[Allworth]

Had an MOT with advisory to monitor thread depth, decided to change for non-run flat tyres due to economy and better ride, these sit in my shed atm.
I once been asked at tyre shop when ditching RFTs to my old F30 few years ago whether my insurance company aware of a change. This never came to my mind that it could be an issue with an insurance. I could understand recovery company could cost more due to higher risk of towing required, but insurance ?

So my question is does insurance company consider changing to non-run flat tyres as modification thus needs to be informed, taking RFTs are fitted from factory?

[danb1979]

No; but it's wise to inform them you're no longer running RFTs

They'll not it on their system and that's that really

[crAbb]

Just make sure you get * marked tyres.

[Pentland]

The people to ask are your insurance company.
I let the insurance know if I change between summer/ winter tyres. Usually they just note it.

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by danb1979

No; but it's wise to inform them you're no longer running RFTs
They'll not it on their system and that's that really

Last time I notified about changes to job title and address they did charge 25ish for each change.

Originally Posted by crAbb

Just make sure you get * marked tyres.

No, I am not that pedantic, got mid budget tyres

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Pentland

The people to ask are your insurance company.
I let the insurance know if I change between summer/ winter tyres. Usually they just note it.

The ABI have produced a list of insurers and whether they need to be told about a switch between summers and winters:

https://www.abi.org.uk/globalassets/...commitment.pdf

[crAbb]

Originally Posted by Allworth

Last time I notified about changes to job title and address they did charge 25ish for each change.

No, I am not that pedantic, got mid budget tyres

Pedantic? The compound is different from the non * marked tyres.

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by crAbb

Pedantic? The compound is different from the non * marked tyres.

All tyres are different to start with. Compound is different, thread pattern is different, load ratings, speed ratings, manufacturing year. Tree is different from a banana.
Have you yet started learning German?
Kind Regards

[Watsey]

When I contacted my insurer about switching from RFT to standard tyres they were surprised I'd even called them.

In short, if they're road legal they're road legal.

Can you imagine the number of calls per hour the insurers would receive if people had to enquire about RFT to non-RFT, Michelin to Goodyear, *marked to non*, summers to all seasons to winters, etc.

[crAbb]

Originally Posted by Allworth

All tyres are different to start with. Compound is different, thread pattern is different, load ratings, speed ratings, manufacturing year. Tree is different from a banana.
Have you yet started learning German?
Kind Regards

Ah, it's just a 2.0 litre diesel. I'm sure a budget tyre will be just fine

[DougMcL]

Originally Posted by Watsey

When I contacted my insurer about switching from RFT to standard tyres they were surprised I'd even called them.

In short, if they're road legal they're road legal.

Can you imagine the number of calls per hour the insurers would receive if people had to enquire about RFT to non-RFT, Michelin to Goodyear, *marked to non*, summers to all seasons to winters, etc.

This. Your insurance company does NOT need to know, nor does it have any business to know. The tyres are the correct size and road legal. Budget is fine (though I wouldn't)

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by Watsey

When I contacted my insurer about switching from RFT to standard tyres they were surprised I'd even called them.

In short, if they're road legal they're road legal.

Can you imagine the number of calls per hour the insurers would receive if people had to enquire about RFT to non-RFT, Michelin to Goodyear, *marked to non*, summers to all seasons to winters, etc.

In a similar way I was surprised to hear this question from tyre fitters.
I think this is coming from a fact that swapping to non-rft means severing a car from run flat function, which is semi-permanent (more than a typical insurance policy lasts).
Not easily I can imagine this, as It would be hard to imagine how many calls insurers would have had at the fact of using premium diesels or additives that may add some power temporarily.

[un1eash]

You use to be able to spec run flats or standard tyres for some models. You wouldn't declare this to your insurance would you.

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Allworth

Last time I notified about changes to job title and address they did charge 25ish for each change.

No, I am not that pedantic, got mid budget tyres

Really? Chris Knott charge nothing; just noted it on their system and that I run all-seasons/winters over the winter period etc

Each company will be different

[Pentland]

I guess if you are changing to a tyre that has not been approved by BMW for that vehicle then technically you are changing the (approval?) spec of the car. In that case I could understand the insurance co wanting to know.

For x-drive I’d certainly check with BMW for vehicle compatibility.

Just because most people may not tell their insurer, doesn’t meant they were right and actually should have done so. I’ll bet a lot of people don’t declare “proper” mods.

