winter tyres and insurance company

[mpgrant70]

I have just spoke to my insurance company me fitting my genuine bmw winter wheel set to my x5 and they have said if I fit them I will not be insured ! Is this normal ?

[leosayer]

https://www.abi.org.uk/Insurance-and-sa ... nter-tyres

[Nat]

Oh dear..............

I am trying to control my temper with this and not go into a massive rant swearing every other word.
It is a FACT that winter tyres ARE considerably better/safer/sensible in winter..............PERIOD.
I would relish the chance to have a claim and have the insurance company refuse to pay because I had winter tyres fitted  .I would WANT to go to court and I would invite the press , motoring press to attend. I am not a solicitor but I would wager a considerable sum of money that I would win. Winter tyres are compulsory on the continent for a reason.
As long as your tyres are legal and within the recommended size range for your car I cannot see any reason for them not to pay out.
Also, you can argue that you are spending money trying to protect your investment and protecting your own person/those of your family/ passengers.
Winter tyres make it LESS likely that you would have an accident.
All manufacturers now sell winter tyres and in fact BMW openly advertise their benefits.
I suggest that your insurance company is run by muppets and have risk assesors who do not understant the market they operate in. Winter tyres = less risk and less chance of a claim = more money for them. Its not like you/we are asking for a discount for having winter tyres. In fact I am surprised some insurance companies haven't insisted people in areas with inclement winter weather have winter tyres fitted. A tracker is compulsory with some policies, why arent winter tyres ?
Change your insurance company, and next year when you renew, at the time ask what their view is on winter tyres.
I haven't told my insurance company that either of my cars will have winter tyres fitted over the winter. I don't feel I need to .
In plain english, what a load of bollocks............tell then to F**K off.

[Nat]

And I have looked at the linky supplied, there are only 3 companies that want to be notified.

ALL the others say NO need to be notified & no problem.  The only proviso is if your winter set is fitted with alloy wheels ( when your normal summer tyres are steel wheels ) which would make the car more attractive to the local tea leaves, which is fair enough.

You really need to change your insurance company. It would be interesting to see if they accept your winter tyres if you pay extra, but my instinct says the same as I said before............tell them to sling their hook and please name and shame them.

[V12 EGO]

In the topsy turvy world of the UK, an insurance company would no doubt argue that having winter tyres fitted to your car would mean you are more likely to go out in adverse weather  ::)

[X5Sport]

[quote="mpgrant70"]
I have just spoke to my insurance company me fitting my genuine bmw winter wheel set to my x5 and they have said if I fit them I will not be insured ! Is this normal ?
[/quote]

Mine (Aviva) tried the same stunt in 2010 classing it as a mod, and I complained and they then decided as these were exactly the same as offered by the factory then the car was still 'standard' and not modified so no issues. 

No insurers should be acting this way as it had been agreed a couple of years or so back that the use of Winter Tyres improved safety once the air temp fell below 7C - regardless of any white stuff being about.

Sounds like your insurer/broker is talking a load of bollox!

Richard

[Nat]

So you may as well go out fully prepared as opposed to unprepared.

Still think they are being J Arthurs.

[Nat]

Play this to them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRi0FT8uYMY

[Benstan]

Or maybe even play this: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxGl7HBEzjI

[Horizon]

Correct me if I am wrong, but in Germany between November and March if you have an accident and don't have winter tyres on, your insurance won't pay out.

[leosayer]

[quote="Nat"]
I haven't told my insurance company that either of my cars will have winter tyres fitted over the winter. I don't feel I need to .[/quote]

Same here.

[squeaky2]

[quote="Horizon"]
Correct me if I am wrong, but in Germany between November and March if you have an accident and don't have winter tyres on, your insurance won't pay out.
[/quote]

Not sure about the insurance thing but I fitted winters to the van when going over to Budapest because of this. The German police have a sliding scale of offenses regarding winter tyres from getting stuck to having an accident.

I have never had any trouble with Admiral or Elephant

[reading1800]

No issue with RAC or Esure ..this years premium only £247 on a 2009 4.8 too, gone down £60 (full NCB protected 48yrs old)