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Your tires could be covered under different types of coverage, or you could opt to add tire and rim insurance for added protection. Some car dealers might offer it unprompted. Compare tire and rim insurance, including what it will and won’t cover, how it works and whether it’s worth it for you.
How your tire is damaged and how badly determines what coverage you’ll need to pay for repairs. For example, you can use roadside coverage to get help swapping for your spare tire if you have one, but you’ll typically be limited to a few roadside claims a year.
Even if your popped tires are covered by your policy, you may want to consider how expensive the repairs may be. Most policies require you to pay a deductible for a collision or comprehensive claim, which might be higher than the cost of replacing the damaged tire.
Coverage | Tire damage coverage? |
---|---|
Roadside assistance |
|
Collision coverage |
|
Comprehensive coverage |
|
How your tire was slashed matters, maybe you drove over a nail, or perhaps someone vandalized your vehicle. Having your insurance company pay for the repairs of a slashed tire will depend on which type of policy you have, and how the incident happened.
Many car insurance policies will specifically exclude tires and rims or may limit you to only a single claim per year. If you’re covered through your collision, comprehensive or roadside coverage, you might still have to pay a deductible or face certain limits.
Some car insurance policies will actively exclude coverage for tire damage caused by punctures, road cuts or bursting. For example, if you drive past a construction site every day, there’s a good chance of debris eventually bursting a tire. In this case, some car insurance policies would not cover it, while tire and rim insurance would.
Tire and rim insurance is designed to help cover what standard car insurance doesn’t. It makes sure your wheels have, at the very least, the same level of coverage as your car.
Specialized tire and rim coverage add-on will typically let you claim multiple times per year with no limitations on damage type. You’re usually covered for damage from potholes, road debris, popped tires and even manufacturer defects.
You can usually add this coverage to your current car insurance policy or purchase it through your car loan lender. For loaned cars, this coverage can often be rolled into your loan payments.
To work out whether tire and rim insurance is worth it, look at your car insurance policy and see what it doesn’t cover that tire and rim insurance can. Typically, the difference will be that tire and rim insurance covers you for damage caused by road debris, running over potholes or curbs and similar accidental damage. All of these are typically excluded by car insurance policies.
Other differences to watch for include:
Car tire and rim insurance is typically very cheap compared to standard car insurance premiums and may be well worth it if you think there’s a high possibility of tire damage, or if you’re happy to pay a little bit more for the extra coverage.
Compare policies by looking at the conditions in which they will and won’t pay out. In tire and rim policies, look at the following:
The value of a tire and rim insurance policy depends not only on how much you’re paying for it, but also on what it does and doesn’t cover. Even comprehensive car insurance policies may be lacking in wheel coverage, and tire and rim insurance can be an affordable way of compensating.
Take a look at what type of car insurance policy you have and what it covers. Then decide if any additional tire and rim insurance is worth it. To make sure they work in harmony, you might want to consider looking specifically at tire coverage the next time you compare car insurance and then decide whether you need the extra protection
Compare car insurance companies near you.
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