Insurance
concerns with winter tyres clarified
Chris Hunt
Cooke says "it is important to stress that other insurers
may have different views on the subject and readers should enquire
what their own insurer's attitude may be. It is encouraging
though that both Ecclesiastical and Liverpool Victoria have
replied so quickly and taken a reasonable and helpful attitude.
Ecclesiastical's response in particular is refreshingly free
from the equivocation sometimes found in the insurance world!"
Chris has recently fitted winter tyres to his everyday car and
reported his experience with his helpful insurer Liverpool
Victoria on the V8BB. More
Photo: HERO Club website
Links to the earlier NEWS pages on winter tyres and snow socks:
Liverpool Victoria
Other insurers may have different views on fitting winter tyres.
161210 More
Snow socks
Are snow socks for tyres a low cost alternative to winter tyres
or snow chains? 051210
More
Winter tyres
Are winter tyres worth the expense? 051210
More
Winter
tyres age rapidly
Ron Gammons mentioned that tyres for snow use age quite rapidly
and generally need renewing after two years because the rubber
compound has aged and will not react.
Winter tyre availability is very tight
Demand for winter tyres has been very heavy over the last three
weeks and getting hold of tyres for your car is very difficult
at present. Ron Gammons reported that in a survey he has just
conducted he found there are a number types of tyre in the 185
x 70 x 14 size available at between £50 and £100,
there is only one at 175 x 80 x 14 and none at 165 x 80 x 14.
So while the MGBV8 bods are sorted with a choice, the others
will have to go to a larger tyre with possible wheel rim size
issues. 171210
Caution: the helpful
views expressed here are those of the Ecclesiastical which may
not necessarilly be the views of other motor insurers in the
industry. As always it is prudent to disclose any material modification
to your car to your insurer and discuss any concerns you or
they may have over matters relating to the risk they are covering
under your motor policy.
Winter tyre advice
from the IAM in the Daily Telegraph. More
Association of British Insurers'
media comments on snow tyres. 151210
More
AA winter tyres advice.
161210 More
Updated: 241210
Posted: 161210
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Useful
clarifications from a leading classic car insurer,
the Ecclesiastical, will ease some of the concerns
many motoring enthusiasts have had over the last
three weeks when considering fitting winter tyres.
Through the specialist classic car insurance broker,
Peter Best Insurance Services, we sought help in
getting a clear idea of what the position is over
fitting winter tyres to a day to day car and a classic
too. Considerable confusion had built up following
reports in the broadsheets and on BBC Radio 4's
Moneybox programme. |
A
helpful response from Ecclesiastical started
by saying "having read
through the articles, I must admit I take a much
more straightforward view than that which is alleged
against some in the insurance industry! The issues
that are relevant here I think are:
Modification: Technically, the fitting of
winter tyres is a 'modification' but not one that
is going to be detrimental to the risk (on the contrary,
in winter conditions it would make the risk better),
so I certainly would not try to use such a 'modification'
to invalidate the policy in any way.
Care and maintenance of the vehicle: There
is a policy condition that requires the Insured
to maintain the vehicle in an efficient and a roadworthy
condition. It could be argued that the fitting of
winter tyres is an act above and beyond normal care
and maintenance of the vehicle.
Value of the vehicle: There may be a small
impact on value of the vehicle, as I anticipate
winter tyres may be more expensive. But this would
be marginal and I would not anticipate any great
impact on things like agreed values.
Some countries do reduce insurance payouts if an
accident occurs in "summer" tyres in winter
conditions. But that doesn't apply to the UK, where
it is fairly uncommon to change to winter tyres.
Certainly though, I will not seek to prejudice any
customer for taking action that improves the risk
we as insurers have to bear."
The response then addressed queries we had raised
in a note to PBIS which they had referred to the
Ecclesiastical who responded with these clarifications:
Q1. Fitting winter tyres
Does fitting winter tyres with a different rubber
compound and characteristics to an every day car
or a classic MG amount to a modification or a material
fact that should be disclosed to the insurer and
broker providing motor insurance cover for the vehicle?
Does fitting winter tyres result in a higher premium
payable and are any conditions applied to the policy
whilst the winter tyres are fitted to the insured
vehicle?
Ecclesiastical
replied - no additional premium is payable and
no conditions specific to the winter tyres will
apply to the policy.
Q2.
Tyre size and speed rating
Do any winter tyres fitted to an everyday car or
to a classic MG have to have the same tyre profile
in terms of size and profile and do they have to
have the same speed rating as the tyres originally
specified for the car by the vehicle manufacturer?
Does fitting winter tyres with a tyre size and/or
speed rating different to that specified by the
vehicle manufacturer result in a higher premium
payable and are any conditions applied to the policy
whilst the winter tyres are fitted to the insured
vehicle?
Ecclesiastical
replied - the policy conditions demand only
that the vehicle is roadworthy. As long as this
is so, then the fitting of winter tyres with a tyre
size and/or speed rating different to that specified
by the vehicle manufacturer will not result in any
additional premium, and there are no conditions
specific to the winter tyres that will apply to
the policy.
Q3. Wheel size
If a different wheel size is used in order to fit
the winter tyres - for example if the winter tyres
fitted are smaller than those originally specified
for the car - does this have to be disclosed as
a material fact that should be disclosed to the
insurer and broker providing motor insurance cover
for the vehicle? Does fitting winter tyres to wheels
of a different size to that specified by the vehicle
manufacturer result in a higher premium payable
and are any conditions applied to the policy whilst
the winter tyres are fitted to the insured vehicle?
Ecclesiastical
replied - same logic and approach applies as
to Q2 on tyre size and speed rating.
Q4.
Fitting snow socks
Does fitting snow
socks (like the brand known as AutoSocks) over
ordinary tyres to improve grip and traction on an
everyday car or a classic MG amount to a modification
or a material fact that should be disclosed to the
insurer and broker providing motor insurance cover
for the vehicle? Does fitting winter tyre socks
result n a higher premium payable and are any conditions
applied to the policy whilst the winter tyres are
fitted to the insured vehicle?
Ecclesiastical
replied - snow socks can only be used for relatively
slow speeds - certainly no more than 30mph. These
can be easily removed once they have served their
purpose of moving from driving on snow/ice, back
to snow free tarmac! For that reason, I would not
consider the fitting of snow socks to be a modification.
No additional premium or additional policy conditions
will apply.
This all applies to both 'everyday' cars and limited
mileage/classic cars.
Hope
that helps to allay any fears and address any remaining
concerns. Far from considering the queries tiresome,
I am encouraged by customers who take road safety
so seriously!
Well that is much clearer
and very welcome.
Many thanks to the Peter Best and
Richard Tague at Peter Best Insurance Services,
a leading specialist in classic car insurance, for
their help in obtaining these clarifications from
Ecclesiastical.
Experience
with Continental Winter Contact TS830 tyres
See a member's report on sourcing and fitting winter
tyres. 201210
More
HRCR winter tyres article
See John Dowson's article from the Historic Rally
Car Register's latest magazine. More |
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