New wheels, lowered suspension

A question about : New wheels, lowered suspension

I'm thinking of buying a new set of wheels for a car I'm buying and possibly lower it a little bit.
The wheels I'd get would perhaps be an inch larger but maintain the same diameter as they come from the same type of car but a different spec. The shorter springs would also be compatible with a higher spec car.

I take it that I have to declare the change to the insurance company. Can I expect a punishment from them in the form of increased premiums?

This isn't a performance hot hatch, just got a boring 4 cyl diesel taking almost 10 seconds to get to 60mph.

Best answers:

• Some insurers wont even touch the car with some modifications.
  If you fail to declare the changes and they find out then they could cancel your cover and leave you seriously out of pocket.
  May work out cheaper to buy the better spec car with those parts fitted as standard.
• Depends on the insurance company.
  I went from 16" to 17" alloys on mines but same width and premium never changed but i'm insured with a modified friendly broker.
• When you make such modifications, the insurers assume that either
  a) You're going to drive irresponsibly, and so higher risk, or
  b) You've got more money than sense, so they might as well have some of it, and
  c) The car will be more desirable to the sort of towrag who likes these things, so higher risk, or
  d) all of the above.
• Wouldn't really call it a punishment.
  A matter of statistics.
• Input some details on the meercat and note the premium and companies who quote, then add wheels and suspension mods in the relevant sections and note which companies vanish and what happens to the quotes.
• You'll probably need to go to a specialist insurer, the mainstream insurance companies won't touch a lowered car with a barge pole. Whether done correctly or not, they'll assume it was a bodge, springs cut down, original shocks still in place, tracking not adjusted. Basically they'll assume it's a dangerous car.
• Actually B makes no sense.
  A lot of youngsters with bangers lower their car
• Why do people lower the suspension anyway? It only makes damaging the underneath of the car more likely over pot holes and badly designed speed humps. Seems utterly pointless to me.
• They lower then because it makes the car look kool innit.
  On the plus side with the rock hard suspension they have to slow down between the bounces from one lump in the road to the next.
  If you get a boy racer in a lowered car wanting to overtake, Make them take the bumpy line.