Declaring Alloy wheel change?

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kam09

MB Enthusiast
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Jul 1, 2013
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1,117
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E350cdi coupe sport obs black
guys i have recently changed my wheels to replica 18" MB style alloy wheels, i previously had stock oem 18" wheels but i did keep the tyres which i just swapped over along with the wheel sensors..
The Q. is Do i need to declare this change to my insurance? thanks
 
I'd certainly ask - they can be slippery when wet (the insco, not the wheels).
 
guys i have recently changed my wheels to replica 18" MB style alloy wheels, i previously had stock oem 18" wheels but i did keep the tyres which i just swapped over along with the wheel sensors..
The Q. is Do i need to declare this change to my insurance? thanks

Weren't they on it when you bought it?;)
 
I'd certainly ask - they can be slippery when wet (the insco, not the wheels).
But would changing to replica alloys be classed as a modification? they have the same profile as my old genuine amg wheels?
 
You should ask them really to be sure - they weren't the wheels the car came with so technically they are a mod.

Or yes, you could pretend they were already on the car when you bought it.

Very hard to prove otherwise and the ombudsman would find in your favour if your insurance declined any pay out on the basis you didn't declare them. It's not reasonable for individuals to know if wheels are genuine or replica, let alone what wheel patterns were available for the car when new.
 
I think the point is if anyone asks that what I would say they were on it when I bought it and I assumed they were standard ;)
 
At my renewal in May I notified the insurance that i had replaced the 18`s with 19`s.

More Than said that if there was an option of 19" wheels for that car , which there was, then there would be no additional cost but at least i told them and it is declared on my documents.

Kenny
 
Hmm think i will declare them on renewal then.. i will see what slimey admiral say then decide weather to stick with them or not..
 
Not sure on your particular circumstances but at 39, the large number of mods on my previous car made £30 difference or thereabouts to a policy premium of around £400.

I'd be surprised if it makes any difference at all.
 
When I declared all the mods to my E55 it did not significantly increase my insurance costs (about £60) but it did very much limit the number of companies that would quote
 
If you were changing from one style of genuine AMG rims to another style of genuine AMG rims of the same size, then your insurance should be unaffected. Though you should advise your insurance company of the change.

Fitting replica wheels is more likely to be seen by the insurer as a modification and higher risk which may lead to an increased annual premium.
 
While having a beer or two at a beach bar in Crete I thought I would reply, I would inform your insurance company on the safe side
 
When I declared all the mods to my E55 it did not significantly increase my insurance costs (about £60) but it did very much limit the number of companies that would quote

I think that's the main problem with limiting options. Some companies don't want to touch modified cars even if modification is not really modification, just change of equipment.

Is change of exhaust modification or maintenance?
 
I think that's the main problem with limiting options. Some companies don't want to touch modified cars even if modification is not really modification, just change of equipment.

Is change of exhaust modification or maintenance?

Modification if it is not exactly the same specification exhaust but what if you change tyres and put higher performance tyres on your car, is that a modification? I think its is a very contentious subject.
 
Hmm think i will declare them on renewal then.. i will see what slimey admiral say then decide weather to stick with them or not..

I'm also with Admiral, and to be fair, after declaring all my mods my premium went up by only £30.
It was the piece of mind knowing that I'd declared them for me, but I was pleasantly surprised by the new premium :thumb:
 
Modification if it is not exactly the same specification exhaust but what if you change tyres and put higher performance tyres on your car, is that a modification? I think its is a very contentious subject.

I don't know but I would guess that consumable items are treated differently.

As long as the replacement tyres meet the specifications required, should be fine.

Again, it goes back to what I mentioned earlier. The average person cannot be reasonably expected to know what is standard / original and what isn't.
 
Never lie or withhold information from your insurer.

Said that... if you do not declare a modification, then "honest gov, it was like that when I bought it" is your get-out-of-jail card.

But if you declare a modification, then it does not matter to the insurer who fitted it - the car is modified, full stop. So no point in calling the insurer to declare a mod and then lie about when it was fitted - it won't make a difference anyway and you'll be lying for no reason. And - that does not necessarily mean the modification will actually incur premium increase - I would hazard a guess that changing existing alloy wheels to same size alloy wheels should not affect the premium.

So you have two options.... either say nothing, on the premise that if an issue arises, you'll tell the insurer that you bought the car like that and had 'no idea' the wheels were replaced by the 'previous owner'. I would vote against doing this though.

The second option is to declare the modification. In which case I don't think it would matter to the insurer when exactly it was done. And chances are it won't affect your premium. This is what I would do.

Incidentally.... I have so far declared each and every modification I made to my car.... including COMAND retrofit, sound system upgrade, heated seats retrofit, reverse camera, and even the puddle lights and remote boot release. Yes it was a long conversation (call centre staff are not very technical you know :D ), but the result is that everything has been declared and added as a note to my policy, and my insurer (Aviva) did not increase the premium by one p :thumb: .
 

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