The obligation to use winter or all-season tires on public roads in Romania was introduced in 2011 and any driver who violates the law knows that he is liable to a fine, plus the withholding of the car’s registration certificate.

The legislation in force does not condition the use of winter tires by a certain calendar date, but they become mandatory at the first snowfall, when the road is covered with snow, ice or slush. And if the snow caught them without winter tires, drivers are liable to risks and cascading penalties. If they are caught, they receive a fine, between 1,300 and 2,900 lei, and they also lose their license plate.

What many drivers do not know, however, is the fact that, in the case of not using winter tires when the weather conditions demand it, in addition to the sanction given by the Police, the insurance company can also sanction them. And we are talking here about drivers who have CASCO insurance and who are unlucky enough to have an unpleasant traffic incident.

How does the CASCO insurer “fine” you?

So, if the car is not equipped with winter tires at the time of the incident, the insurer has every reason to politely reject the case.

The insurer believes that if the car has not been properly equipped to drive on a road in winter conditions, the driver is breaking the law, and this also gives the insurance company the right to treat him differently. Consequently, he can refuse to pay the damages for a CASCO insurance, if the driver was involved in a road accident and his car is not equipped according to the legal provisions.

In general, insurance contracts provide that if a CASCO insured car skids, causes a road accident or hits another vehicle in traffic on a road covered with snow, ice or ice without winter tires, a deductible deductible applies for the resulting damages equal to 25-30% of the value of the damage. This penalty is found in the standard contracts of some of the main insurers operating in Romania, so that hundreds of thousands of Romanians are liable to such a penalty if they fail to put on their winter tires, according to the law.

Careful! This situation occurs only in the case of CASCO insurance. In the case of RCA insurance, which is mandatory, payment will be made in full, in the event of an accident.