Warning - Runflat deletion voided insurance claim !

[AW8]

........According to local garage/trader I spoke with today.


Assessor has refused to pay up as customers car had accident/collision & OE run flats removed & replaced with non-run flats. No idea if this is being challenged or appealed by the car owner.

This means owner has to pay for total claim cost ( not known if other party involved or if injury) which could be costly.

I had assumed that on top of that with insurance claim unsettled the owner could technically be liable for consequences of driving without insurance but this is debatable - somewould argue that 3rd parties would still be covered.


So there you have it - Not saying I agree with this but it's mentioned here for warning to others.

Yes I know some run cars with different make tyres from when car first registred & I accept many cheap tyres, odd tyres or incompatable tyres  can compromise handling/breaking etc. I also accept many report improved handling whe runflats replaced non runflat tyres.

Some would reasonably argue it's just an excuse for insurers to fail to settle / pay out


If I ever buy a car in future that had RF tyres as OE I will check with insurance before changing.

Apologies if folk already know of this issue but felt need to warn others re this so informed of potential consequences.

[mikem]

I tend to take anything a local garage/trader says with a pinch of salt !

[5wany]

Would think there is prob some truth in this. 

Insurers will look for any discrepancy to void a claim. Well worth considering when renewing tyres or insurance.

[535dboy]

Doesn't overally surprise me tbh

[X5Sport]

My take is that it probably correct, although it may vary from one insurer to another.  It's the same as using lower weight ratings, the car is type approved in a set number of configurations and that includes the tyres. 

My insurer made it clear to me that anything 'not offered as OEM and approved by the car manufacturer as part of the options on my car' would be regarded as a modification and had to be declared.

The X6 is not offered with non-RFT so it would be a breach of the vehicles type approval cert if I chose to fit anything else.

I would expect that it might only come into play if tyres were deemed to be partly to blame due to say less grip and a longer stopping distance which might have avoided the RTC, but who knows?

Richard

[tiger78]

Will probs be similar to the winter tyre insurance dodge last year !

[scooby1doo1]

That's bloody daft, as said its like changing different brands from OEM. Meaning if you don't keep the OEM tyre regardless of run flats or not, then your not covered.
What if he/she can prove that the tyre now fitted is better then the run flats, regarding grip?


Sent from the Iphone via talktapa

[johnx5]

Will depend if BMW offer non-runflats as an option. On certain models you can opt for non-runflats at extra cost and find it hard to understand that insurance company wouldnt accept these as standard option. If model is not offer with non-runflats then insurance company may have a case.

[Don Coffey]

Insurance get out clause!  So long as the tyre has the right ratings and legal tread depth then it should good.

Don

[Riggie]

When I was going from rf's to non rf's on my E60, my insurance company said that as long as the tyres were the correct size and speed rating, all was well. Seems like an attempted get out to me.

[X5Sport]

Not necessarily.  More and more insurers are using undeclared mods away from what the manufacturer has the car approved with on the type cert as a way of not paying.  If you declare it then no problem.  It's if you don't.  You declared yours and they were happy, but what if you hadn't?

And you may have to satisfy the underwriters that it's a safe mod, especially as with the X6 (for example) the official tyres - there are quite a few options for Summer, Winter and All Season - are all ROF/RFT, no non-RFT options listed on the current parts list.

Unfortunately this is likely to become more and more common as the EU regs tighten up.  There have been articles in the motoring press several times over recent months warning of imminent changes and how the manufacturers are leaning on the EU to stop all 'pattern' parts and force everyone to use 'approved' parts only.

As usual, the poor owner gets hit with the most expensive options......or takes a gamble... :'(

Richard

[Horizon]

I was told the same when I asked my insurance company when I swapped my RFT,s to normal tyres on my E60.
I also informed them of my winter tyres and they said I didn't need to notify them , as winters are less of a risk than summer tyres in cold weather obviously .
Do Bmw sell winter tyre sets that are non RFT???

[X5Sport]

[quote="Horizon"]
Do Bmw sell winter tyre sets that are non RFT???
[/quote]

Depends on the car.  My X6 no, but the Mini, yes.

[AW8]

All comments noted.

I am not in the habit of posting scaremongery or repeating chinese whispers. The guy, (proprietor), offered the info quite freely and not on back of a sale. He said the damaged car was out the back and had been seen by assesor recently, ( bmw mini I think)........ Not some throw away remark from a bloke in the pub whose mate works at an unknown garage or such like !

I will of course update here in event I learn more such as whether the insured driver challenges the refusal to settle based on this & insurance settles in his favour.

Certainly worth a phone call to individual insurers for those who potentially could be affected.

Off to work now

[X5Sport]

Good Night........have fun.