I've seen a recent spate of threads across various forums and even articles on the news where insurance companies are charging people "extra" if they fit winter tyres as they regard this as a modification.

Me personally i wouldn't tell them i had them fitted if i knew they would charge extra. Now some might condone this as fraud, misleading etc however look at it this way:

Your car's tyres are a maintenance part. As the car doesn't have a specific OEM tyre then it can't be classed as a modification. A modification in terms of insurance is anything that deviates from from an OEM part to alter the cars ability be it in power, handling, braking, looks, desirability to thieves etc etc.

Now some insurances are saying that winter tyres are a modification as they encourage a driver to travel at higher speeds in adverse weather, therefore increasing the chance of an accident and hence a claim. However as all tyres have different characteristics are they going to start altering insurance premiums say for example if you replace you Vredestein Ultrac Sessantas with Michelin PS3. As i know from experience these 2 tyres have markedly different handling capabilities. What if you have 2 tyres of one make on one axle and 2 of another on the other axle?

We could take this even further. If you have your car serviced by 2 different dealers at some point and one uses a different make of Oil to the other do you have to declare this? What about brake pads? does this apply if you replace these again at 2 different dealers and they use 2 different makes? If you wash your car and then wax it using a different wax to what was put on at new does this again class as modification?

Now i am considering writing a letter, containing a petition, to the CII, who is the governing body, The ABI and the FSA and ask them to clarify why some insurance companies are allowed to charge more and some don't. I think it is absurd that fitting a better tyre for adverse weather is classed as a modification.

I think an insurance company would have an extremely hard time in court justifying not paying out.

Now i am not advising people to mislead their insurance companies. If you do so that is your own personal choice.

I am however looking at garnering support and if i get enough across a few forums i will set up an online petition which will run for one month before i send a letter. I will of course post up said letter and petition for all to read. In the mean time i would suggest shopping around if your not happy with your current insurer.

Insurers should not be charging extra for this, according to the Association of British Insurers. It was in the news within the last week. Their advice was to take it up with head office if you are charged extra.

I completely agree.

Just a shame that some companies still are!

I don't tell them if I change tyres to a different brand. I would fit the same size winter tyre and I would not tell them as it's not a modification.

I agree, this is silly. If I buy winter tyres that are the same size and the speed rating is not lower that the max speed of my car,and were fitted to my Skoda Alloys, then no I would not tell them. I use different brands of tyres that were originally on my car. I don't use the same make of oil that dealers use. Is using V-power fuel is a modification?

If I put different alloy wheels on I would tell them. I wonder if putting steel wheels on is classed a mod, because you are actually making your car less desirable.

Edited 14 December, 201015 yr by Jim H

I voted "No" but that would be for putting winter tyres on the wheels that came with the car.

I would tell the insurance company if I was changing the wheels and I have been in touch with my insurers and got it in writing from, that if I put steel wheels with winter tyres on the car that there would be no increase in premium...

Some insurance companies will do anything to make money ! .As mentioned in previous post now that this scam has been exposed , surprise !, surprise ! now they say it's O.K.

If you just change tyres, I wouldn't bother telling them. But most people were talking about changing wheels to 16" steelies, for instance, with their winter tyres, in which case, the money-grabbing insurance charlatans would probobly insist on an obscenely high payment for a 'modification', so best to check.

In summary:

Just changing tyres – don't tell them.

Changing wheels AND tyres – best to check.

Emailed Adrian Flux this morning to advise I'd put winter tyres on . By 2pm I had a letter of confirmation stating no additional charge and a revised policy schedule. Can't argue with that. I voted yes BTW.

Why should I? is my position I use the same size, the same speed rating and the same load rating in my winter tyres. The tyres are safe to use in warm weather too. I have never told my insurers when I have changed brand from the OE type and no 2 tyre manufactures will produce exactly the same tyre in terms of grip and safety anyway. I voted ‘no’ btw

Edited 15 December, 201015 yr by Lady Elanore

I voted ‘no’ btw

credit to insurers where it's due though ie good service and sensible approach to winter tyres

No, because I have fitted alloys to my car and declared them to the insurance company. If I fitted winter tyres, they would go on the original steel wheels. If you were changing the wheels from manufacturers original specification it would be a different matter.

If they offered a discount on the policy i would.

I checked with mine as the winters are a lower speed rating. They don't care. I suspect it might be different if you use non-OE wheels in another size.

credit to insurers where it's due though ie good service and sensible approach to winter tyres

Credit where it's due !!! ??? Up to now they've been ripping us off !

Credit where it's due !!! ??? Up to now they've been ripping us off !

Please see my post previous to this one you've quoted, regarding Adrian Flux.... who don't charge extra. I can't speak for other companies and if they did want more I'd would be asking to speak to a manager to see what kind of justification they had.