[ScottyB]

As the title states, I cant have the JCW intake installed. And its not even an age based thing as I thought it would have been...

According to the NRMA, a supercharged car cannot and will not under any circumstances, be covered through them if it has any sort of air intake kit installed (or so I was just told). That is to say, if I go ahead and do it, have a prang and write the car off, my insurance is null and void. And if I ring them after I do it, and declare it, I get a letter in the mail in 3-5 days stating Im no longer insured.

Personally, I dont have another option, as the NRMA are the only insurance company who will insure a 21 y.o male driver for a MINI Cooper S - but I'd like to pose the question (again, as I know its sort of been touched on before), have you heard of that statement firstly, and if so, where else did you go for insurance?

Obviously under that policy, none of you CAI owners are insured through the NRMA?

Sounds like misinformation to me?....

[pezhead444]

You guys have some pretty strict insurance companies down under. Here in the USA they will insure just about anyone in any kind of vehicle as long as you have MONEY.

[Amigo]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScottyB

According to the NRMA, a supercharged car cannot and will not under any circumstances, be covered through them if it has any sort of air intake kit installed (or so I was just told). That is to say, if I go ahead and do it, have a prang and write the car off, my insurance is null and void. And if I ring them after I do it, and declare it, I get a letter in the mail in 3-5 days stating Im no longer insured.....

Scotty, I've spoken to them a number of times regarding various modifications to different cars (Mini included) and my understanding was that as long as the modification replaced an existing part of the vehicle (excluding rims or suspension which exceeded NRMA tolerances or items which were categorized as engine modifications) then it would be OK. They even went as far as accepting JCW modification as these are supplied by the manufacturer.

[-blacky-]

I'm with NRMA and have been since I got my license. They have insured my car with all mods (suspension & JCW) and the price didn't even go up even though the value of the car did.

Personally Scotty I would ring up and ask for the underwriting department, as these guys insured my car not the people on the end of the phone. They are only available Mon-Friday 9-5.

I will definately calling them before any more of my upgrades.

Hope this helps


Karen

[Todd!]

Quote: Originally Posted by pezhead444

You guys have some pretty strict insurance companies down under. Here in the USA they will insure just about anyone in any kind of vehicle as long as you have MONEY.

That is the same case in Australia... except that if you want to list your modifications, you have to pay higher premiums...

For me my CAI isnt really covered, so if I have an accient, I will have to swap it over.

To add the air intake, I am then saying the car isnt standard any longer, that means you have to pay a much higher premium... like double the AU$1200 I already pay per year through RACV.

There are insurance companies in Australia like JUST CAR insurance that will insure anybody... you just pay through the nose for it!!

Basically for me, if I have an accident and it was my fault and I was the only person involved, if the damage is minor, I would be stupid to claim it, as I pay an AU$800 excess and then my premiums would sky rocket!! That is what happened whne I had my incident earlier in the year.

I worked out it would be cheaper to pay the $1900 worth of damage than to claim on my insurance.

I keep my No Claim Bonus, my excess doesnt go up, I dont have to pay the $800 excess etc... can you see how it works??

Todd

[Baker]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScottyB

Personally, I dont have another option, as the NRMA are the only insurance company who will insure a 21 y.o male driver for a MINI Cooper S - but I'd like to pose the question (again, as I know its sort of been touched on before), have you heard of that statement firstly, and if so, where else did you go for insurance?

Scott, I'm 20, and was 19 when I insured my Mini Cooper S. I've not done any modifications to it insurance wise. I'm with the RACV. Its insured and registered under my own name - with no other drivers etc.

Are you going to be selling the JCW intake? If so, PM me, I'd have to check if my insurance would take it though.

[ScottyB]

Thanks Eddie and Karen,

Yeah, I mentioned that the JCW intake only replaced what was currently on the car, but she only fed me the story that NRMA will not ensure a super/turbocharged car with an air intake that I put on.

I will try as you suggested Karen, next week

My other option is to jump over to BMW insurance. Im pretty sure they would insure me, albeit it was significantly more expensive, but at least if Im going to go all 'mod crew', then I wont have the dramas sorting changes such as this to my policy.

Thanks.

[ScottyB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Baker

Scott, I'm 20, and was 19 when I insured my Mini Cooper S. I've not done any modifications to it insurance wise. I'm with the RACV. Its insured and registered under my own name - with no other drivers etc.

