Evaluate Safety Retrofits on a Case-by-Case Basis 

Numerous factors go into the risk assessment profile of a vehicle for insurance purposes. Obviously those cars and trucks that are considered safer will be cheaper to insure. Consumers buying new vehicles will be rewarded with premium discounts for factory installed features like anti-lock brakes, anti-theft systems, and air  bags. But what about the owners of older or vintage cars? 

These drivers face a number of concerns in weighing the potential expense of safety retrofits. In the case of vintage cars, the intrinsic value of the vehicle lies in its authenticity. In most cases the best insurance packages for these cars come from specialty insurance houses that write policies on collectible automobiles that are only driven to enthusiast events and shows and that are stored in secure locations. In that regard, retrofits are, in almost all cases, counterproductive. 

For the owners of cars five to ten years old, premiums should naturally drop in five year increments over the life of the car. As a car ages, many owners discontinue their collision and comprehensive coverage at the point at which the vehicle itself is worth less than $10,000. Drivers who do seek to retrofit older cars face the same issues as those who modify performance vehicles. Every modification is taken on a case-by-case basis with the insurance company. The best policy is to discuss potential changes in advance of having the work done. If you are considering making the change purely for the potential insurance discount, make sure your company will recognize the change as beneficial. 

Some retrofits to consider might include: 

• Daytime running lights activated by the ignition.
• Retrofitted airbags. (Note that these units are expensive and not as powerful as original equipment.)
• Internal trunk release mechanisms.
• Shoulder belts or automatic seat belts. (The latter are the most difficult to retrofit and are not viable in most cases.)
• Air conditioning units.
• Devices to decrease engine emissions.
• Anti-lock brakes.
• Alarm systems and GPS tracking units.
• Electronic engine immobilizer.
• VIN window glass etching.

The only changes on that list, however, that are reasonably guaranteed to save money on premiums are anti-theft devices and VIN window glass etching. (These discounts tend to run about 5 to 10 percent.) 

Regardless of the potential financial benefit, however, always inform your insurance company of any changes to your vehicle's original configuration. Failure to do so could result in cancellation of your benefits in the event of a claim if the company can argue that the modification affected the manner in which the vehicle was intended to function. For instance, changing out the seats could, in theory, harm rather than enhance the driver's field of view. So, while safety retrofits for car safety advances might, on the face of things, seem like a good idea and one that will potentially result in premium savings, this is not necessarily the case. Evaluate every contemplated change with your insurance agent before having the work done to maximize your chances of getting viable insurance discounts.