Bull Bars and Insurance Cover.

[biffa]

I've heared many conflicting storys about Vehicle Insurance cover relating to 'A' Bull, nudge, and Roo Bars,

1) Were some Insurance Company's won't cover any type of bar on the front of your vehicle (what not even a five bar gate? :lol: )

2) Or will only give cover to original factory fitted Bull Bars,

So any after market equiptent is not covered? :?

I remember reading a story in a Horse Mag about an interesting case were a pedestrian ended up wrapped around some bull bars in a 30 mph collision, He sustained serious injury and couldn't work, He was then awarded damages from the court but the driver's Insurance wriggled out of the claim stating that cover did not include bull bars, And the driver failed to specify them in his proposal form, Poor bloke had to cough up out of his own pocket,

I mentioned this to three friends that had bars fitted and not one of their Insurance company's covered them,

My own Insurance told me that cover could only be given to factory fitted, So I removed them, They were badly corroded anyway,

Are there any Insurance company's that will give cover for any bull bars out there?

Is there anybody that works for Car Insurance out there, who might know a thing or two?

 

[Bibio]

Try this company,,They do my Mistral (factory fitted bullbar),,,They may do others !.

http://www.2getherinsurance.co.uk/

 

[Terranosaurus]

I'm told NFU will cover them and lots of other 4x4 type mods like lifts etc, going to get a quote from them when I renew.

If you use some of these price comparison sites they have a section where you can put modifications such as bull bars, spotlights, side steps etc in to the equation. I did a quote a few weeks ago for a spec I'm working towards and got some remarkably low quotes.

A lot depends how the particular underwriters vie mods. Some consider that if you've taken all the time and money to do these mods then you're more likely to look after your car and drive carefully, others don't.

Interesting point is that whilst the law puts the onus on you to tell your insurance company about anything that may affect the insurance, their industry wide code of conduct requires them to ask you about anything that may be pertinent because they are the experts you are not, there is a move to have the law which was drawn up in the 1900s changed.

 

[Guest]

My insurance didn't know about the bull bars on my old T2, if they asked i would've said "i thought they were standard bull bars"

 

[biffa]

Spoke to my local NFU office today and apparently if you do mention any vehicle modifications on your insurance proposal and it's accepted by them,it doesn't always mean that you are in fact insured.

It seems that even though they will take your proposal and payments in the event of an incident it will be dependent upon an assessors thoughts regarding the bull bars.

So its still a grey area and I guess you would have to send photos with make and type of bull bars to the NFU and ask them to clarify that their assessors are happy with them.

Best to be safe and sure.

 

[Guest]

I'm with NFU, good company. Can't see why it would matter, they protect vehicle(In away) and it doesn't make the vehicle faster

 

[Terranosaurus]

No it makes it do more damage to whatever it hits and they are far more bothered about that.

 

[Guest]

yeah suppose so

 

[Guest]

question how would the insurance company know if it was factory fitted or added later? other than not having dealers marks on it?

what i'm trying to say is how can they confirm it was or was not fitted with a nudge bar when it was first sold?

You can't even get genuine answers from the dealer most of the time so what chance have insurance companies got?

shark1e

 

[Mikey]

Factory fitted bull bars have been illegal for a few years now.
It is only legal to fit after market bars now.

Also, I understand new laws are coming in this year to make all after market bull bars illegal unless they gently catch pedestrians wrap them in a nice warm blanket and rest them slowly on the pavement before making them a cup of tea.. If that's right, best fit them now.

I have an ARB fully armoured bull bar and bumper on my Navara. I gave full details to my insurers and they covered it OK. I am with Adian Flux 08700 764841. They know about all my mods, spacers bigger tyres, lift etc.

Hope that helps

mikey