Motor insurance 'admin' charges [OT in uk.d-i-y]

[Tim Watts]

Putting a different brand of oil in is a "modification".

You have to draw the line and be sensible.

Yes - I agree if you re-chip the ECU (in software or hardware) or stick a nitrous kit on or get the engine over-bored, or even shove a bigger engine in - these are "modifications" that an insurer has a legitimate reason to want to know about.

Putting a make of tyre on that meets the basic spec and happens to be more suited for the prevailing conditions is NOT a modification.

Yes, winter tyres seem to be lower speed ratings, but when the rating is

130mph and a) I cannot do that in the UK, and b) my car could not even do that on an autobahn and even if it could, I'd shit my pants - it's not really relevant :)

[Tim Watts]

Is your car going to be doing 150mph this winter?

[Tim Watts]

*cough* yes we know.

[Tim Watts]

Yes, yes - we know what winter tyres do...

The point is: why would the insurer want to know?

I'm happy with paying the local tyre dudes to use their machine.

That is a good point...

[Tim Watts]

On 24/11/14 01:13, "Nightjar

[F Murtz]

.

[Chris Bartram]

On 24/11/2014 01:34, Tim Watts wrote: [snip]

I agree completely, but I've heard (only anecdotally) that some insurers throw a wobbler over speed ratings even if the car isn't capable of breaking the lower one. I do know that at one point, Eagle Star counted rebadging (remember that?)as a mod (presumably due to increased theft risk).

It's patently ridiculous to insist on W-rated tyres on my car, which cannot even break the limit of H-rated tyres, plus of course, as you suggest, there's a whole truckload of conditions that make exceeding 130 unlikely, and you'd be committing an offence to do it, even if you could.

[Nightjar]

[Tim Watts]

If they also happened to try to charge an "admin" charge I'd tell them to get stuffed.

What they'd get from me is a letter on paper "notifying them of the change and expressly forbidding them from making any sort of charge".

I'd have notified them. What they do with that letter is their problem.

I might also add something about switching insurers ;->

[The Medway Handyman]

Motor insurers are a bunch of bandits. When we moved a couple of years ago we notified everyone banks, utilities etc. Only my van insurers wanted an 'admin fee' of £30 to change the address.

They also agreed to waive the charge "on this occasion".

That made me look at the market & compare quotes. At the time my van insurance had gradually crept up to £42 a month. I got 6 quotes around £28. Their greed lost them my business.

[Adrian]

Apart from the risk of damage to the bead of the tyre, a set of second- hand standard-style wheels (even alloys) is unlikely to cost more than one seasonal tyre change-over, two at the most.

[Nightjar]

The other advantage of having a set of winter wheels, complete with tyres, is that any garage can change them for you, so it can be done in conjunction with a pre-winter service.

[Adrian]

On Mon, 24 Nov 2014 08:53:29 +0000, Nightjar The other advantage of having a set of winter wheels, complete with

Here's a radical thought...

[Nick Odell]

Careful now...

...before you know it, they'll be suggesting that people who watch TV cookery shows ought to get out into the kitchen and bake stuff.

Nick

[charles]

waht about fitting the 'spare'? that restricts the seed ven more.

[Tim Watts]

I assumed the same as you.

I've been assured that damage is not an issue and this is what lots of people are doing.

[Adrian]

...by the people with a vested interest in charging you eighty quid a year or more.

[DavidR]

[Nightjar]

Part of the skill of DIY is knowing when to pay somebody else to do the job. I forget how much the computer the garage plugs into my car to service it costs, but it would cover the cost of a lot of services.

[Adrian]

On Mon, 24 Nov 2014 10:14:52 +0000, Nightjar >> The other advantage of having a set of winter wheels, complete with

We're talking about swapping four wheels over. Ten minutes.