Football season is in full swing, but car owners beware – displaying club stickers on car windows could potentially void that vehicle’s insurance policy.
A recent investigation by Auto Express and the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) found that displaying sports team stickers on a vehicle could be considered a “modification” by some insurers, which would invalidate an insurance policy.
“While some additions to your car are obvious candidates for telling your insurer about, many motorists will be surprised by the strict definition of modification, and how even a sticker in the back window could void your policy,” said Hugo Griffiths, consumer editor for Auto Express. “BIBA’s work and our investigation revealed that there are two definitions of a modification available to insurance firms. While one considers a car unmodified as long as it is unchanged from the state in which it left the factory, another stipulates that factory-fit options could make a car modified.”
Read more: UK car insurance premiums spike in Q2
According to Griffiths, even adding something as innocuous as paint protection film can affect a vehicle’s policy.
“Failing to declare something as humble as paint protection film or different alloy wheels could void a policy entirely, potentially costing thousands in the event of an incident, and even putting motorists at risk of a £300 fine and six penalty points,” he said. “And, in the case of potentially controversial messages on stickers, it’s best to keep your opinions to yourself, or be prepared to share them with your insurer.”
