Mini Cooper Chilli Pack insurance

[MiniKim101]

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone could give me advice on this.

Im looking at buying a 2003 Mini Cooper with a chilli pack but Ive been comparing insurance on moneysupermarket and if I put it down as a chilli the insurance is really high and I actually wouldnt be able to get the car. I have the reg and when I type that in it just comes up as a regular mini cooper and as far as I know it doesnt state on the tax book that its a chilli. So what I'm wondering is if I use the reg to identify the car and then add the extra's as mods would this be ok to insure because its a hell of a hot cheaper and technically they couldnt not pay out if something happened because even if its not down as chilli all the extra's are declared. Obviously the companies are thinking its a higher horsepower but its just normal and the extra's are only cosmetic mostly.

Im 23 by the way and on a provisional with 3 years no claims. (Ive been busy and admittedly my cars have sat in the driveway for the 3 years). I've had lessons before and im getting the intensive course to pass in a week in April.

[dlpruk]

Chili pack extras are much more than cosmetic and increase the value.

[MiniKim101]

Yea but it doesnt have higher horsepower or anything and I seen somewhere else on here someone said that an insurance company tried to charge them loads because they said it was more powerful and when they actually explained what the chilli pack contained they apologised and reduced it. As long as its all put down as extra's whats the difference? Obviously the insurance companies dont really understand whats included and BMW said themselves it was only the names they used to distinguish the extras but didnt make a difference to anyone else.

[joanna.yardy]

It's completely your call. I have a Mini Cooper Chilli and I didn't used to declare it was a Chilli, as I didn't realise it was anything different. When I renewed this year the insurance company was fairly specific that if it was a Chilli then it's definately different to a Cooper.

I know it doesn't add any HP to the vechile but from new the Chilli Pack is a few grand added on. I also understand about if you declare the extras then theres no difference. Me personally, I haven't risked it. Simply for the fact if I had a crash, then knowing my luck my insurance company would do everything they could to say my insurance if void as I didn't say it was a Chilli...

It's annoying I know, also 23 and it does hike the price up a lot...

[MiniKim101]

I think Im just gona give it a go and theres no way they can really talk out of it if something happened cause if the person who had it now was clueless and didnt tell me there was a pack then theres nothing to say anywhere that it wasnt just extras if i didnt know.

[M4RKC]

If it helps, i've just been through some quote hunting for my mini, due for collection on saturday. had some huge variations on quotes but got best from Performance Direct, by quite some way too. If you haven't checked them out it'd be my recommendation. Unless anyone else knows better??

[MiniKim101]

I went to that Performance Direct to get a quote online and they cudnt give me it but Ive been getting phone calls and I googled the number and thats who it is. They dont even answer when I pick up and people said they were getting like 30 calls a day!

[M4RKC]

ah no, thats not funny. i got one follow up call but have had nothing more since, just an email with the quote details. the call i had was an automated system that did connect me to someone, but he couldnt connect to me so i never spoke to him.

[S'Cooper]

hi, i work in insurance and it is advisable to declare everything to them, in the event of a claim they could void the policy due to non disclosure, unfortunately saying you didn`t know isn't an excuse. however if they do pay out they may only replace the parts to a lower spec because they were not informed of the higher spec, eg the chilli may have sports suspension or 16" alloy wheels and if they were to be damaged they may replace with ordinary ones. the chilli pack makes the car more desiriable to thieves and so hence the premium is more. its not just about horse power, it is also to do with desirability and value. i would shop around a bit more, be honest and find as good a deal as you can with the cover you need.

[fergusor]

Quote: Originally Posted by S'Cooper (original)

the chilli pack makes the car more desiriable to thieves and so hence the premium is more.

How would the average Joe know that it has a chili pack though? I'm not doubting what you say but the ordinary man in the street has no way of telling if the car has the chili pack specified. You can buy all parts of the chili pack seperately (obviously costing you more) and legitimately say that it doesn't have the chili pack.

[anbrian]

Please take the sound advice being offered here - be truthful with the Insurers on everything as they will have all the correct details.

Incorrect information will void your policy.