive that standard policies, especially if for instance your modifications bear the trademark of a ‘boy racer’ who is far more likely to claim, such as alloys, enlarged exhaust, tinted windows and neons.
However, if the insurer deems you less likely to claim, because you are only going to drive your car (and very carefully), in fair weather, and outside of these times it would be safely garaged, perhaps because it is a classic car, you could find your modified car insurance is in fact as cheap as, if not cheaper than a standard policy.