[ed335d]

Originally Posted by SteveC

Having lived in Germany for 17 years, I was used to changing wheels in Winter to mount winter tyres, thereby ensuring the safety of my car in sub zero temperatures and snow. Driving on summer tyres in winter voided your insurance, due to that fact that summer tyres increased your chances of having an accident several fold

The weather in the UK is not that much different to Germany, its cold, wet, slippery and snows and very clearly summer tyres are as much a liability here as they are in Deutchland.

So why on earth do UK insurance companies charge you an extra £170.00 a year if you want to fit winter tyres?

I drive a BMW M-Sport. My plan was to buy a set of winter wheels from BMW comprising standard spec. 17" rims with winter run flats. For the privilege my insurance company want to charge me an extra premium

There's absolutely no doubt that using summer tyres in winter contributes to thousands of accidents on UK roads, costing the insurance companies millions in claims and their logic is based on pure ignorance.

The problem is that in the UK , the only category insurance companies have for changing wheels, is "an alloy wheel upgrade" which makes the car more desirable and therefore subject to greater risk of theft.

The concept of Winter tyres and the increased safety they bring has completely escaped them

Just another example of our unerring ability to shoot ourselves in the foot

Who are you with?