Newcastle United fans have been warned to check their insurance before decorating their car with black and white stickers.
It has emerged that football club stickers can count as 'modifications' according to some insurance companies - and if you don't let them know, you could invalidate your cover - or even end up with six points on your licence and a £300 fine.
That's according to an investigation by Auto Express and the British Insurance Brokers Association.
Auto Express consumer editor, Hugo Griffiths, said: "While some additions to your car are obvious candidates for telling your insurer about, many motorists will be surprised by the strict definition of modification, and how even a sticker in the back window could void your policy."
Several years ago, Reverend Wena Parry, 75, sent photos of her car as part of a claim, only for the insurance company to say she had 10 days to explain why she hadn't told them about the stickers she applied and warned "the policy may be declared void".
In a letter Age UK Insurance said: "These modifications do not fit our acceptance criteria for motor insurance. Cover would have been declined if we had been made aware of these at the time of purchasing your policy."
While her insurer did, eventually, pay out, Mr Griffiths said this should serve as a warning.
He said: “Failing to declare something as humble as paint protection film or different alloy wheels could void a policy entirely, potentially costing thousands in the event of an incident, and even putting motorists at risk of a £300 fine and six penalty points.
Mark Barlow, managing director of IFM Insurance, added: "This type of behaviour by a minority of insurers questions the credibility of the whole insurance sector.
"My advice to drivers would be to use a credible broker who would not place cover with any insurer who would consider invalidating a claim on such a technicality.
"If you are insuring direct with the insurer, ask them the question."
