58 replies to this topic

[Ouchie]

Just spoke to my insurance company regarding the fitting of Kumhos on my front standard rims. (Admiral multicar policy)
My premium would go up by £65 as it would be classed as a modification.

Regards Mike.

QED in relation to insurance companies treating different size tyres on standard rims as a mod. If you fit them but don't declare them, your insurance is likely to be null and void in the event of an accident.

I would like to see a transcript of the call first.

I am happy to be proven wrong but until then I will remain sceptical about the likelyhood of being charged for changing tyres and the legal impact.

The kumho 195 will fit a 5.5 inch rim. So why is it classed as a modification? Are cut slicks in the correct sizes also considered a modification? What about winter/summer tyres?

[iceman]

Excuse my ignorance but is not 'anything other than standard' a modification? I would imagine that they (the insurance companies) will set their 'safety standard' clock to zero at a car that complies to the 'Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF)'s and the FMVSS's definition, anything other than what the experts have passed as the safest is sure to start the clock rising and the money to insure and/or replace accordingly [/just my uninformed guess]

[Ouchie]

That's what was told but thinking about it there are many brands of tyres and many pattern parts. Should I use the pikey ball joints and not oem then will my insurance be invalid? Is it only specific parts or all parts? At what point do you invalidate the insurance and how is it quantified. I have different wheels but does that mean I need to declare non oem wheels and tyres or is it assumed. Do people with R888 tyres declare them as they are not bridgstones or VXR spec yokos.

[spuk87]

I'm not sold on the idea of tyres invalidating insurance. I bet 70% of the population are running with no insurance on this basis. On my Fiesta when I went to Kwik Fit and my tyres needed replacing they put on some cheapo Ceat Spiders about 2-3 years ago, so on that basis I have been driving it with no insurance for that long. I had no idea. Kwik Fit never said 'you need to check with your insurance mate'. Just imagine how many people are in this situation. How many people who don't have a clue about their car are running the wrong tyres?

[simsy]

To be an insurance issue , the modification must increase the likelyhood of a crash, fire or theft, or raise the replace/repair claim amount to invalidate the insurance. Nice new soft 195 tyres on the front (which is on the top edge of the allowed size for this rim, according to all tyre manufacturers, so Ok) do not make the car more likely to crash, or cost more to repair. 195's all the way, unless you find others that give value for money... 45 profile is best.... If you ring your insurance company, it's their job to get money out of you, if they have to reject a claim, they have to give a reason that would stand up in a civil court as increasing their risk / costs....

[Paulus H]

Interesting. Mmm making car corner faster does not change risk to the insurance company? Making the car look better will not make the car more attractive to thieves?? Still no answer to which car that is sold in Eu has 195 tyres and pizza cutter wheels......

[siztenboots]

Still no answer to which car that is sold in Eu has 195 tyres and pizza cutter wheels......

suzuki swift 5dr?

[VIX]

I'm not sold on the idea of tyres invalidating insurance. I bet 70% of the population are running with no insurance on this basis.

Surely the issue is one of changing the size of tyre from standard rather than just changing the brand?

[spuk87]

Interesting.
Mmm making car corner faster does not change risk to the insurance company?

But surely on that basis the opposite is true- if everyone put bald part-worns on they would have to corner slower, therefore making them safer? I don't think so. I would say by putting tyres on which allow the car to corner faster (and probably brake quicker) are in fact improving the safety- if a child ran out in the road a car which can brake quicker and corner faster has a better chance of avoiding a collision or doing less damage if they do hit.

Surely the issue is one of changing the size of tyre from standard rather than just changing the brand?

Maybe, but by changing brand you will also be changing handling properties no different than changing size does; so I don't see why there should be any distinction between the 2. It's not like insurance companies work on logic though so that's not a firm argument

[tim king]

To be an insurance issue , the modification must increase the likelyhood of a crash, fire or theft, or raise the replace/repair claim amount to invalidate the insurance. Nice new soft 195 tyres on the front (which is on the top edge of the allowed size for this rim, according to all tyre manufacturers, so Ok) do not make the car more likely to crash, or cost more to repair.

195's all the way, unless you find others that give value for money... 45 profile is best....

If you ring your insurance company, it's their job to get money out of you, if they have to reject a claim, they have to give a reason that would stand up in a civil court as increasing their risk / costs....

had a look on web for 195/45/17 KUMHO but they only had 195/40/17
Do the 45 fit on easier ?
will 40 be ok

[LazyDonkey]

To be an insurance issue , the modification must increase the likelyhood of a crash, fire or theft, or raise the replace/repair claim amount to invalidate the insurance. Nice new soft 195 tyres on the front (which is on the top edge of the allowed size for this rim, according to all tyre manufacturers, so Ok) do not make the car more likely to crash, or cost more to repair.

