Does remapping affect your insurance?
Yes. A remap is a vehicle modification and it needs to be declared to your insurer. The only question is how much your premium changes, and whether your insurer will cover the modification at all.
Why you must declare it
Failing to declare a modification to your insurer is a form of misrepresentation. If you make a claim and the insurer discovers an undeclared modification, they can refuse the claim entirely, regardless of whether the remap had anything to do with the incident. That's a far worse outcome than a premium increase.
The ECU is detectable as modified by any competent diagnostic inspection. If your car is involved in an accident and the insurer investigates, which they will on a significant claim, they'll find it.
Declare it. It's a straightforward step and it protects you.
What happens when you declare a remap
The outcome depends on your insurer:
Most mainstream insurers will accept a declared remap as a modification and adjust your premium accordingly. The increase varies, it depends on the type of vehicle, the level of tune, and the insurer's own underwriting position on performance modifications.
Some specialist performance and modified car insurers treat remaps as standard and the impact on premium is minimal. If you're running a modified or performance vehicle, a specialist insurer is often better value overall.
A small number of standard insurers won't cover the modification at all. If that's the case, you need a different insurer, not an undeclared remap.
How much does it increase the premium?
There's no single answer. Factors that affect it include:
For many owners, the premium increase is modest, £50–£150 per year in a typical case. For performance vehicles or higher-stage tunes, it can be more. The only way to know for certain is to contact your insurer directly.
Modified car insurance
If you're regularly modifying vehicles or running a performance car, a modified car insurer is worth considering. These policies are built around modified vehicles and typically offer better cover terms and more competitive premiums than trying to add modifications to a standard policy.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need to declare it?
Does the insurer need proof of what's been done?
Will it affect my no-claims discount?
What about company cars or fleet vehicles?
If you want to talk through what a remap would mean for your specific vehicle and policy before booking, call us on 0161 302 5117.