Winter Tyres and Insurance
Discussion
Just rang to check with the insurance co. to see whether I could change the alloys on my dad's car for some BMW winter tyres on steelies and I thought i'd just check if they wanted to be informed.
Yes they did.
They told me that if i did this the insurance would be cancelled as it is a modification.
I explained how rear drive cars suffer more in the snow and frost and some winter tyres would go some way towards curing this problem.
After checking with his supervisor he told me if I did the policy would be voided.
WTF?
Yes they did.
They told me that if i did this the insurance would be cancelled as it is a modification.
I explained how rear drive cars suffer more in the snow and frost and some winter tyres would go some way towards curing this problem.
After checking with his supervisor he told me if I did the policy would be voided.
WTF?
How odd. Since when is putting cheaper wheels on a car considered an insurance voiding modification.
As an aside, we got some cheap alloy wheels of ebay to put winter tyres on my mum's car, phoned the insurer and told them we would be fitting these and they had no problems qualms about it.
As an aside, we got some cheap alloy wheels of ebay to put winter tyres on my mum's car, phoned the insurer and told them we would be fitting these and they had no problems qualms about it.
Edited by Baffled Spoon on Thursday 25th November 19:17
amirzed said:
Just rang to check with the insurance co. to see whether I could change the alloys on my dad's car for some BMW winter tyres on steelies and I thought i'd just check if they wanted to be informed.
Yes they did.
They told me that if i did this the insurance would be cancelled as it is a modification.
I explained how rear drive cars suffer more in the snow and frost and some winter tyres would go some way towards curing this problem.
After checking with his supervisor he told me if I did the policy would be voided.
WTF?
Change insurer.Yes they did.
They told me that if i did this the insurance would be cancelled as it is a modification.
I explained how rear drive cars suffer more in the snow and frost and some winter tyres would go some way towards curing this problem.
After checking with his supervisor he told me if I did the policy would be voided.
WTF?
Admiral by any chance?
I phoned them last year when I bought new rims and tyres for the GL.
The car had 20" factory fitted option rims and I managed to source a set of the standard 19" rims for a good price - these are the only rims Mercedes approve for winter tyres on the GL320 (according to the handbook).
I then got hold of a set of Pirelli Scorpion Snow+Ice, the only 19" tyre of that type which also came with the MO marking to show it was approved by MB.
You would think that by using the officially approved rims and tyres, with the rims being those supplied as standard on the GL if you didn't spec the 20" options, Admiral would be happy .... I chose to notify them (I like to do everything insurance-related by the book!) and ended up in a half hour discussion about why they shouldn't increase my premium (worth less that the ones usually fitted, better suited to the conditions at the time, OEM kit with manufacturer approved rubber) and the goon on the other end of the phone just couldn't get his head around it and tried to increase the premium!
In the end he ended up going to the underwriter and eventually came back and said all was ok and they would not change the additional amount although they would list it as a modification to the car.
Weird for an industry where reduced risk is meant to preferable .....
I phoned them last year when I bought new rims and tyres for the GL.
The car had 20" factory fitted option rims and I managed to source a set of the standard 19" rims for a good price - these are the only rims Mercedes approve for winter tyres on the GL320 (according to the handbook).
I then got hold of a set of Pirelli Scorpion Snow+Ice, the only 19" tyre of that type which also came with the MO marking to show it was approved by MB.
You would think that by using the officially approved rims and tyres, with the rims being those supplied as standard on the GL if you didn't spec the 20" options, Admiral would be happy .... I chose to notify them (I like to do everything insurance-related by the book!) and ended up in a half hour discussion about why they shouldn't increase my premium (worth less that the ones usually fitted, better suited to the conditions at the time, OEM kit with manufacturer approved rubber) and the goon on the other end of the phone just couldn't get his head around it and tried to increase the premium!
In the end he ended up going to the underwriter and eventually came back and said all was ok and they would not change the additional amount although they would list it as a modification to the car.
Weird for an industry where reduced risk is meant to preferable .....
cptsideways said:
You'll find if you read the manual it'll tell which type & size are correct, this means they are standard fit & not a modification.
All normal type cars in Europe have type approval for winter tyres, so the insurance co are WRONG in a rather big way.
This ^^^^^All normal type cars in Europe have type approval for winter tyres, so the insurance co are WRONG in a rather big way.
I can kinda understand the insurers point where different alloys are used, but steelies with OE spec/ size winter tyres are not a mod. I wonder if the insurance view is that people with winter tyres maybe head onto the roads when others won't, therefore increasing the risk.
I'd like to see them try and not pay if you are using manufacturer approved sizes.
I've got steels and 16" winters to replace the 18" alloys on her car and a spare set of alloys with winters for my car. All are as per the manual, I don't intend on notifying them as it's not a modification, I'm just following manufacturers recommendations.
I've got steels and 16" winters to replace the 18" alloys on her car and a spare set of alloys with winters for my car. All are as per the manual, I don't intend on notifying them as it's not a modification, I'm just following manufacturers recommendations.
northandy said:
cptsideways said:
You'll find if you read the manual it'll tell which type & size are correct, this means they are standard fit & not a modification.