195's all the way, unless you find others that give value for money... 45 profile is best....

If you ring your insurance company, it's their job to get money out of you, if they have to reject a claim, they have to give a reason that would stand up in a civil court as increasing their risk / costs....

Every policy has wording to the effect that you are not allowed to modify the car away from standard manufacturers specifications without informing them. By changing the size of tyre you could be argued that you are doing that.

Why take the risk? If you want to fit the tyres go ahead but inform your insurer.

A certain VX owner i know had his car written off when it had undeclared mods on it and the 4 moinths it took to get a payout were very very unpleasant and stressful as he was convinced that they wouldnt pay. Why risk it ? Everything on my car (even down to the leather retrim) is declared and it means i can sleep easy at night.

Edited by LazyDonkey, 23 July 2010 - 12:09 PM.

[Paulus H]

If your going faster when you go off the road you do more damage. If you are going faster you need better reflexes. If you are cornering faster... it goes on and on. Insurance companies will always attempt to make drivers pay extra for mods or cancel insurance of car with mods that have not been agreed. Did the Suzuki swift really have such wide tyres or has one been spotted that the owner has "unofficially" fitted wider tyres to it???? Anyway didn't I qualify that I don't thing there has been a car sold new in Eu with 195 tyre/5.5 wheel comb with the rider of, "certainly not a performance car"?

[Phear]

Changing the brand of tyres causing the insurance to be invalidated? I've heard to some crazy theories but thats a new one. Has anybody ever heard of anyone ever having a claim refused because of this? I seriously doubt it. What about all those older cars that you can't get the manufacturers specified tyres for anymore? I'd say 75+% of cars over 3 years old have non-standard tyres fitted, this is a complete non-issue! I've heard of being cautious but we're getting into the realms of annally retentive!

[soupdragon]

To be an insurance issue , the modification must increase the likelyhood of a crash, fire or theft, or raise the replace/repair claim amount to invalidate the insurance. Nice new soft 195 tyres on the front (which is on the top edge of the allowed size for this rim, according to all tyre manufacturers, so Ok) do not make the car more likely to crash, or cost more to repair.

195's all the way, unless you find others that give value for money... 45 profile is best....

If you ring your insurance company, it's their job to get money out of you, if they have to reject a claim, they have to give a reason that would stand up in a civil court as increasing their risk / costs....

Every policy has wording to the effect that you are not allowed to modify the car away from standard manufacturers specifications without informing them. By changing the size of tyre you could be argued that you are doing that.

Why take the risk? If you want to fit the tyres go ahead but inform your insurer.

A certain VX owner i know had his car written off when it had undeclared mods on it and the 4 moinths it took to get a payout were very very unpleasant and stressful as he was convinced that they wouldnt pay. Why risk it ? Everything on my car (even down to the leather retrim) is declared and it means i can sleep easy at night.

Don't take the risk
When you talk to the insurance company/agent, don't talk like it's a big deal, just that you are being cautious, remember it won't be a technical whizzkid at the otherend of the line!
And just to add to the debate...I was told that changing the speed rating can be another reason to call your insurer.

[Paulus H]

I cannot imagine changing the brand would have any effect on the insurance.

[LazyDonkey]

Changing the brand of tyres causing the insurance to be invalidated? I've heard to some crazy theories but thats a new one. Has anybody ever heard of anyone ever having a claim refused because of this? I seriously doubt it. What about all those older cars that you can't get the manufacturers specified tyres for anymore? I'd say 75+% of cars over 3 years old have non-standard tyres fitted, this is a complete non-issue!

I've heard of being cautious but we're getting into the realms of annally retentive!

We're talking about putting 195s on when the manufaturer put 175s on as standard which is slightly more than just changing brands.

It's quite simple - if they can get out of paying out when you stick it in a hedge then they will use anything to invalidate your insurance if they can.

Edited by LazyDonkey, 23 July 2010 - 04:44 PM.

[Paulus H]

I was replying to the previous post.

[TheRealVXed]

The swift sport has 6.5 inch wheels as standard. I asked at my local fitting centre (Micheldever Tyres) who are fantastic and in my opinion reliable when I was getting the 195s fitted and they told me Goodyear specifies 5.5 inch as the minimum rim width for the tyre. I have done 10000 miles on them and no problems, thy don't even roll over in corners. Maybe I drive like a pussy though

[P11 COV]

Using a slightly different tyre size may or may not make a difference to insurance companies but if you look at the list of mods on a site like Admiral they are really interested in changes of wheel not tyre. In my experience having had two written off VX's in my family - the insurance companies have been quite slack in their investigation of the cars. The did not really seem bothered in checking out any details regarding OEM or not OEM stuff. In fact once I claimed for a new wheel when someone drove into my VX. It was a speeedline that wasn't OEM as the car was not a VXR - and they replaced it with a new one!