Winter Tyres - Would you inform your Insurance

[vRS Carl]

I've seen a recent spate of threads across various forums and even articles on the news where insurance companies are charging people "extra" if they fit winter tyres as they regard this as a modification.

Me personally i wouldn't tell them i had them fitted if i knew they would charge extra. Now some might condone this as fraud, misleading etc however look at it this way:

Your car's tyres are a maintenance part. As the car doesn't have a specific OEM tyre then it can't be classed as a modification. A modification in terms of insurance is anything that deviates from from an OEM part to alter the cars ability be it in power, handling, braking, looks, desirability to thieves etc etc.

Now some insurances are saying that winter tyres are a modification as they encourage a driver to travel at higher speeds in adverse weather, therefore increasing the chance of an accident and hence a claim. However as all tyres have different characteristics are they going to start altering insurance premiums say for example if you replace you Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas with Michelin PS3. As i know from experience these 2 tyres have markedly different handling capabilities. What if you have 2 tyres of one make on one axle and 2 of another on the other axle?

We could take this even further. If you have your car serviced by 2 different dealers at some point and one uses a different make of Oil to the other do you have to declare this? What about brake pads? does this apply if you replace these again at 2 different dealers and they use 2 different makes? If you wash your car and then wax it using a different wax to what was put on at new does this again class as modification?

Now i am considering writing a letter, containing a petition, to the CII, who is the governing body, The ABI and the FSA and ask them to clarify why some insurance companies are allowed to charge more and some don't. I think it is absurd that fitting a better tyre for adverse weather is classed as a modification.

I think an insurance company would have an extremely hard time in court justifying not paying out.

Now i am not advising people to mislead their insurance companies. If you do so that is your own personal choice.

I am however looking at garnering support and if i get enough across a few forums i will set up an online petition which will run for one month before i send a letter. I will of course post up said letter and petition for all to read. In the mean time i would suggest shopping around if your not happy with your current insurer.

[tony_danza]

Nothing more than taking an opportunity to make a fast buck.

Europe proves that winter tyres save lives and reduce accidents, you think after the hammering they took last year with everyone falling off the roads, they'd welcome drivers exhibiting common sense and self preservation.

[vRS Carl]

Is that a yes for the Petition then 

[tony_danza]

Yes. 

[Hedge]

I said yes as I would tell them but if they tried to charge me for the change I would tell them to poke it, cancel my policy with them and go elsewhere. There have been several posts from brokers on here saying they don't charge extra for winter tyres so I would go with them.

[Snoopy]

They basically cannot charge now as the ABI, SMMT and others are telling them not too. Most have been refunded that were changed.
http://www.smmt.co.uk/articles/article.cfm?articleid=22819

[Richn83]

Ive answered no, based on what my normal reaction would be, as I would not consider a wear and tare part to constitute a material modification.  As pointed out it is no different than fitting a different performance tyre.

[Thor]

I voted yes, as i phone the insurance company (admiral) when i fitted these to the MK6.  THey said fine no need to do anything.

I agree others that some are out to make a fast buck.

 I would have asked them for confirmation in writing that the believe it is safer to travel around in winter with temperatures of less than 7^oC on summer tyres when the tyre manufacturers state that there is a 60 - 70% drop off in summer tyre performance once it gets to the temperature and below.

[rudy]

no i wouldnt inform company of putting on winter tyres , yes to petition , how can they justify it are they going to have a different premium to different makes of tyres they all have different characteristics , this is getting silly

[gazbutS3]

We rang the insurance to tell them we had put winter tyres on the other halfs 1 series, and they said thanx for lettin us know

[Kalpsn2000]

Ive answered no, based on what my normal reaction would be, as I would not consider a wear and tare part to constitute a material modification.  As pointed out it is no different than fitting a different performance tyre.

+1

To the people that answered yes, do you inform your insurance company of every tire change you make? because thats all it is...unless you put on a different set of rims fitted with winter tires, which obviously would be a 'mod'.

[vRS Carl]

Good to see people's views both ways.

However it seems the ABI have beaten me to it. They have stated on the news the other day that your insurance company should not charge and if they do you should ask to speak to Head Office direct.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11969958

[Jaywoo-GTI]

Spoke to my dad about this last night who is in the trade and he said there is no way the goverment could actually enforce this, The thing they could enforce is doing the same a germany and getting everyone to have a seperate set of wheels for winter.

[182_blue]

Spoke to my dad about this last night who is in the trade and he said there is no way the goverment could actually enforce this, The thing they could enforce is doing the same a germany and getting everyone to have a seperate set of wheels for winter.

Sorry the Goverment couldn't enforce what ?

[Jaywoo-GTI]

Legally classing a winter tyre as a modification, If they tried, You would have to declare runing summer or all season tyres to, Or even declare a tyre different to  the original on the car.