Car modifications are considered to be any changes that have been made to a car that differs from the manufacturers standard specification, regardless of how small it is.

There are many forms of modifications;

• performance modifications (changes that afffect how the car drives, accelerates, handles or brakes such as turbochargers, sports exhausts, suspension kits etc)
• cosmetic modifications (changes altering the look of the car such as alloy wheels, body kits, tinted windows etc)
• interior modifications (changes inside such as sports seats, sound systems etc)
• security modifications (these can reduce your premium too such as improved alarms and tracker devices).

Not declaring a modification can result in an insurer refusing to payout and your policy could also be voided.

Don't worry if you don't have the car yet, you can still get an insurance quote for the make and model you are looking at as long as you have the full spec.

The owner of the car is the person who bought it or the person who received it as a gift. This may also be a leasing company* (*there must be a minimum of 12 months left on the agreement). The registered keeper is the person named on the V5C log book and is the person who keeps the car on a day-to-day basis.

Insurers need to know what address the car is kept at for a policy to be valid. The location and storage conditions affect the level of risk the insurer is taking on through their insurance cover.

For your insurance to be valid, we need to know if this is the address your car is most regularly stored at overnight. The location and storage conditions affect the level of risk the insurer is taking on through their insurance cover.

Overnight location is particularly important due to the car's exposure to theft, damage and vandalism. Different postcodes also have different historical claim rates plus if you park on the street vs a driveway, you are at greater risk of the car being bumped, scratched or hit.

Some insurers may give you a discount if you own your home outright or have a mortgage on a property.

Insurers need to know this because your relationship status could be a contributing factor in getting an honest price. If you live with your partner but you're not married, please select "Married common law".

Insurers use lots of information to work out the price of your car insurance and sometimes the type of job you do can affect this.

Insurers need to know how much you use your car and the risk associated with it. Choose the option which best suits you: 

• Social only covers day-to-day driving such as visiting family and friends or going shopping. It does not include driving to and from work.
• Social and commuting covers everyday driving, as well as your commute to a permanent place of work.
• Social, commuting and business covers all of the above plus using your vehicle in connection with work beyond just commuting.

You can find this info on your driving licence. Insurers need to know how long it has been since you have passed your driving test and received your current licence. If you haven't passed your test yet, this needs to be the number of years/months since you received your provisional licence.

There are some medical conditions which may affect your driving and therefore need to be notified to the DVLA.  If you have a DVLA notifiable medical condition, you will need to let us know if there have been any licence restrictions applied by them.

Insurers need to know of any driving offences you have committed such as speeding, careless driving or drink-driving. If you're unsure of the code and what offence you may have, they are recorded against your driving record which can be found on the written part of your licence.

Don’t worry if you have attended a speed awareness course or have been issued a parking offence, you don’t need to declare this.

Voluntary excess is the amount you must pay out if you make a claim, in addition to the compulsory excess set by your insurance provider. Choosing a higher voluntary excess now may lower your price but don't forget that you will have to pay that amount at a future date if something happens. It's also important to remember you can't claim for any damages that cost less than your excess.

Annual mileage is the total mileage you expect to do over the next year. This should include all driving to and from work, running errands and visiting family and friends.

Need help working it out?
Think about how many miles you usually drive per day or week, then multiply it to get a yearly figure.