A custom paint job will not necessarily make your rates go up but it may not be completely covered if you have a claim. Having a custom paint job is not usually a risk factor that on its own would cause your vehicle to cost more to insure, unless the insurer's underwriting rules determine the paint job makes your car more of a risk for being stolen or something of that nature. Alternatively, if you purchase additional coverage to pay for damage to the custom paint job, then your insurance would cost more. This coverage, when buying a policy on our site is typically labeled as: CUSTOM PARTS AND EQUIPMENT (CPE).

If you want your custom paint job to be covered by your car insurance though it would likely make your rates go up since it would usually not be covered under the terms of a normal personal auto insurance policy and thus you would probably need an endorsement for custom parts and equipment. With an endorsement the custom paint job could then be covered by your insurer at least up to a certain amount.

Insurance company guidelines and policy terms differ so if you customize and/or modify your vehicle you should inform your insurance provider so they can tell you if the modifications will be covered or if you need a special custom endorsement to cover the changes to the vehicle. If you just assume the parts or paint job will be covered you could be surprised if you need to place a claim to find out they are not. Also some modifications to a vehicle can in fact void out your policy.

For example if you purchase Comprehensive or Collision coverage through Progressive, you will automatically receive at least $1,000 of Custom Parts and Equipment (CPE)/Accessory coverage is included in most states. You can purchase up to $4,000 in additional CPE coverage to cover up to $5,000 custom parts and equipment.

Progressive and most other insurers define custom parts and equipment as anything that is not offered by the original manufacturer of the car or installed by the dealer as a part of the original sale.

CPE covers permanently attached equipment, devices, accessories, enhancements and changes, other than those that the manufacturer originally installs, that alter the appearance or performance of an automobile. This includes items such as (but not limited to):

• Custom paint work
• Deluxe exterior
• Alloy or magnesium wheels/wheel covers, aluminum wheels or wire-spoke wheels
• Special tires
• TV, VCR or DVD players that are permanently installed in the vehicle
• Anti-theft equipment not installed by the auto manufacturer

It is always recommended you take photos of the any custom paint job, parts and equipment installed in or on your vehicle and save all your receipts in case you do need to make a claim with your insurance company. If you have not yet painted your car but are thinking of putting on a custom paint job on your vehicle than speak to your insurance provider about what you would need to have this covered and how it would affect your rates.