Have you paid extra insurance for winter tyres?

Gloomendoom

vikingaero wrote: »

But Admiral were the original sharks that started charging an additional premium for fitting winter tyres - even of the same standard size!

My gripe with Admiral is their Standard Parts Replacement Clause (SPRC). Yes as you say, they will charge an additional premium to "cover" any non standard parts. But what that means is that they will take your money not to void your insurance with the modification, but they reserve the right not to replace the part in the event of a loss/accident. :eek: So you pay for cover, but don't receive it!

What do I mean by this?

Well let's say that you drive a Ford Focus Zetec 1.6 with standard factory fitted 16" alloy wheels. At the time of purchase, you get the dealer or factory to supply 18" Bling Bling wheels. You call Admiral for cover and they charge you an additional £25 to cover your 18" Bling Blings.

Then a month later you drive into a brick wall and also damage one of your Bling Bling wheels as well as the front of your car. It's repaired by an Admiral approved garage and they are told by Admiral that they will only pay for a standard 16" alloy wheel under their SPRC. So you're left with 3 Bling Blings and a 16" Ford Zetec alloy on your car - unless you pay for the difference between the retail price of the Bling Bling and the trade price of a Zetec alloy,

So in effect you pay for cover not to void your insurance, but your mods (which you've had to cough up for) are not covered.

They would probably argue that the increase in premium is to cover their extra risk for third party claims. After all, as I said, they do give you the option to buy extra 'non standard part' cover, in addition to your standard policy, to cover the cost of replacing your bling bling wheels.

I do, however, understand where you are coming from. Admiral's sister company Elephant use the same system. Tow bars are on their modifications list and they suggested that as I had ticked the box I might like to buy extra cover for my non standard parts. Tow bars are expensive so I bought the extra cover. When I got my policy documents, the tow bar wasn't included on the list of declared modifications. When I rang and asked why, they told me that tow bars didn't need to be declared and were covered under the standard policy. !!!!!!?

wobbley

You can never win with insurance companies. I took the alloys off my car and replaced them with steel wheels. Alloys kept in garage and will go back on if I sell it. Insurance company said "That counts as a modification sir,,,, and will cost extra" !!! Aaaargggh !

leosayer

That SMMT article is pretty useless.

It is normal practice in europe to have a spare set of steel wheels for winter which are a different size to the standard 'summer' wheel eg 16" rather than 17" or 18". As mentioned before, there is also the issue about the size, load and speed rating of the tyres which is generally different to summer tyres and typically winter tyres also have a lower speed rating.

The SMMT should be advising consumers should fit winter wheels and tyres which match the manufacturer's recommendations for each model and get the insurance industry to agree to that.

zappahey

forgotmyname wrote: »

Load and speed rating must be the same, You cannot fit lower spec H rated winter tyres instead of the correct V rated winter ones.

Really? Maybe you should write to SAAB and tell them that as my handbook specifies H rated winter tyres compared to W for standard tyres.

mikey72

leosayer wrote: »

That SMMT article is pretty useless.

It is normal practice in europe to have a spare set of steel wheels for winter which are a different size to the standard 'summer' wheel eg 16" rather than 17" or 18". As mentioned before, there is also the issue about the size, load and speed rating of the tyres which is generally different to summer tyres and typically winter tyres also have a lower speed rating.

The SMMT should be advising consumers should fit winter wheels and tyres which match the manufacturer's recommendations for each model and get the insurance industry to agree to that.

What has been agreed instead?