Michelin Crossclimate

chrisgeary

Really? Why? I'd have thought that all legal road tyres would be treated the same way. If you crashed with tyres under the legal limit, I could understand the insurer not paying out.

FZR400RRSP

Depends on the insurer, some want to know about winter tyres and some don't.
Some will even surcharge you.
I believe their thinking is that if you fit winter tyres you are more likely to drive more in winter, and you are therefore more at risk.
I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it's a fact that you need to check with your insurer, not just assume any tyre will be ok.

Sloppy Bob

Some insurers can be utterly mind-bendingly stupid when it comes to winter tyres and view it as a "modification" even though it would help to prevent accidents.

AMc

I'd want another set of wheels because I would swap them over myself when I thought it was necessary not when the tyre fitters could do it.

Good question - as they're listed as being a "summer tyre" at Kwik Fit then surely I don't have anything to worry about?
I'd certainly be taking a screen shot of the order page

AMc

I agree its counter intuitive but motor insurance runs on actuarial data analysis not instinct most of the time.

It may be a chicken/egg problem with the numbers - as virtually no one fits them in the UK then those who feel the need are probably more statistically likely to have an accident in snow or otherwise.
If you decide to pay for winter tyres you probably are making a judgement that for some of your time you want the extra traction and braking which must be because you judge your journeys to be riskier than average.

The rest of us are stuck in our drives so perfectly safe even from theft

FZR400RRSP

That's fair enough, you've applied some thought to it.
I do think there seems to be a general assumption out there that you have to get spare wheels as well though.
Which obviously puts people off, cost-wise.
Perhaps if they got it into their heads just a swap of tyres onto existing wheels is fine, more would do it.

bluevortex

Just informed my insurance company about changing to Cross climate tyres. They don't charge a fee for this but do request you tell them each time you switch from summer to winter tyres or vice versa. However, to my surprise they could not find any record of 'all season' style tyres. Instead, they've taken a description of the tyre brand and logged that on my insurance record.

FZR400RRSP

'All season' tyres are something that's alien to UK motorists.
Seems to be more of an American thing.
Probably because certain US states get more of a climate 'swing' from summer to winter.
Large swathes of the UK can get by on summer tyres all year, every year.

chrisgeary

First couple of days in wet weather on the CCs. Grip is excellent. I don't feel any compromise in performance in heavy rain at 15c even compared to the mighty Uniroyal Rainsport 3s.

bluevortex

Totally agree. It's been chucking it down here today and I've no complaints about wet performance either. Seemed to grip extremely well on very wet carriagway