Are you going to be selling the JCW intake? If so, PM me, I'd have to check if my insurance would take it though.

wow.

At 20 no one would even look at me (other than BMW) for the S. And BMW's premium was about 3K.

Its all in my name too, no other drivers etc.

Re: the JCW intake - I havent purchased it yet, sorry

[Smurfn]

Scotty, I will ask them next week and see if they give me a different answer.

[n00b]

NRMA should insure you so long the mod is legal, roadworthy and does not breach their tech department's rules. At one stage, I had a riced up Civic, lowered, 18" chromes (ok don't talk about it and it is illegal actually), drain pipe up the backend and a HKS airpod that aren't covered. However I got it engineered and NRMA never ed and moaned about it.

Same goes for the Greendevil car, called them up, told them about the mods (theres a few of them) and so long it's roadworthy they don't care except a slight increase in premium.

Another option for you Soctty is Just Car. They turn out to be cheaper than NRMA and doesn't need me to go and grab an engineer's certificate to cover my mods either. One problem with Just Car is a whole weird lot of excess as well as no pay by the month, which is a bit of a bummer.

Good luck.

[ScottyB]

Quote: Originally Posted by smurfn

Scotty, I will ask them next week and see if they give me a different answer.

Thanks Jason

[ScottyB]

Quote: Originally Posted by dairyboy

NRMA should insure you so long the mod is legal, roadworthy and does not breach their tech department's rules. At one stage, I had a riced up Civic, lowered, 18" chromes (ok don't talk about it and it is illegal actually), drain pipe up the backend and a HKS airpod that aren't covered. However I got it engineered and NRMA never ed and moaned about it.

Same goes for the Greendevil car, called them up, told them about the mods (theres a few of them) and so long it's roadworthy they don't care except a slight increase in premium.

Another option for you Soctty is Just Car. They turn out to be cheaper than NRMA and doesn't need me to go and grab an engineer's certificate to cover my mods either. One problem with Just Car is a whole weird lot of excess as well as no pay by the month, which is a bit of a bummer.

Good luck.

Cheers

Yeah, I definately think something was out of order there. Will try and talk to someone else at NRMA during the week.

Thanks.

[-blacky-]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScottyB

but at least if Im going to go all 'mod crew', then I wont have the dramas sorting changes such as this to my policy.

Thanks.

No need to be like that Scotty Your more than welcome to the "MOD CREW" HAAHAHAHAHAHAH

[ScottyB]

Quote: Originally Posted by ks_cooper

No need to be like that Scotty Your more than welcome to the "MOD CREW" HAAHAHAHAHAHAH

Really Karen!! Really???!?!?!!

WOOHOO!!!

[GOGADGET]

NRMA !!!!! sounds like pants to me. JCW airbox is an up-grade, not a modification.

[IML337]

Scott perhaps you should explain that it's a dealer fitted and manufacturer supplied upgrade

otherwise, just go with BMW insurance - I've used them with the S since I was 22

HOWEVER - can someone tell me what actual value this JCW intake will add to your car? I don't think the gain will be worth the pain - just my 2 cents

[JCWMCS]

Quote: Originally Posted by ScottyB

Thanks Eddie and Karen,

Yeah, I mentioned that the JCW intake only replaced what was currently on the car, but she only fed me the story that NRMA will not ensure a super/turbocharged car with an air intake that I put on.

I will try as you suggested Karen, next week

My other option is to jump over to BMW insurance. Im pretty sure they would insure me, albeit it was significantly more expensive, but at least if Im going to go all 'mod crew', then I wont have the dramas sorting changes such as this to my policy.

Thanks.

You could try Oamps who are about to release a new policy, to compete with BMW Insurance, with some add ons like coverage on the track when attending an authorised Driver Training program (Ian Luff Motivation), and all OEM addons. I believe it will be available from the end of November.

[-blacky-]

Some people want to do additional things to their car, and it might be for their plain satisfaction, not extra HP they are going to get.

Yes we ALL know (and don't need to be reminded) that anything that is JCW/BMW related is a fortune but some people don't want to void their warranty's, by putting after market / non-gen parts on, as they may have 12-18 months left.

Just my two cents worth.

[Josh and Ali]

Scotty,
Someone has probably already suggested this at one time or another, but have you hit "young and cool" up for a quote.....
they generally seem pretty mod friendly

[GOGADGET]

Quote: Originally Posted by Josh and Ali

.............."young and cool"

........................suppose that excludes me