[aussiblue]

Like most such policies, my insurance policy requires me to notify my insurer of any modifications made to my vehicles and gives the company the option of refusing any claims if I have not advised them of any such modifications.

With this in mind, and having bought a air/oil cooler to fit to my FG XR6 MKII I (not yet fitted) and looking at the vulnerable position it would be in, I contemplated the scenario where someone for example backed into my car in a carpark without me knowing and holed the cooler leading to the transmission failing and wondering if my insurer would cover the damage. In any event, I put this question to my insurer by phone call today.

When I called I was shuffled around a number people and clearly none of them had any idea about what I was talking about or the "milkshake" risk I was trying to mitigate (all insurance clerks rather than car people these days). The bottom line was that their view was that a) I would not be covered for an accident damaging the cooler and thus the transmission, b) any claim even if unrelated to fitting the cooler might be refused on the basis they had not been advised and c) if I advised them of the modification the policy would be cancelled. At the very least they said they would want my car and its mods to be examined by an engineer (at my cost) who could perhaps provide some certification in respect of the modification. I made the call anonymously and although pressured for my details did not provide them. It seemed to make no difference explaining that this modification would have no performance or safety implications (but I guess as they said, strictly speaking that is just my view).

I think I have three options:

a) Writing to the insurer with photographs of the kit I bought and relevant links to this site and some relevant YouTube videos hopefully convincing them that it's all OK and should have no impact on my policy;
b) Sell my air/oil cooler kit and just fit a new factory coolant/oil every 60,000km or 5 years (and perhaps fitting the kit years later when they would then probably have no idea if it was factory or not) ; or
c) Pretend I never had the conversation and proceed with fitting the kit without advising them. After all, they have never refused claims for my vehicles with arguably similar modifications such as retro-fitting thermo fans to cars that came with clutch fans or changing points ignitions systems to electronic ignition. But I guess in the last 20 years the world has changed and has become more rule bound an less DIY car repair and maintenance tolerant (and perhaps insurers have become bigger and more pedantic ****holes too).

I've had the car from new so I can't try the old "it must have been there when I bought it" line.

I also gather some dealers have fitted these kits to customers cars so you would think that gives some sort of implied manufacturer's endorsement of the modification. Has anyone had such a kit fitted by their Ford dealer or did I just imagine that?

I know I am really overthinking this, I should never have called my insurer and I should just go ahead, as I usually have in the past, and worry about it only if and when something goes wrong. What's your view. Has anybody advised their insurer they have fitted a transmission air cooler? Has anyone had a claim refused or a policy cancelled because of this or a similar modification.