Winter and cups =
 

Has anyone considered the possibility that their car insurance is invalid when driving on cups in the winter? The hand book recommends the tyres should not be used when the ambient temp is lower than 7 deg C. That is, the insurance company could claim your car is not fit for the road if you are involved in an accident. Speak to a someone from southern germany who has been involved in an accident in the winter when driving on summer tyres if you need convincing. It is normal for garages there to store owners winter wheels/tyres for changing in the winter.

Interesting.....never thought of it before. Surely though, if they are road legal, then you are insured? Also, if its only "recommended" they should not be used, would an insurance company be able to use it as a get out clause? Admittedly insurance companies will try their best to get out of a pay out.

It is law in Germany to have winter tyres in winter, the UK isn't as clued up! I doubt an assessor would know what they are looking at, however you make a valid point. There is no point giving them chances to wiggle out of a claim...

road legal tyres and OEM so i doubt any issue at all tbh

No it doesn't. It says that they don't work as well below 7c, which to be fair is exactly the same as every other 'summer tyre' out there (PS2, Conti 2 etc...etc)

There's no insurance issues at all :thumbs:

In Germany and Austria, you need to have winter tires during the winter (in case there is an accident, there will be coverage in case you don't have winter tires).
In Switzerland, you can have summer tires unless there is snow.
So if there is an accident in clear day(not snow on the road) and you have summer tires, all is good.
If the same happens with snow, you have problem.

I am also aware about Greece where no one checks tires ;)
I guess it's similar case in UK.

The handbook states: "Fit winter tyres if the outside temperatures are lower than 7 deg C". If normal tyres are fitted one could argue that you are using normal (summer) tyres like everyone else in this country, but would not like to debate cups in court of law. Any lawyers on this forum?

Apologies - so it does. Oh well we're all screwed then :hahaha:

Cups will not affect insurance in this country, there is no UK law that states we have to use XYZ tyre during particular months, so long as they are road legal for the UK, I.e. have adequate tread and are not bald then if you did have an accident on them you'd be fine and insurance would be valid.

I had my car delivered by a BMW dealer a few years ago - it was below 5 degrees on the yday they delivered it and they had to deliver/drive the car with the spare tyres/wheels on (less than 3mm of tread!!) - they said they weren't insured to drive the car with Cups on under 5 degrees.

Not sure whether that would apply to an individual but I never had any more problems with cold Cups then any other cold 'summer' tyre.

Rick