Do you need to notify insurance about winter tyres ?

[Nigel Worc's]

Chaps.

I can't believe I'm asking this, but someone I know is insistent that I'm "invalidating" my insurance by fitting winter tyres.

If anything I'd like to think if insurance could be invalidated, it would be by being silly enough to drive in poor conditions using tyres outside of the temp range they are designed for.

So, do the insurance bods on here think I need to notify my insurance ?

[marshalla]

Why not ask the ABI ? Hang on, they've already answered :

https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Produ...

[Nigel Worc's]

Thank you.

I am amazed that my mate actually has a point.

You fit tyres designed for the temperature they are being used in, as opposed to summer tyres, and some insurance companies think this is an issue ?

Mine are on that list thankfully.

[Dryce]

Nigel Worc's said:

Mine are on that list thankfully.

My last two insurers are on the list as not requiring notification.

But when called both actually said they wanted me to notify them when I switched (and when I switched back again in Spring).

My inclination if I were you would be to call your insurer anyway.

[pills]

My company is listed but wanted to be informed when I switched.

[Mr Taxpayer]

This came about a few years ago because some plonker in an insurance company confused winter tyres, i.e. the ones with a softer compund, more sipes and potential Z speed rating; with studded tyres, the ones for use on ice. The former are brilliant in cold, wet, slushy, snowy conditions and are mandatory in Germany between October and March and highly recommended in other European countries. The latter are for use on ice-covered roads in Polar regions, using them on asphalt roads damages the road, driving them on tarmac is akin to walking about in hobnail boots (you slide around a lot) and they're speed limited to about 50mph because the studs fly out over that speed.

IMHO in certain conditions - oft experienced in this country over winter - driving a car equipped with 'summer tyres' is a breach of your insurance, in that you have failed to maintain it in roadworhy condition. IIRC it's also illegal to drive a vehicle knowing that it is not roadworthy (Breadvan or Mk3Spitfire seem to have knowledge here). Though I can't see the Police nicking themselves...

[Adrian E]

Mine's listed but I rang them to double check when I was due to fit them - they added winter wheel size (and summer wheel size, even though I'm sure they already had it listed as part of the exhaustive spec list they wanted to add to the policy details!) and tyre specs to the policy record, but don't require notifying when they are swapped over.

This is for Admiral.

[Mr Taxpayer]

Also what happens if you buy a car in the winter that is already fitted with them? Or if you've bought a car of someone who uses part-worn tyres and you've a mix of summer and winter tyres? This isn't illegal and AFAIK not an MOT fail.

[Steviesam]

I called mine, but they said thank you, but as long as they are to manufactureses size/spec, no need to.

[numtumfutunch]

Interesting to see Direct Line are in the "no" group

I phoned when I switched and they increased my premium and then charged me an 'admin fee' on top which they repeated when I changed back to the regular rubber in April

Which was nice.............

[Adrian E]

numtumfutunch said:

Which was nice.............

Time to ring them for a refund, with the offer of a link to the ABI info above by the sounds of it!

[Mr E]

The car is on the correct winter tyres specified in the handbook. I haven't told the insurers.
I also don't tell them when I carry a full load and put 49psi in the rear tyres.

[amstrange1]

Wife's car is covered with e-sure, on the 'phone they said they didn't need notifying if it was just tyres - but as we're using a secondhand, non-standard, set of alloys for the winter rubber they needed to note that down. All they ask is for a 'phonecall when the winter setup goes on, and another when it gets swapped back to standard UK dealer spec. No charge.

On other cars where I've fitted winter rubber to OE-spec wheels (or the manufacturer's own alternative winter rims) I've not bothered.

[Nigel Worc's]

As I'm running the correct size tyres, with the correct load rating, on standard VW steel wheels, non of this had ever crossed my mind.

Will be not be able to stray away from the brand supplied next ?

It says on that list that my insurer doesn't need notifying, nor do I think they should.

Crazy situation.

[stargazer30]

Right well I'm going to throw a spanner in the works and point out that winter tyres (especially on steelies) are a performance upgrade for the car. So in theory an insurance co would have an argument to load the premium.

Less rotational mass vs a normal summer tyre on an heavier alloy. That is until you hit a corner and those softer side walls come into play!



Joking aside my ins co's never loaded the premium but they did want to know when I switched.

[Mr E]

Same alloys, just different tyres.

[Mr Taxpayer]

stargazer30 said:

Right well I'm going to throw a spanner in the works and point out that winter tyres (especially on steelies) are a performance upgrade for the car. So in theory an insurance co would have an argument to load the premium.

Less rotational mass vs a normal summer tyre on an heavier alloy. That is until you hit a corner and those softer side walls come into play!



Joking aside my ins co's never loaded the premium but they did want to know when I switched.

If you reagerd being able to start, steer and stop safely as a performance upgrade, then you need your head examining. I lived in Germany 2000-2006; if you had a RTC in 'winter conditions' the German Police would note what tyres you had fitted and helpfully tell your insurer, if you didn't have winter tyres on then your insurance company would reduce your claim by 20% for contributory negligence. In October 2006, the fitting of winter tyres became mandatory. Sorry, should that read the fitting of a 'performance upgrade' became mandatory?

There's also a very credible argument for keeping the winter tyres on all year round in UK, given the average rainfall and temperatures, particularly north of the Mersey/Wash.

Edited by Mr Taxpayer on Tuesday 9th December 09:12

[pork911]

i thought anyone who fits winter tyres drones on about it to all and sundry anyway and first call is presumably to the insurer as they have to listen

[ging84]

The abi member companies have all agreed that winter tyres will not affect the level of cover, so that means no loading of premiums or denying claims. So there is no consequences of not informing them even if they are listed as an insurer who says they must be informed.

[numtumfutunch]

numtumfutunch said:

Interesting to see Direct Line are in the "no" group

I phoned when I switched and they increased my premium and then charged me an 'admin fee' on top which they repeated when I changed back to the regular rubber in April

Which was nice.............

Apologies for quoting myself

The reason they loaded my premium was because I swapped them with a second set of alloys Id bought through my car's owners club

Genuine, legit OEM rims which were fitted to another model as factory standard but not mine
ie my car is a 'GL' and they came from an 'L'

Aprt from the usual 'GL' refinements LOL the 2 models are essentially the same with exactly the same engine and suspension

To say I was peeved was an understatement, being turned over again when I swapped back to standard rubber when it got warmer similarly so

Cheers!