# My Insurance winter alloy saga



## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

Right have a BMW with 19s
Bought a set of BMW 17s with winters as recommended in my handbook

Emailed my broker performance direct to ask if it will cost more to put them on for winter,they replied your insurance company AXA said you can fit the winter tyres but the alloys are only acceptable if they came with your car as standard.Tried to explain this is the manufacturer recommended size for the winter set up in handbook to no avail,so i thought *** it lets get some other quotes as my insurance runs out in dec so i would just cancel it and change,now bear in mind that with nothing declared its around £300 ish

Now if you even mention changing alloys with most its £700 + lol,oh but wait AXA ( i filled in the form for a quote even tho that is who i am with) say they don't need to know if the alloys are worth less than £1000 on there quote and its only £395 if they are worth more than a £1000 then they wont insure me..so what the *** do i do lol

I guess i could call AXA and say i have insurance with them but via a broker and see what they say,but i am guessing they will reply and say i must go through my broker


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Both your wheels are "standard" for the BMW, so I don't really see the issue...

I had the same with my old BMW, I explained that standard came with a choice of wheels, and I have both sets...they accepted it fine....

:thumb:


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## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

The Cueball said:


> Both your wheels are "standard" for the BMW, so I don't really see the issue...
> 
> I had the same with my old BMW, I explained that standard came with a choice of wheels, and I have both sets...they accepted it fine....
> 
> :thumb:


Yes but my model never came with 17s as standard,its only the recommened winter wheel size

But they just wont listen


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## turboyamaha (Nov 18, 2010)

Just go direct to axa! stuff the broker!!


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

pete330 said:


> Yes but my model never came with 17s as standard,its only the recommened winter wheel size
> 
> But they just wont listen


tell them it came with the optional winter tyre package. Simples...


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## jgy6000 (May 15, 2007)

Nanoman said:


> tell them it came with the optional winter tyre package. Simples...


exactly, if you ordered the winter wheel package from new then thats exactly what you have,
...


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## centenary (Sep 5, 2010)

Nanoman said:


> tell them it came with the optional winter tyre package. Simples...


Except they'll probably say that wasnt disclosed when he first insured it so the insurance is void etc etc.

This is just a con by the insurance industry. If its OEM, its standard imo and shouldnt incur any additional premium. Bunch of robbing twats.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

centenary said:


> Except they'll probably say that wasnt disclosed when he first insured it so the insurance is void etc etc.
> 
> This is just a con by the insurance industry. If its OEM, its standard imo and shouldnt incur any additional premium. Bunch of robbing twats.


It's not a con (for once) the car is OEM as it came from the factory, ANYTHING added/changed is a modification and needs notifying. You're in effect saying that you could fit M3 wheels on to your car and it still be "standard". They only have to ask bmw or the manufacturer to check via the chassis number what wheels it came with and it's bye bye insurance.


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

But surely someone that fits winter wheels & tyres is less of a risk than someone that doesn't therefor there should be a reduction rather than increase in premium.

The only way to stay above board the way the insurers are these days is to buy an identical set of wheels adn find winter tyres to fit - not an ideal scenario.


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Not sure, never ever fitted them and never been stuck/spun off un winter conditions.


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## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

bigmc said:


> It's not a con (for once) the car is OEM as it came from the factory, ANYTHING added/changed is a modification and needs notifying. You're in effect saying that you could fit M3 wheels on to your car and it still be "standard". They only have to ask bmw or the manufacturer to check via the chassis number what wheels it came with and it's bye bye insurance.


Yes fitting m3 alloys to a e92 325d would defo be a mod

But fitting e92 17" alloys of the correct size and winter tyres of the correct spec stated on handbook and inside door edge,so should not be classed as a mod surley


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

There was a lot of hoo-har over this last year. In December 2010 the ABI issued this statement -

_"Snow tyres 
There was continued media interest in the possible insurance implications of fitting snow tyres. We continued to confirm that the general view was that the fitting of snow/winter tyres would not be classed as a material alteration to the vehicle (provided they are fitted by reputable garage, in accordance with manufacturers own specifications) and that, to be sure, policyholders should check with the head office of their insurance company. "_

Get your Broker to do his job and get back to AXA and insist they see reason, using the ABI comments as ammunition.


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## ryand (Jul 18, 2008)

Good advice from Shiny there.

More and more we see winter tyres being advertised and available in the UK. It's for safety and as we are part of the eu, ie in Europe it just happens, the government need to eradicate any grey areas here and let people get on with it.


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

Shiny said:


> There was a lot of hoo-har over this last year. In December 2010 the ABI issued this statement -
> 
> _"Snow tyres
> There was continued media interest in the possible insurance implications of fitting snow tyres. We continued to confirm that the general view was that the fitting of snow/winter tyres would not be classed as a material alteration to the vehicle (provided they are fitted by reputable garage, in accordance with manufacturers own specifications) and that, to be sure, policyholders should check with the head office of their insurance company. "_
> ...


The issue isn't the tyres though it's the wheels. It's not adviseable to keep switching tyres across wheels with the seasons so you need another set of wheels as well. Also it's easier/cheaper to source winter tyres in certain standard sizes which tend to be small than the 17/18/19 inch rims which are common these days.

This means you either buy a 2nd identical set of rims or pay the premium for having a 'modification'

Thats my understanding at least.


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

But if BMW recommend 17s for winter, then you are following manufacturers recommendations. Give them a copy of the page in your handbook and get them to argue a proper case for you.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Technically youre making a safety improvement.Lessening the likelyhood of an incident.So tell them theyre twits and do it anyway!


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Madness


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

This is the trouble these days, Insurers employ "telephonists" to deal with queries that they type onto a computer, Little Britain style.

I learned old school style, by asking questions and making an effort to understand and then question "why" things are acceptable/unacceptable and not take "yes" or "no" for an answer. I have to deal with numerous insurers, all with different products and underwriting strategies, yet you'd be surprised the amount of times i have spoken to an Insurer and told them their own acceptance criteria. They only have one product to learn yet still far too often i know more about their product than their own staff.

Pete330 has used a Broker, someone like me, so they should be fighting his corner for him and making the Insurers see reason. In all fairness, they should have already mentioned the ABI's recommended stance on the subject and asked for a copy of the owners manual to confirm it is OEM recommended, so the Broker needs a bit of a kick up the **** too in my opinion.


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

What about putting winter tyres on the alloys you have on the car?Do you have to declare them?


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## pete330 (Apr 18, 2006)

Ross said:


> What about putting winter tyres on the alloys you have on the car?Do you have to declare them?


Your meant to yes

But i am nae going to put winters on 19s


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## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

Thanks for the prompt - I've just emailed my broker to advise that I'm putting winters on - hope they don't want an increase in premium - if they do I'll be


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

The question on a proposal form/statement of fact is usually something along the lines of "has your vehicle been altered or modified from the manufacturer's (sometimes it then says "factory" here) standard specification?".

Tyres will be a set standard - size/rating etc, so it doesn't matter if Hankook, Mitchellin etc. I can't see that summer, winter or all season tyres will make a difference, as long as they are manufacturer's standard specification/recommendation.

Always best to err on the side of caution and let your Insurers know though, just to be sure.


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## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

I got an email from my broker this morning saying they have noted on my record the winter wheels/tyres and no adjustments need to be made to my documents and I remain fully covered


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

:thumb:


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