Auto insurance issues from modifying a Yaris?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by RMcG

Thanks for your replies. My reasoning on this is as follows. Auto insurance (generally) covers liability for injuring somebody else (or their property). If you never have a passenger and are in an accident, then your only potential liability is injury to somebody outside your car (or their property).

Taking the front passenger seat out of the car would not be a factor in injuring somebody outside your car. So this modification should not have an effect on liability coverage.

Most Auto Insurance policies do have a small amount of coverage for medical expenses for the driver themselves (for example ten thousand dollars). Since a modification like taking out the front passenger seat could possibly be construed (falsely I think) by somebody as promoting injury to the driver, maybe the modification would effect the (relatively small) medical expenses coverage.

Any comments anybody has will be welcomed.

Thanks,

RMcG

I think your reasoning makes sense. I would also read the fine print on your major medical policy to see if this issue is discussed and if so the extent (if any) to which your coverage would be effected. In every case I or another family member has experienced either the faulted other driver's insurance company paying our medical directly or our own major medical paid and then then our major medical was reimbursed by the faulted other driver's insurance company. The only experience I have with car insurance paying medical was long ago. I had no collision and comprehensive (as I always don't) and had liability and uninsured motorists. I got in an accident that was obviously (and was judged this way as well by LEOs and my insurance company) 100 % the other driver's fault. However, the other driver was uninsured. My girlfriend was in my passenger seat and was slightly injured. She didn't want to involve her own health insurance company, so my car insurance (under the uninsured motorist's provision) paid for her medical bills. I have quite a bit of confidence in my own driving and want to protect my money, so I carry a lot of liability coverage but no comprehensive nor collision and have followed this scenario for many years.