Whether the insurance care at all, for the sake of a phone call I’d make it and check.

[Allworth]

Originally Posted by Pentland

I guess if you are changing to a tyre that has not been approved by BMW for that vehicle then technically you are changing the (approval?) spec of the car. In that case I could understand the insurance co wanting to know.

For x-drive I’d certainly check with BMW for vehicle compatibility.

Just because most people may not tell their insurer, doesn’t meant they were right and actually should have done so. I’ll bet a lot of people don’t declare “proper” mods.

Whether the insurance care at all, for the sake of a phone call I’d make it and check.

Although I do not remember which tyres are approved, I would assume lots of tyres would exceed the requirements if there is any requirement at all, as for the car that has been released more than a decade ago, the tyre industry evolved. If there isn't any specific measurable requirements, is just a pure marketing.

[3-GT]

Originally Posted by Pentland

I guess if you are changing to a tyre that has not been approved by BMW for that vehicle then technically you are changing the (approval?) spec of the car. In that case I could understand the insurance co wanting to know.

For x-drive I’d certainly check with BMW for vehicle compatibility.

Just because most people may not tell their insurer, doesn’t meant they were right and actually should have done so. I’ll bet a lot of people don’t declare “proper” mods.

Whether the insurance care at all, for the sake of a phone call I’d make it and check.

Whilst I agree that a simple phone call is reassuring, and I agree that changing from RFT to Non-rft might be something an insurance company may want to know as having RFT can be seen as a safety feature during a blow out.

However, I don't think having tyres approved by BMW is necessity for insurance. Surely budget tyres wouldn't exist as I doubt any OEM brand would approve them.

[dave550i]

Hi, About seven years ago i was running a 7series and it was approved used under warranty started getting problems with a slight jerky power train on the motorway about 70mph, anyway get to the point about two weeks previous had two new rear tyres fitted
not bmw * rated still bridgestones but without the star service manager called me to say that they could not proceed with warranty claim because of no star rating! not an insurance isssue but worth bearing in mind when fitting tyres while still in warranty

[JD6]

Originally Posted by dave550i

Hi, About seven years ago i was running a 7series and it was approved used under warranty started getting problems with a slight jerky power train on the motorway about 70mph, anyway get to the point about two weeks previous had two new rear tyres fitted
not bmw * rated still bridgestones but without the star service manager called me to say that they could not proceed with warranty claim because of no star rating! not an insurance isssue but worth bearing in mind when fitting tyres while still in warranty

My dealer told me something similar. On my old 335d I had switched to MPS4S which weren’t available in the size as star marked, so to make sure I could use the BMW warranty, I made sure my winters were star-marked. I just had to make sure it went in on winters for any warranty work which could conceivably be attributed to tyres…

[Ennoch]

Neither my summers or winters were * marked and my local dealer had no issue sorting out the transfer case last year (one of the few times I'd actually say they did a good job!). The warranty company asked if it was the tyres causing the judder, but the dealer stuck a set of * marked tyres on from another car and ran the tests a second time to prove it wasn't the tyres. I think the warranty might be more interested in if the tyres are causing the judder (i.e not the box) rather than if the tyres have caused the failure. Some dealers however do look for every avenue possible to avoid warranty work, my local one included more often than not.

In insurance terms, the only impact go flats have on a car is in needing a recovery when you puncture, and in that regard you'd think that the BMW breakdown element would have more of an issue but even they don't care. Changing tyres would be no different to using non-genuine brake discs, or springs etc. As long as they meet the legal spec for the car, ie load and speed rating, then you're fine. As to the winter tyre insurer link above, it's basically all but Swift Cover don't care, and they've always come across as an insurer I wouldn't want to use anyway judging by reviews and prices! I suspect the bigger question around winters with insurers has historically been around fitting different wheels to standard with them. But even that opens up the question; why would they be happy with you fitting another set of different wheels for winters, but then charge you extra for summer? It's somewhat rhetorical as I know how the risk ratings work, but still.

[TurboWeasel]

If not running * tyres breaks the car, I think I would be giving BMW a wide berth.

I've run *, non star, run flat, non run flat and even MO Mercedes tyres and it makes bugger all difference..... aside from run flat vs go flat in terms of sidewall stiffness. Yet another money making scheme.

[Cootie]

You don’t need to inform your insurer of tyre changes - it isn’t included as a risk factor as are other cosmetic or mechanical deviations from factory specification.