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Alloy wheel insurance issue - Advice needed

SharpShooter
Posts: 76 Forumite

Last year I bought alloy wheel cover for my new car from an independent company and currently in the process of raising this with the motor ombudsman as I did not get a response to my complaint.
I scratched my alloys by kerbing and decided to put a claim in June. Before I put in a claim, my car's Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sensor (TPMS) was indicating an issue with my tyre, so opted to have this fixed before any alloy wheel resurfacing takes place with an MOT due the following week.
During the tyre change, the garage also left scratches on 2 of my alloys.
After putting in a claim, the insurer rejected it arguing that the scratches were caused by tyre change.
I informed them that I had kerbed my alloys initially, and then a couple of days before my claim the garage had scratched it too.
They responded that the exclusion is that they won't cover "damage caused by tyre replacement". And that "there is also damage from tyre replacement".
In other words, a scratch from tyre replacement in addition to Kerb scratches will invalidate a claim. Which I believe is wrong and the wording of the exclusion does not support their position:
"damage caused by a replacement tyre being fitted"...
No further context is given in the policy exclusion wording. This would mean that if I am claiming for alloys which has been damaged by wheel replacement only, or am I wrong?
My argument is that I had kerbed my alloys, and they should honour what they had sold me, instead of picking an exclusion to invalidate my claim.
Advice and feedback would be appreciated, as I am hoping to bring this to the ombudsman to intervene. Or is it not worth the bother?
I scratched my alloys by kerbing and decided to put a claim in June. Before I put in a claim, my car's Tyre Pressure Monitoring Sensor (TPMS) was indicating an issue with my tyre, so opted to have this fixed before any alloy wheel resurfacing takes place with an MOT due the following week.
During the tyre change, the garage also left scratches on 2 of my alloys.
After putting in a claim, the insurer rejected it arguing that the scratches were caused by tyre change.
I informed them that I had kerbed my alloys initially, and then a couple of days before my claim the garage had scratched it too.
They responded that the exclusion is that they won't cover "damage caused by tyre replacement". And that "there is also damage from tyre replacement".
In other words, a scratch from tyre replacement in addition to Kerb scratches will invalidate a claim. Which I believe is wrong and the wording of the exclusion does not support their position:
"damage caused by a replacement tyre being fitted"...
No further context is given in the policy exclusion wording. This would mean that if I am claiming for alloys which has been damaged by wheel replacement only, or am I wrong?
My argument is that I had kerbed my alloys, and they should honour what they had sold me, instead of picking an exclusion to invalidate my claim.
Advice and feedback would be appreciated, as I am hoping to bring this to the ombudsman to intervene. Or is it not worth the bother?
0
Comments
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The ombudsman are swamped and will take up to 6 months to form a final outcome, but it will cost you nothing to go this route.
Who’s to say that you kerb those alloy wheels yet again, thus trumping any original scuffs/scratches etc?Save £5k in 2024 challenge #32
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In terms of the case itself, do I have a valid argument here?0
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Not if it clearly states in the terms and conditions of the agreement that they do not cover scratched alloys by tyre fitters, your complaint should be with them.
like all things, it’ll be on you to prove a) the scratches where there prior to tyre fitment in the case of your insurance claim and b) that the scratches were NOT there prior to tyre fitter completing work.
As mentioned above, who’s to say you haven’t just accidentally kerbed them again.Save £5k in 2024 challenge #32
Saved Total = £6,481.35 / £5,000 (Nov24)
Secured/Unsecured loans x 1
Credit Cards x 7 (total limit £35,500)
Creation FS Retail Account x 1
0% Overdraft x 1 (£0 / £250)
Mortgage Outstanding - £139,149.17 (Payment 6/360)
Total Debt = £1,687.50 (0%APR) @ £112.50pm
Charity fundraising goal for 2024 = £1,000 for animal rehoming / dog fostering etc0 -
Hopefully you purchased a 3 year cover plan?I would write this experience off to a lesson learned the hard way. You should have plenty of time left to make further claims in the future (normally 4 per annum I believe with most policies)0
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I suspect the reason the insurance won't cover damage caused by tyre fitters is the tyre fitters are providing a service in a professional capacity and should take due care in performing that service. If, in the process of performing that service, the alloy wheel gets damaged, the tyre fitter should make good through their own insurance or whatever other remedy process is in the terms and conditions of that service being provided.
The alloy wheel insurance is only there to cover accidental damage. Not the negligence of a third-party service provider.1 -
inspectorperez said:Hopefully you purchased a 3 year cover plan?I would write this experience off to a lesson learned the hard way. You should have plenty of time left to make further claims in the future (normally 4 per annum I believe with most policies)Grumpy_chap said:I suspect the reason the insurance won't cover damage caused by tyre fitters is the tyre fitters are providing a service in a professional capacity and should take due care in performing that service. If, in the process of performing that service, the alloy wheel gets damaged, the tyre fitter should make good through their own insurance or whatever other remedy process is in the terms and conditions of that service being provided.
The alloy wheel insurance is only there to cover accidental damage. Not the negligence of a third-party service provider.
But if you were buying this policy and read the wording under exclusion "not covered if the claim is for a tyre damaged by fitting a replacement tyre" without further context, will you immediately think any and all scratches will also no longer be covered?
Or will you just read it as it is- "as long as I'm not claiming for a tyre due to scratch by tyre fitters..."
Thanks for the replies so far...0 -
You alloys have been damaged by the tyre fitters (allegedly) so go take it up with them?
I fail to see what the problem is here.
Later down the line you are likely to scuff another wheel, may even be the same one you scuffed previously. At that point you would initiate a claim through your alloy wheel insurance for said damage.
Save £5k in 2024 challenge #32
Saved Total = £6,481.35 / £5,000 (Nov24)
Secured/Unsecured loans x 1
Credit Cards x 7 (total limit £35,500)
Creation FS Retail Account x 1
0% Overdraft x 1 (£0 / £250)
Mortgage Outstanding - £139,149.17 (Payment 6/360)
Total Debt = £1,687.50 (0%APR) @ £112.50pm
Charity fundraising goal for 2024 = £1,000 for animal rehoming / dog fostering etc0 -
How much was the insurance premium for this ?
Just had mine refurbished @ £50 per wheel.I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Debt free wannabe, Credit file and ratings, and Bankruptcy and living with it boards. If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.For free non-judgemental debt advice, contact either Stepchange, National Debtline, or CitizensAdviceBureaux.Link to SOA Calculator- https://www.stoozing.com/soa.php The "provit letter" is here-https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2607247/letter-when-you-know-nothing-about-about-the-debt-aka-prove-it-letter0 -
MrFrugalFever said:You alloys have been damaged by the tyre fitters (allegedly) so go take it up with them?
I fail to see what the problem is here.
Later down the line you are likely to scuff another wheel, may even be the same one you scuffed previously. At that point you would initiate a claim through your alloy wheel insurance for said damage.
The insurer, who is also saying they wont do the wheel, has an exclusion which specifically says Tyre fitting damage, without any context.
Can you see the problem? And neither of them will fix each others faults0 -
sourcrates said:How much was the insurance premium for this ?
Just had mine refurbished @ £50 per wheel.0
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