Custom parts and equipment coverage
Standard policies cap this, usually lower than people assume.
Aftermarket modifications and added equipment are generally covered only up to a limited amount under a standard policy — often a modest cap that people discover after a claim rather than before.
If you've invested meaningfully in a vehicle, this is a gap worth closing deliberately.
What usually counts
- Audio and entertainment systems beyond the factory fit
- Custom wheels and tyres
- Performance modifications
- Paintwork, wraps, and bodywork
- Lift kits, bull bars, and off-road equipment
- Interior modifications
- Equipment fitted for accessibility, in some policies
The default cap
Policies commonly include a limited amount for custom equipment automatically. That figure is set by the insurer and is frequently well below what an enthusiast has actually spent.
Coverage above it generally requires a specific endorsement, with the equipment declared and valued.
Documentation is the whole thing
This is a coverage where a claim rests almost entirely on evidence. Without it, you're arguing about value at exactly the wrong moment.
- Receipts for parts and for installation labour
- Photographs of the completed work from several angles
- An itemised list with dates and costs
- Copies kept somewhere other than the vehicle
- Updates whenever you add something
Tell the insurer as you go
Adding significant modifications without declaring them can affect a claim, and in some cases affects how the vehicle is rated. Declaring them as you go is straightforward; explaining them after a loss is not.
Common questions
Usually only up to a limited amount set by the insurer, which is frequently lower than what's been spent. Coverage above that generally needs a declared endorsement.
Receipts for parts and labour, photographs, and an itemised list. Assemble it now and keep copies away from the vehicle — a claim is a poor time to start.
They can, depending on what they are and how they affect risk and repair cost. Declaring them is still the right move — undeclared modifications can affect a claim.
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This page is general information, not advice about your specific circumstances. A licensed insurance professional can tell you what’s actually available to you.
General information only, not insurance advice. Coverage, availability, and terms vary by insurer and by state, and are subject to underwriting. Quote My Policy LLC is a licensed insurance producer. Nothing here binds coverage.