Contact your insurer before booking a CAN-Phantom installation. Explain that you are considering an aftermarket immobiliser and ask whether it must be declared, whether your policy requires a particular product or installer status, and what evidence the insurer will accept.
Ask for the answer to be recorded in writing. Do not assume that manufacturer-approved installer status, product certification or the presence of an additional security device guarantees insurer acceptance or a lower premium.
Why an aftermarket immobiliser can be an insurance disclosure question
An aftermarket immobiliser is a post-factory change to the vehicle. Insurers do not necessarily classify every security installation in the same way, but it may fall within a policy’s modification or vehicle-change disclosure process.
The Financial Ombudsman Service’s guidance on car modifications shows that non-disclosure can affect cover or claims in some circumstances. The result depends on factors including the questions the insurer asked, the policy wording and the facts of the individual case. It is therefore safer to obtain the insurer’s position before committing to an installation.
Notification is not merely about whether the premium changes. It gives the insurer an opportunity to confirm whether cover can continue, whether any conditions apply and what records it needs.
Questions to ask your insurer before fitting
The following questions can be used during a telephone call, webchat or email. If you speak by telephone, ask for a reference number and written confirmation afterwards.
Declaration and acceptance
- Do you treat an aftermarket CAN-Phantom immobiliser as a modification or security change that must be declared?
- Will you continue to cover this vehicle if the proposed device is fitted?
- Do I need your approval before arranging the installation?
- Is your answer specific to this policy, vehicle and named product model?
- Do you need any information before fitting takes place?
Product and installer requirements
- Does the policy require a particular security product, certification or insurance category?
- Do you recognise the exact CAN-Phantom model being proposed?
- Does installation have to be completed by an installer holding a specific status or accreditation?
- Will a manufacturer-approved installer be sufficient for this policy, or do you require something different?
- How should I prove that the installer meets your requirement?
Evidence of fitting
- What documents will you accept as proof of installation?
- Does the evidence need to show the device model, fitting date, installer details, vehicle registration or a product identifier?
- Will an invoice be sufficient, or do you require a separate certificate or registration record?
- Where and by what deadline should I submit the documents?
Ask these questions rather than assuming that every installer supplies the same documents. Certificates, product registration, serial-number records and warranty paperwork are not established as universal features of every CAN-Phantom installation.
How to describe the proposed installation
Give the insurer factual information and avoid repeating broad marketing claims. A clear initial disclosure could read:
I am considering having an aftermarket CAN-Phantom immobiliser installed. The vehicle registration is [registration], my policy number is [policy number], and the proposed product model is [exact model, if known]. The planned fitting date is [date]. Please confirm whether this must be declared, whether you will continue cover, and whether you have any product, installer or documentation requirements.
Have the following details available:
- Policy number
- Vehicle registration
- Vehicle make and model
- Exact CAN-Phantom product model, if confirmed
- Proposed fitting date
- Installer’s business details
- Any product or installer information already supplied
If the exact unit has not yet been established, say so and ask whether the insurer needs the model confirmed before it can make a decision. You can also review the wider questions to ask before booking a CAN-Phantom installation.
Approved installer, certification and insurer recognition are different
These terms are often used together, but they answer different questions.
| Term | What it can mean | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer-approved installer | CAN-PHANTOM says its installer approval involves manufacturer training, assessment and certification. | It does not automatically prove that the installer satisfies the conditions of every insurance policy. |
| Product certification | A specific product may have been assessed against a stated technical standard or certification scheme. | It does not automatically establish a Thatcham category, insurer recognition or acceptance for every policy. |
| Insurer recognition | An insurer confirms that a product and installation meet its requirements for the particular vehicle and policy. | It should not be inferred solely from manufacturer marketing or installer status. |
CAN-PHANTOM describes its own installer approval process as involving training, assessment and certification. Separately, Thatcham Research explains that its security certification does not itself guarantee insurer recognition. Product manufacturers and insurance partners negotiate that recognition individually.
The manufacturer currently describes the CP24 as a 12–24V product and says it is UN116 certified. That is model-specific manufacturer information. It should not be applied to earlier or different CAN-Phantom products, and it is not evidence of Thatcham certification or blanket acceptance by insurers.
