Hi folks, just seen an interesting article on the 24hr BBC new channel about winter tyres in this country. It seems quite a few insurance firms are charging an extra 25% premium rate or more if you fit these tyres. They are regarding them as a 'modification'. Some insurers are refusing insurance for these tyres too. However, the British Insurance Assoc has now advised insurers that they must not now treat these tyres as a 'modification'.

Has anyone been charged more money for insurance after fitting these tyres? If so, you can almost certainly get a refund. And anyone who has fitted them must make sure you tell your insurers.

Edited 11 December, 201015 yr by Estate Man

Hi folks, just seen an interesting article on the 24hr BBC new channel about winter tyres in this country. It seems quite a few insurance firms are charging an extra 25% premium rate or more if you fit these tyres. They are regarding them as a 'modification'. Some insurers are refusing insurance for these tyres too. However, the British Insurance Assoc has now advised insurers that they must not now treat these tyres as a 'modification'.

Has anyone been charged more money for insurance after fitting these tyres? If so, you can almost certainly get a refund. And anyone who has fitted them must make sure you tell your insurers.

Yeah I saw the report, Insurers are just wanting more money, to call these tyres a modification is a insult . These tyres will save lives, less crashes and make the UK roads a safer place to be on, meaning the price of insurance will come down.

It casts doubt in other areas of tyre-so-called-modification.

What about - - - -

Bigger tyres on larger wheels, running summer tyres during winter, or visa versa, using snow chains etc.

Must say these insurance companies may not ask you about stuff, but will throw up something you haven't

told them /or declared at the time of the policy renewal or later, perhaps during the policy covering time, and

not pay-out.

They are getting worse, recently a biker was refused a payout as his bike had a non declared modification, a football club sticker.

Same post here:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/183583-winter-tyres-insurance-at-last-someone-is-listening/page__p__2201579__fromsearch__1entry2201579

So you buy a car it has say, Goodyear tyres fitted They wear out, you go to the tyre fitter and he fits Dunlops or Pirelli, or whatever make. Is this classed as a modification?

Because the manufacturer does not specify a brand or type of tyre and in this country does not list winter tyre options ( unlike in TPs document from Skoda Germany that has all combinations listed due to TUV regs) they should not count as a modification from standard. I think the issue comes with changing the wheels if you choose to keep a separate set rather than changing them onto your existing rims. If you downgrade to steels from alloys, it is a mod, but doesn't make the vehicle more attractive to theft, therefore as long as they are of a suitable spec this shouldn't attract an increased premium. However if you fit a set of compatible alloys from vw or audi or an aftermarket type the insurer will almost certainly have an excuse to charge for a modification.

They are getting worse, recently a biker was refused a payout as his bike had a non declared modification, a football club sticker.

Yeah...saw that. Although he did get his money once it had been pointed out to them (the insurers) that it was only a sticker...turned out it was some sort of communication breakdown.

It's not just tyres that insurance companies consider a modification, I had optional extras fitted to my Greenline of electric rear windows and reversing sensors and are considered modifications.

In insurance terms they consider anything that is not listed as part of the standard production model as a modification and if you do not declare the changes your insurance can be void.