Winter tyres = Increased insurance premium?!

[pirie555]

Hi Guys/girls,

This is my first post on Pistonheads, but I've been a regular "lurker" as the banter is usually top notch

I've just finished a 30 minute phone call with a well known Insurance company. After much wrangling and leaving a complaint on my record I have had to accept the fact that I am paying an extra £56 on my premium because I have fitted a set of 16 inch alloys and winter tyres, as recommended by Volvo for winter use. Apparently I wouldn't have been charged extra if I had just changed the tyres alone, but because the wheels where replaced that is an extra cost to the Insurance company........I tried explaining that the car had alloys on before the swap, so what's the difference!

I'm severely hacked off that I'm being charged extra for being responsible and will statistically be less likely make a claim.

Thanks for listening, I had to get this out of my system!!

Cheers

Ol

[Dog Star]

I thought the ABI had told insewerers not to do this?

[ZOLLAR]

Dog Star said:

I thought the ABI had told insewerers not to do this?

It's the alloys they're rating on not the Tyres lets not get that confused shall we?.

[Jimslips]

Wouldn't have told them. Their premiums just work by a computer system so unlucky mate.

[Codswallop]

Time to get a better insurer. Aviva were okay when I changed my mum's alloy wheels for a different set of alloys with winter tyres. They were the Mazda recommended size, but were actually wheels from a Hyundai (they were going cheap on ebay...). Despite this, the insurer was okay with the swap, as the new wheels were of lower value than the originals.

In the mean time, the only sensible thing for you to do would be to remove your winter tyres, and plow into a bus full of nuns, special children and kittens. That'll teach 'em!

[thinfourth2]

i thought if it is a manufactuers reccomended size then the insurers wouldn't increase the premium

[mgmrw]

ZOLLAR said:

Dog Star said:

I thought the ABI had told insewerers not to do this?

It's the alloys they're rating on not the Tyres lets not get that confused shall we?.

Balls.

That is all.

[kambites]

thinfourth2 said:

i thought if it is a manufactuers reccomended size then the insurers wouldn't increase the premium

I don't think so, I think they're just working on the basis that the kinds of people who fit after-market wheels to their cars tend to crash them more often. They wont have a statistical category for "fitted after-market wheels to allow winter tyres".

I'd look at other insurers though; you might find that someone else is cheaper with the changes.

[ZOLLAR]

mgmrw said:

ZOLLAR said:

Dog Star said:

I thought the ABI had told insewerers not to do this?

It's the alloys they're rating on not the Tyres lets not get that confused shall we?.

Balls.

That is all.

Eh?.

[Snowboy]

thinfourth2 said:

i thought if it is a manufactuers reccomended size then the insurers wouldn't increase the premium

Yep. This.

The only time you need to tell your insurers is if you want to make sure the wheels are insured for more. Say if you bought a set of diamond studded wheels.

If it's a standard size tyre for the car it shouldn't make any difference – call back, speak to a grown up – get it sorted.

[mgmrw]

ZOLLAR said:

mgmrw said:

ZOLLAR said:

Dog Star said:

I thought the ABI had told insewerers not to do this?

It's the alloys they're rating on not the Tyres lets not get that confused shall we?.

Balls.

That is all.

Eh?.

Snotter. Originally came with pressed alloy sunflower hateful things.

kept them for winter, with winter tyres on.

Now running aysmetricals on 46 rims. Told insurer, charged extra. So now to put the winter sunflower POS on, Imma get billed again?

[ZOLLAR]

mgmrw said:

Snotter. Originally came with pressed alloy sunflower hateful things.

kept them for winter, with winter tyres on.

Now running aysmetricals on 46 rims. Told insurer, charged extra. So now to put the winter sunflower POS on, Imma get billed again?

Did you change your alloys or just the tyres?.

[mgmrw]

ZOLLAR said:

Did you change your alloys or just the tyres?.

Car arrived on E36 sun-dial nasties.

1 week later they came off. I bunged 46 rims on.
(Insurers billed me for wanting to do this)
36s stayed behind shed, now have winter rubber on.

36s will be going on at the end of November, or sooner.

(Insurers will charge me again then)

[ZOLLAR]

mgmrw said:

ZOLLAR said:

Did you change your alloys or just the tyres?.

Car arrived on E36 sun-dial nasties.

1 week later they came off. I bunged 46 rims on.
(Insurers billed me for wanting to do this)
36s stayed behind shed, now have winter rubber on.

36s will be going on at the end of November, or sooner.

(Insurers will charge me again then)

So you changed the alloys and were charged for the modification?, I don't see the problem.

[mgmrw]

ZOLLAR said:

So you changed the alloys and were charged for the modification?, I don't see the problem.

And now to go back to the original BMW wheels... Imma get billed again. for returning to standard for 8weeks

[Snowboy]

Stop telling them.

You only need to tell the insurance company if the wheels aren't standard OEM fitment or if you expect the insurance company to pay out more for them if stolen.

[ZOLLAR]

mgmrw said:

ZOLLAR said:

So you changed the alloys and were charged for the modification?, I don't see the problem.

And now to go back to the original BMW wheels... Imma get billed again. for returning to standard for 8weeks

That's a mid-term docs charge.

[kambites]

Snowboy said:

Stop telling them.

You only need to tell the insurance company if the wheels aren't standard OEM fitment or if you expect the insurance company to pay out more for them if stolen.

Where did you get that information from?

[mgmrw]

I thought this.

But knew of PH flaming for anyone who doesn't declare modifications......... Such as dropping a 740i lump into their snotter36

[Snowboy]

kambites said:

Snowboy said:

Stop telling them.

You only need to tell the insurance company if the wheels aren't standard OEM fitment or if you expect the insurance company to pay out more for them if stolen.

Where did you get that information from?

I asked a few insurance companies when I was thinking about changing my wheels.
I think I've asked it 3 times now, once to a broker and twice to insurance companies – I've had the same answer each time.

If you declare it you may be charged.
But you don't have to declare it if it's standard fitment.

So long as the tyres have the same rolling circumference it's all good.