The practical question is not simply, “Is the installer approved?” It is, “Does this product, fitted by this installer, satisfy the requirements of my policy?” Only the insurer can answer that for the policy concerned.
Ask what will change on your policy
An insurer may take security equipment into account when assessing risk, but an immobiliser does not guarantee a discount, an unchanged premium or continued acceptance. Ask for the complete policy outcome before fitting:
- Will cover continue on the existing terms?
- Will the premium increase, decrease or remain unchanged?
- Is there an administration charge?
- Will you issue an updated policy schedule or endorsement?
- Will the aftermarket immobiliser itself be covered for theft or accidental damage?
- If the device is damaged, will its repair or replacement be covered?
- Does fitting it affect any existing theft excess or security condition?
Do not rely solely on a statement that the insurer has “made a note”. Ask whether the policy record has been formally updated and what written evidence will show this.
Ask about theft-cover conditions and everyday use
A policy may or may not place conditions on an additional security device. Rather than assuming how the system must be used, ask the insurer directly:
- Must the immobiliser be working or activated whenever the vehicle is left unattended?
- Are there maintenance or fault-reporting requirements?
- What should I do if the device develops a fault?
- Does the insurer need to be told if the system is temporarily unavailable while the vehicle is being serviced or repaired?
- Are there procedures to follow when the vehicle is recovered, transported or handed to a garage?
- What must I do if I sell the vehicle or the device is removed or replaced?
For a working vehicle, ask how any condition applies when employees, garages or other authorised drivers need access. Owners considering installation on a commercial vehicle may also find the guide to CAN-Phantom for an everyday work van useful.
Build a written policy record
Keep the insurer’s requirements and the evidence supplied after fitting together with the policy documents. A simple record can prevent uncertainty later.
| Record | Details to capture |
|---|---|
| Insurance enquiry | Date, contact method, insurer representative or department, and call or chat reference |
| Insurer’s decision | Whether the change is accepted and any conditions, charges or premium change |
| Required evidence | The insurer’s exact document requirements and submission deadline |
| Installation details | Exact product model, fitting date and installer details where supplied |
| Policy confirmation | Email, portal message, revised schedule or policy endorsement |
After installation, retain the invoice and any product, model, fitting-date, installer or serial-number documentation that is actually provided. Send the insurer only what it requests, then obtain confirmation that the evidence has been received and the policy record updated.
Post-installation check
- Check that the actual product and fitting details match what was disclosed.
- Submit the insurer’s requested evidence through its stated channel.
- Ask the insurer to confirm that it has recorded the installation.
- Review any revised schedule, endorsement, premium or security condition.
- Keep the confirmation with the policy and installation records.
Arranging a CAN-Phantom installation enquiry
Swansea Remaps offers a fully mobile CAN-Phantom immobiliser installation service in Swansea and surrounding South Wales, subject to a vehicle-specific discussion. Swansea Remaps cannot determine how an insurer will classify or accept an installation; that decision belongs to the insurer.
Contact your insurer first, note any product, installer and evidence requirements, then include those details when you contact Swansea Remaps about the proposed installation.
This article provides a practical discussion checklist and is not insurance advice. Your insurer and policy documents determine the terms that apply to your vehicle.
Sources & further reading
External references used to support factual points in this guide.
- www.can-phantom.com
- CAN Phantom Car Immobiliser: Trusted Testimonials & Reviews UK
- Thatcham Security Certification - Thatcham Research
- www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- www.can-phantom.com
- stopautotheft.ca
- www.lewtechsolutions.com
- www.can-phantomusa.com
- awautolocks.co.uk
- ptautolocksmiths.co.uk
- www.trustpilot.com
- www.thatcham.org
- www.progressiveauto.co.uk
- www.thatcham.org
- www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- www.abi.org.uk
- www.ctlocksmiths.co.uk
- www.thatcham.org
- www.reddit.com
- www.reddit.com
Results, compatibility and suitable options vary by vehicle, software version, mechanical condition and existing modifications. Always confirm the correct route for your own vehicle before work is carried out.