All normal type cars in Europe have type approval for winter tyres, so the insurance co are WRONG in a rather big way.
This ^^^^^All normal type cars in Europe have type approval for winter tyres, so the insurance co are WRONG in a rather big way.
I can kinda understand the insurers point where different alloys are used, but steelies with OE spec/ size winter tyres are not a mod. I wonder if the insurance view is that people with winter tyres maybe head onto the roads when others won't, therefore increasing the risk.
Would you rather argue the toss with your insurer when you fit the tyres or later when trying to claim?
amirzed said:
Just rang to check with the insurance co. to see whether I could change the alloys on my dad's car for some BMW winter tyres on steelies and I thought i'd just check if they wanted to be informed.
Yes they did.
They told me that if i did this the insurance would be cancelled as it is a modification.
I explained how rear drive cars suffer more in the snow and frost and some winter tyres would go some way towards curing this problem.
After checking with his supervisor he told me if I did the policy would be voided.
WTF?
I'm sure I replied to this on another forum Yes they did.
They told me that if i did this the insurance would be cancelled as it is a modification.
I explained how rear drive cars suffer more in the snow and frost and some winter tyres would go some way towards curing this problem.
After checking with his supervisor he told me if I did the policy would be voided.
WTF?
but there is your problem. It's not the tyres that they're quibbling, it's the wheels. They are unwilling or unable to differentiate between mods that are likely to increase the risk of a claim, and those that will in all probability make the car safer.
steve_amv8 said:
Admiral by any chance?
I phoned them last year when I bought new rims and tyres for the GL.
The car had 20" factory fitted option rims and I managed to source a set of the standard 19" rims for a good price - these are the only rims Mercedes approve for winter tyres on the GL320 (according to the handbook).
I then got hold of a set of Pirelli Scorpion Snow+Ice, the only 19" tyre of that type which also came with the MO marking to show it was approved by MB.
You would think that by using the officially approved rims and tyres, with the rims being those supplied as standard on the GL if you didn't spec the 20" options, Admiral would be happy .... I chose to notify them (I like to do everything insurance-related by the book!) and ended up in a half hour discussion about why they shouldn't increase my premium (worth less that the ones usually fitted, better suited to the conditions at the time, OEM kit with manufacturer approved rubber) and the goon on the other end of the phone just couldn't get his head around it and tried to increase the premium!
In the end he ended up going to the underwriter and eventually came back and said all was ok and they would not change the additional amount although they would list it as a modification to the car.
Weird for an industry where reduced risk is meant to preferable .....
The only point I can think of is when it comes round to summer and the tyres are not changed back. I can only assume winters wear quicker than summers and this could be viewed as a risk.I phoned them last year when I bought new rims and tyres for the GL.
The car had 20" factory fitted option rims and I managed to source a set of the standard 19" rims for a good price - these are the only rims Mercedes approve for winter tyres on the GL320 (according to the handbook).
I then got hold of a set of Pirelli Scorpion Snow+Ice, the only 19" tyre of that type which also came with the MO marking to show it was approved by MB.
You would think that by using the officially approved rims and tyres, with the rims being those supplied as standard on the GL if you didn't spec the 20" options, Admiral would be happy .... I chose to notify them (I like to do everything insurance-related by the book!) and ended up in a half hour discussion about why they shouldn't increase my premium (worth less that the ones usually fitted, better suited to the conditions at the time, OEM kit with manufacturer approved rubber) and the goon on the other end of the phone just couldn't get his head around it and tried to increase the premium!
In the end he ended up going to the underwriter and eventually came back and said all was ok and they would not change the additional amount although they would list it as a modification to the car.
Weird for an industry where reduced risk is meant to preferable .....
althought it falls under modifications, generally they class it as non standard optional extra, if it was a box that was ticked when your order the car or if its something you have bought for your vehicle that might be off a different version of your vehicle, it will need to be noted with the insurance company, if its an optional extra they note it because when they pay out for a vehicle they pay out for the exact vehicle so if you paid £xxx.xx for something extra to be on your car, then you would expect it to be paid out for if you had a bump, as for the tyre side of it, insurance companies work on statistic not logic and the wheels didnt come as standard on the vehicle, so its additional to the vehicle
This is why I'm vague with insurance companies, I let them suggest mileage figures, say there are no modifications that I am aware of, pretend I don't know what an alloy wheel is etc etc.
If anything happens, I know my car is standard anyway, and if they argue "oh it's got alloy wheels" then I refer them to my
phone call 
where i said I didn't know the difference, that and the minor point they are standard!!!
I haven't notified them I've changed my tyres, because they are bloody tyres, if I changed to steelies, I would let them come and tell me "oh it's on steel wheels" at which point I refer them to my phone call where i said i didn't know the difference.
Everything is geared around stupidity, so play the system, act stupid!
If anything happens, I know my car is standard anyway, and if they argue "oh it's got alloy wheels" then I refer them to my
phone call where i said I didn't know the difference, that and the minor point they are standard!!!I haven't notified them I've changed my tyres, because they are bloody tyres, if I changed to steelies, I would let them come and tell me "oh it's on steel wheels" at which point I refer them to my
phone call where i said i didn't know the difference.Everything is geared around stupidity, so play the system, act stupid!
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