2011 Winter Tyres - What are you opting for?
- Thread starter White_Lady_170
- Start date
You definitely need to tell your insurance if you change anything from standard (even if it seems minor or irrelevant to your cover). If you tell them and they're not interested, it doesn't matter. If you don't tell them and they *are* interested, your policy will likely be void. My insurers said they needed to note I was changing from the OE alloys to generic steel wheels, but they weren't interested in the type of tyre used. Seems mad really as the wheels were the same size so you'd think the tyres would make a bigger difference to my likelihood to, say, have an accident. Ah well!
On the plus side, they didn't try to make any sort of extra charge or admin fee or similar rip off, which I was pleasantly surprised at.
On the plus side, they didn't try to make any sort of extra charge or admin fee or similar rip off, which I was pleasantly surprised at.
I'm currently waiting on admiral to get back to me about this. As they want to charge me £30 to add the 'modification'
My argument is that no matter what the modification, should anything happen they will only return the car to it's standard specification. That being alloys in my case. They fail to understand the increased cost that it will mean to them - and my willing to allow them to replace steel with steel.
Watch this space.
My argument is that no matter what the modification, should anything happen they will only return the car to it's standard specification. That being alloys in my case. They fail to understand the increased cost that it will mean to them - and my willing to allow them to replace steel with steel.
Watch this space.
This problem should of been cleaned up by now but some insurance company's still live in the dark ages unfortunately
In most parts of europe it's the law to use these tyres in the winter but over here (the land of no common sense) you could run Toyo 888's in snow and that would be ok.
I know,its a bloody joke isn't it! not going with them next year!
whens is everyone fitting their winter tyres? my set are still in the garage at the moment just not sure it is cold enough yet.
Whats everyones thoughts?
Whats everyones thoughts?
I'm going for end of November unless we get a cold snap before, rears are down to 1.9mm and MOT in December so it's all going to fall right.
Red Leon
Guest
I spoke to soon on this...
![[:@]](/forums/styles/seatcupra/oldforumsmileys/furious.gif "Furious [:@]")
Having changed my wheels over (myself) recently, I needed to renew my insurance the following week, so I called my insurer. The renewal went OK - £535 for all bells and whistles (fully comp, guaranteed courtesy car, yada yada) - which doesn't seem too bad given some of the eye-watering premiums around nowadays.
But then when I told them that I'd switched to steel wheels and winter tyres ready for the cold weather, they left me on hold for ages before coming back to say that because I'd swapped the wheels over myself (just like changing a flat tyre but x 4), I had to have my tyres checked "by a professional". Hmm...
I explained that the tyres had all been fitted and balanced by a tyre specialist, it was just that I'd swapped the wheels myself in the same way you'd change a wheel for the spare if you got a puncture. I also pointed out that I'd done exactly the same thing to the same car, with the same wheels/tyres, in the same way, last year and in 2010 they told me it wasn't a problem and didn't ask for any check.
After some further debate with me kept on hold, they were absolutely adamant that I needed to get a check done.
Luckily, Kwik Fit were very obliging and did me a quick check for free - finding nothing wrong, of course - and gave me the all important bit of paper to say they'd checked it. After another hour spent trying and failing to fax my insurers with confirmation of the check (who still uses a fax nowadays ffs!!??), I ended up emailing a picture of it to them instead.
So... overall a few hours wasted for no good reason. It's a shame that more people don't use winter tyres yet, otherwise presumably insurers wouldn't be so confused by them.
I'm with Directline, spoke to them about it when i renewed last month.
The guy i spoke to said that when i fit them i need to notify them but they won't charge me any more for them. He then said that for £30 they'd insure my other wheels against being stolen and vice versa for when the steelies are in the garage.
I have some Vredestein Snowtrac 3's on steelies which will be going on at the end of the month.
The guy i spoke to said that when i fit them i need to notify them but they won't charge me any more for them. He then said that for £30 they'd insure my other wheels against being stolen and vice versa for when the steelies are in the garage.
I have some Vredestein Snowtrac 3's on steelies which will be going on at the end of the month.
????
fitted mine yesterday (continental winter contacts ts810 s) got them to do 4 wheel alignment while i was there too seem good so far deffinatly more grippy than my very "worn" p zeros lol
Update from Admiral (Insurance)
Basically I can do what I want, no extra payment.
They clearly warned me that they will only repair the car to the same specification as it was when it left the factory.
Not that I'm at all bothered by that, running steels on a car which came with alloys...
Basically I can do what I want, no extra payment.
They clearly warned me that they will only repair the car to the same specification as it was when it left the factory.
Not that I'm at all bothered by that, running steels on a car which came with alloys...
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im with admiral and asked if they needed to know and she said theres no where to put tyre info (im still using standard alloys though just changed tyres)
There are 3 lads who have worked for One Call for several years that I know . I questioned the fact that some people were being charged for putting usually smaller steel wheels on with winter tyres, they told me that if a modification does not increase the "risk" to a vehicle you do not have to inform the insurance company.
I can't tell you this is industry standard or even a One Call standard but I asked and now I'm telling you guys.
I've got my Vredesteins Snowtracs 3 on, them seem to be performing fine in this mild weather although I do get a tad of wheelspin when I give it some, I have noticed they are REALLY QUIET so far, was on the motorway Tuesday and doing maybe 80 and had to turn radio down to 7 as it was too loud!
I can't tell you this is industry standard or even a One Call standard but I asked and now I'm telling you guys.
I've got my Vredesteins Snowtracs 3 on, them seem to be performing fine in this mild weather although I do get a tad of wheelspin when I give it some, I have noticed they are REALLY QUIET so far, was on the motorway Tuesday and doing maybe 80 and had to turn radio down to 7 as it was too loud!
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