Swap wheels and insurance?

Ukrobotman · Post by **Ukrobotman** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:56 pm

Planning on replacing my 19” wheels with runflats to 17 wheels with new standard tyres this week.
Is this a modification? Do I need to inform my insurance company and if I do what are they likely to say or do ?
Anybody have experience of doing this?
I’ve been reading stories of folks having there insurance cancelled because the wheels had be painted a different colour and having failed to inform insurance company!

Buckz · Post by **Buckz** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:58 pm

Yeah you gotta inform them, anything that's not standard. Call them first and ask them if they're okay with it, 99% of companies are fine with small mods like that. You might get charged administration fee or extra on your policy, depends on details.

Zoomer · Post by **Zoomer** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:13 pm

I didn't know that Z4s had 19s as standard?

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:15 pm

Zoomer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:13 pm I didn't know that Z4s had 19s as standard?

E89 i think the Op has

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:21 pm

It is a bit of an internet story really though, I have never seen any evidence of insurance being declined because of some sort of change. First of all, insurance companies don't cancel the insurance as such as they are legally required to cover third party cover. Secondly, even with people who have not declared points, I have only seen that payment adjustments are made during a claim to reflect that.

You probably find that in the event of a claim, you are getting the base spec wheels back (in your case the 19" ones then).

Zoomer · Post by **Zoomer** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:39 pm

I was lead to believe that if you could have ordered the car with the change ie. wheels , then you don't need to disclose it. After all how would you know if the guy before has changed the genuine wheels from 17 to 19 or indeed anything else.

mr wilks · Post by **mr wilks** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:44 pm

Zoomer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:39 pm I was lead to believe that if you could have ordered the car with the change ie. wheels , then you don't need to disclose it. After all how would you know if the guy before has changed the genuine wheels from 17 to 19 or indeed anything else.

My thoughts exactly , i'm not getting involved in the should you / shouldn't you debate , each to their own but in all honesty you buy a used car , its had a few owners , its perfectly acceptable that you wouldn't know if it had a change of wheels , springs , seats etc from when it left the factory ,
Should you inform insurance if you change aerial to a stubby

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:45 pm

mr wilks wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:44 pm
Zoomer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:39 pm I was lead to believe that if you could have ordered the car with the change ie. wheels , then you don't need to disclose it. After all how would you know if the guy before has changed the genuine wheels from 17 to 19 or indeed anything else.
My thoughts exactly , i'm not getting involved in the should you / shouldn't you debate , each to their own but in all honesty you buy a used car , its had a few owners , its perfectly acceptable that you wouldn't know if it had a change of wheels , springs , seats etc from when it left the factory ,
Should you inform insurance if you change aerial to a stubby

Yes - as that is clearly a performance enhancement

jamie_z4 · Post by **jamie_z4** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:04 pm

People on here worry about changing their brake pads for brembo ones

Ducklakeview · Post by **Ducklakeview** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:09 pm

jamie_z4 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:04 pm People on here worry about changing their brake pads for brembo ones

Mike

Post by **srhutch** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:30 pm

Zoomer wrote: ↑Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:39 pm I was lead to believe that if you could have ordered the car with the change ie. wheels , then you don't need to disclose it. After all how would you know if the guy before has changed the genuine wheels from 17 to 19 or indeed anything else.

Not according to admiral. Parking sensors are classed as a modification even though they came out of the factory with them fitted. E85, as it was an option only. If standard equipment then not.

Ukrobotman · Post by **Ukrobotman** » Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:51 am

I am inclined to agree with these comments . Who is to know when you bought your 5 yr old Z4 what wheels the previous owner had put on there and if they were standard

R60BBA · Post by **R60BBA** » Fri Mar 09, 2018 11:10 am

Ukrobotman wrote: ↑Fri Mar 09, 2018 10:51 am I am inclined to agree with these comments . Who is to know when you bought your 5 yr old Z4 what wheels the previous owner had put on there and if they were standard

Whilst I agree with most of what is said above, IMO you should tell your insurance company.

You are forking out your hard earned cash on a full set of alloys. If you do not declare this to your insurance company and someone hits you side-on, cracking your alloy in the process, then your insurance company are not obligated to replace your wheel like-for-like.

To avoid any headache of this sort I recommend you inform them.

As a general note, any “expensive” mods should always been informed to insurers. I’d rather pay a slight premium to my insurers and know that my mods are covered then cheap out, end up in accident, and lose my mods and money subsequently.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Fri Mar 09, 2018 1:05 pm

R60BBA, agreed with that as that makes sense as if the insurance company does not know, they are not paying for it.

I don't agree with the wild statements about that if you change a wheel, your insurance will be cancelled if they find out etc.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Mar 11, 2018 10:13 am

Look like I was wrong then: http://www.ombudsman-decisions.org.uk/viewPDF.aspx?FileID=109940

Pretty unbelievable though.

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com