Insurance and Winter Wheels

[Nottledim]

Anyone have experience of the attitude of insurance companies to fitting winter tyres to the Cali? I have just ordered some from Benn in Kent and will fit them anyway and let the insurance company know but would like to be ready for their reaction!

 

[calikev]

I would have though provided they are load rated they will be pleased as you will technically
Be safer

 

[Custardtart]

There's a readers letter in the Sunday Times today where an Audi driver put winter wheels/tyres on his car and the RAC (his insurer) said he had to cancel his/her policy, start a new 12 month policy at a higher cost and will need to pay another admin fee in April when he/she changes back to the original wheels. Apparently this is because the wheels are different (a bit narrower) so are therefore considered a modification.

As the person says - they're only following the RAC's advice to use winter tyres and then they get penalised for it.

Anyway - good luck!

 

[Nottledim]

I saw that letter too, I will post how I get on with the Camping and Caravan Club Insurance after I speak to them on Monday.

 

[Custardtart]

I think it depends on the underwriters. If they accept modifications then it's just going to be a minor cost for admin - I think the feller in the ST was unlucky.

I've just ordered some bling wheels for my Cali and the insurers want £11 to update the insurance because its a modification. I can live with that! Daft thing is if I put the original Thunders back on it might cost another £11!

 

[Meoncoast]

last year was with direct line and they wanted me telling them when they went on and off no fee but new cover note each time

my winter tyres and wheels are van rated and the same size.

this year when I took out insurance and asked was told not an issue as did not effect the power output of the van.

with ref to RAC insurance attitude I am sure there was something on the radio when someone moved and had no post code as they had a new build so their insurance was cancelled


The whole thing with insurance and winter wheels seems most odd to me. If you follow it through and you replace your tyres when they wear out with a different make from factory fit you should tell your insurance.

 

[CannellWalker]

Will be interested to see how you get on. I hadn't even thought to contact the insurers as the new wheels are VW branded. As HY09 UMU says do you tell them if you change tyre make? What about putting the bike rack or awning on / off? Is that a modification?

 

[Nottledim]

Its a minefield but you can be sure insurance companies will use any thing they can to deny a claim Because tyres are the things that sit on the road i think they would want to be informed ,partly because with winter tyres you are more likely to be hit by someone without them than cause the bash yourself.

Lets see what they say,

 

[Custardtart]

The wheels I've ordered are VW too - wanted to keep the van OEM and thought it would be easier with the insurance, but they still considered it a modification - even though the wheel/tyre size is listed on the plate on the drivers door and in the handbook too!

 

[slowcoach65]

I'm insured with VW insurance and I phoned them to check before I put winter tyres on steel wheels in place of my standard tyres on alloys. They said it's fine and they don't need to know as long as the "rolling diameter is the same".

Hope this helps,

Andy.

 

[Goldie]

Have a look at this https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-savings/Products/Motor-insurance/Winter-tyres and download the pdf. I had a big argument with a cocky young chap at eSure a few years ago who claimed it was a modification as it was a different configuration to that which left the factory.

I complained to eSure and they agreed that as long as I wasn't putting alloys on it wasn't a problem.

Andy

 

[Nottledim]

That's a very useful definitive document and covers my question exactly.

Goldie

 

[Nottledim]

Just spoke to insurance (Club Care underwritten by Equity Red Star) and they have simply put a note on the file that winter tyres have gone on the Cali but there are no other changes to the policy.

I will inform them in March when the Thunders go back on.

Result!

 

[Stuart]

I was just wondering about this and thankfully used the search to find this thread

So does anyone actually tell their insurer every time they switch to winter wheels and then back again?

 

[GrannyJen]

I told my insurer (comfort) and they had no problem with it.

 

[Bellesca]

i'm with Comfort too...no problems

 

[Stuart]

I'm OK telling them once. But twice a year seems a bit of a hassle

 

[WelshGas]

Caravan Club told me as long as wheel diameter and tyre size are as on the invoice no notification required. That includes alloys or steel as the spare is steel.

 

[WelshGas]

So if you fit All Season tyres - No notification required.

 

[Goldie]

Here's the current ABI guidance, although not all insurance companies appear. I suspect many are subsidiaries of the bigger ones. Seems much more sensible and easier than a few years ago.

Andy

 

[Batmobile]

Hi Andy, did you forget to link or attach something?

Here's the current ABI guidance, although not all insurance companies appear. I suspect many are subsidiaries of the bigger ones. Seems much more sensible and easier than a few years ago.

Andy

 

[Goldie]

Hi Andy, did you forget to link or attach something?

I did. . Hopefully attached pdf is readable.