Millions of motorists across Britain are at risk of inadvertently invalidating their car insurance policy.

Sat Nav in window

Would you have ever imagined that something as trivial as placing a sat nav device on your windscreen could cost you your driver’s license and land you with a hefty fine?

This everyday piece of tech could land you in hot water if you ever needed your insurance to pay out as it could be cause for your insurance to be invalidated.

The problem is that it’s not always clear what each insurer considers to be a “modification”; with some providers’ small print including things as insignificant as tinting your windows or simply installing a satellite navigation system in your vehicle.

Different providers class different things as modifications so it’s always better to air on the side of caution and ensure that you aren’t accidentally voiding your cover.

If you’re ever in need for your insurance policy to pay out, for example if you’re involved in an accident, your provider could refuse your claim and cancel your policy if they find out that you have made these so-called modifications without notifying them.

If your policy is voided you could find yourself on the wrong side of the law and even though you have paid your premiums you could end up facing the same penalties as somebody who intentionally opted to drive without insurance at all.

Driving without valid car insurance carries heavy penalties such as fines, points on your license and could even see you having your vehicle impounded. You could struggle to find insurance in the future without the help of a specialist impounded car insurance provider.

The advice from experts is to always read the small print on your policy document. And if you are unsure, call your insurance provider to find out exactly what they consider to be a modification to your vehicle before it’s too late.