Personalised Number Plates And Car Insurance
As soon as the DVLA confirm that your new registration is transferred to your vehicle then you must inform your insurer. This is so that the Vehicle registration held on the MID (Motor Insurance Database) matches that of the DVLA and the vehicle record itself which holds information relating to Road Tax and MOT Status of all vehicles.
In the past, some drivers may have been deterred from buying personalised number plates because of fears that their car insurance costs will be increased but in reality, this is not the case. Many motorists are worried that private plates could be deemed as a modification that adds to the value of the vehicle. However, a report by the experts at Uswitch has confirmed that it is extremely rare for insurance premiums to be affected by displaying a personalised registration number. There can sometimes be an admin fee charged by the insurer to change the VRM (vehicle registration mark) on your policy.
Personalised Number plates Are Not a Modification
Number plates are a legal requirement and are considered to be a part of the car. Personalised number plates, such as those supplied by CarReg, have to meet the same (British Standard) legal standards as an ordinary registration number. The actual plate the number is displayed on costs the same, so you are not adding value to the actual car or changing the way it drives in the way that performance styling (body kits / upgraded alloy wheels or engine tuning would)
Providing you have notified the DVLA that you have changed your plates, and received a new V5C vehicle log book, you have the legal right to display your personalised number plates. You will have added a unique personal touch to your car, but not modified it.
But you should check with your insurer before making any changes to your vehicle. James Andrews, a Uswitch car insurance expert said, “Personalised plates are generally seen as part of a car, rather than as a modification, so it’s rare for them to affect premiums. It’s worth double-checking this with your provider, however, in case it takes a different view.”
Let Your Insurer Know You Want to Keep Your Number Plates
In the (hopefully unlikely) event of your vehicle involved in an accident and subsequently being written off the ownership of the car will transfer to your insurer once they make settlement. If you make a claim and the vehicle is deemed a "total loss" for the whole value of the vehicle, you must tell the insurance company that you want to retain ownership of your personalised number plates to avoid losing them, as the registration is part of the vehicle.
You must therefore retain the vehicle registration before relinquishing the V5C document to them. (Can be done quickly online on the .GOV website. Once you have your registration safely on retention and a replacement V5C with the ordinary issue registration, you can pass this on.
You can then transfer your personalised registration number to a V778 retention document until you have another vehicle to display it on.
Start the Search for Your Perfect Personalised Number Plates Today
If you haven’t yet found your ideal personalised number plates, you can search our vast database today. With almost 60 million unique and exclusive numbers to choose from, you’re sure to find plates that suit your needs and your budget.
Alternatively, if you already have a personalised registration number and you’re considering selling it, or you’d just like to find out its value, contact us at CarReg for a free valuation.
