Young drivers making modifications to their cars must tell their insurer

Young drivers in Ireland, mainly males, are transforming their car into dangerous vehicles by ignoring safety and fuel efficiency equipment on cars. Statistically, young male drivers are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal road accident than any other group of motorists but are leaving themselves open to not being covered by their insurance policy.



Male drivers under the age of 25 years old have accounted for a startling 40 per cent of road deaths in 2010 so far. A huge number considering people aged between 18 to 25 years old make up only five per cent of the population.



‘Boy Racers’ have developed a trend known as ‘chipping’, which involves them replacing the manufacturers electronic control unit (ECU) chip, which controls the performance of diesel turbo engines, with a black market computer chip.



The black market chip removes the controls, allowing the engine to run at its maximum speed. This can see an increase of 30 per cent in horsepower output, from 170bhp to 230bhp in a typical two-litre diesel turbo charged engine. It also gives the car an increased acceleration from start and can increase the top speed by 20 per cent.



Many of those who dispense with the original electronic controls on their cars built in by the manufacturer are failing to inform their insurer of the changes that have been made.



Third party injuries would be covered if there was an accident, however, the owner of the vehicle could be left with a huge medical bill and face further compensation payments to the insurers of other injured parties in the collision. This is because they would be entitled to claim for any payments made to third parties from the vehicle owner.



Niall Doyle, head of corporate affairs at the Irish Insurance Federation, has encouraged young drivers and car owners to notify insurance companies if any modifications are made to vehicles.



Mr Doyle said, "If people do not inform their insurer they may be considered to be uninsured. There is a duty of disclosure, just as there is a duty to disclose if they have been disqualified or have penalty points. It is the same as if they declare the car is a 1.3-litre when it is a two-litre engine. It would be deemed to be uninsured and they would not be able to claim for any car or medical expenses. The third parties will be insured under the policy but the insurer may claim repayment made to third parties. You could have a payment as high as €1 million to a third party and the insurer would be entitled to go after that million."



Rochelle Martinez, Freelance Web Content Article Writer for three years. Some of her articles are about http://www.quinn-direct.com.