Polestar Poll
 

As this upgrade makes a not insignificant difference to your insurance, I wonder how many of us would actually tell their insurance companies?! So here is an anonymous poll to find out..

Insurance companies are notorious for trying to wriggle out of any claim, and on that basis, yes they need to be told.
My next question now is what is it?

Does the Polestar upgrade include ANY visible components? Is there a plug in module, or new ECU? How would it be identified that the upgrade was installed?

This has been discussed many times on our forums over the years. If any owner has an accident and has not declared a modification it may mean that their insurance is not valid - what's the point of paying hundreds of pounds for a piece of paper that's worthless? What is the consequences of driving an uninsured car if you are involved in a serious accident? Some insurance companies now offer very competitive rates for modified cars....

• There is no physical module - it is software only
• YES - you should tell your insurance company of any modifications
• They cannot tell this has been done unless they decompile the ECU software or find a receipt/evidence of the upgrade after an accident

Please folks, I am not trying to encourage people to sway either way on this - I just wondered what a simple straw poll would reveal!

For those who do not know, it is an upgrade tot he ECU software approved by Volvo that gives the D5 in teh XC90 205PS and slightly improves fuel ecnomy. (But does not change the torque or acceleration).

Bloody hell, it's not rocket science is it? When deciding whether or not to modify a car, include in the cost of the actual mods the cost of additional insurance charges. If you don't want to (or cannot afford to) pay the additional premium, then don't have the car modified. Simples.

And with specific regards to Polestar....it's carried out through Volvo, who will record it against your cars service history. Guess what an insurance company is likely to ask Volvo for a copy of? Not necessarily to avoid paying out, the service history is an integral part of the valuation they will attach to a vehicle when determining write-off value, but if they happen to find anything in it which affects the insurance on your car then their attitude may change VERY quickly.

I agree with the service record issue and your other points FaKaWi, and as stated earlier all of this has been discussed. Still, just want to know what people would do, that's all!

The irritating thing is that it has any effect at all on your insurance, but it does.

So, tick the YES I'd tell them box if you would, and the NO I wouldn't tell them, if not.

Thanks!

Hi ITServe,
Realise you just after straw pole and its annoying to have to pay higher insurance premium, but the simple answer is you must tell the insurance company, as if you don't and get found out, it not only means that you are not insured now, it will create insurance problems in the future as your name will be on a register kept by Insurance companies, as well as potential points on license (and a fine) and therefore consequently higher insurance premiums in the future!

Btw notice you are Norwich based, do you use local Volvo dealer and how do you find their service? Sorry to hijack thread but unable to PM as yet (more than 30posts needed) but believe you can pm me though.. Thanks

A useful thread for reference even though it's from 2005!

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...ance+modifying

I had an accident in October 2006 and wrote off a that was worth £33,000 at the time. I got took to hospital for cuts etc and was discharged the same day.

My boss took me to the garage who had recovered my car so I could collect my personal items out of it etc.

By the time I had got to my car some 10 hours after the accident the ECU had already been removed by the recovering car garage at the request of the insurance company.

When I insured the car I declared EVER option and upgrade that it had like the carbon fibre strut brace, dealer upgraded ECU and exhaust etc etc.

And FaKaWi is totally right regarding the service history as this played a part in the value of my car and the offer I received and excepted when it was written off.