Like shoes, clothes, and appliances, tires don’t last forever. When your tires get worn out or go flat, here’s what is and isn’t covered by car insurance, roadside plans and warranties.

Tire Insurance Explained

Many drivers may wonder if their tires are covered by their car insurance policy. However, it’s not a simple yes or no answer. It depends on what types of coverage they’re carrying and their specific situation. Here are some different circumstances explained.

Does car insurance cover flat tires?

Car insurance doesn’t cover normal wear and tear on your vehicle, including flat tires. However, there might be exceptions. For example, if you suffer a flat tire from a bad pothole, you might be able to file a claim under collision coverage. If you want protection in case you run over a nail or your tire goes flat for some other reason, your best option might be to purchase a roadside assistance plan.

Read Roadside Tire Service below for more information.

Does insurance cover stolen tires and wheels?

Like other commonly stolen car parts, comprehensive coverage can come to your aid if your tires or wheels are stolen by a thief. If you’re not carrying comprehensive coverage, you’ll be stuck paying for stolen tires and wheels out of pocket.

Does insurance cover slashed tires?

Yes, but only if you have comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage can help pay to repair or replace your vehicle if it is damaged by vandalism. If you don’t have comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy, you’ll have to pay for the damages on your own.

Does insurance cover rims?

It depends. If the rims on your vehicle are factory installed, they should be protected by collision coverage if they’re damaged by a pothole or other accident or comprehensive coverage if they’re stolen. However, if you install specialized rims as a modification, you will need to notify your insurer of the change or risk your claim being denied.

Roadside Tire Service: What to Know

Roadside assistance can come to your aid if you have a flat tire, but there might be some limitations depending on your plan’s details.

Does roadside assistance change tires?

If your vehicle suffers a flat tire, roadside assistance can send someone to change it for you. However, this service might only be free if you have an available spare. If you don’t have a spare tire or the spare tire isn’t safe, many roadside services do offer free towing to a repair shop within a certain number of miles.

Please Note: If you’re using a temporary spare tire, one that is smaller than the others on your vehicle, Autotrader recommends driving no more than 50 miles before getting to a shop to have it replaced with a full-size, matching replacement.

Can roadside assistance patch a tire?

Roadside plans don’t usually provide tire patches on the side of the road. However, they can put on your spare tire or tow you to a service station where a tire expert can patch the tire or sell you a new one.

Tire Warranties Explained

Like many other products, tires are sometimes sold with a warranty. However, you don’t want to count on these warranties for free repairs and replacements because they typically come with lots of fine print, according to Autotrader. In many cases, their road-hazard warranties are only good for a window of time much shorter than the life of the tire.

Get covered with Direct Auto!

Want to make sure you’re protected as much as possible? Give us a call or stop by your local Direct Auto office for a free auto insurance quote and ask us about a roadside assistance plan.

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