Does car insurance cover tire damage?

Most of us, except a lucky few, have probably experienced a damaged tire—a flat tire, a slashed tire or a mangled tire after an accident. In any of these scenarios, you may have asked yourself “will my car insurance cover this?” Depending on this situation, your car insurance

might cover tire damage. Our team of insurance folks are sharing how, and if, your insurance policy would apply to tire damage in a variety of circumstances. 

Does insurance cover slashed tires?

There’s a common misconception that car insurance will only cover a select number of slashed tires, but we’re here to debunk that information. If your tires were slashed as a result of vandalism and you have Comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy before the tire damage occurred, they may be covered. 

If one, two or all four tires were slashed in an act of vandalism, your Comprehensive coverage would potentially apply and those tires could be covered by your insurance. But there’s one very important detail that could make all the difference—the loss (damage) would need to be higher than your

deductible amount in order for the insurance to cover the damages. 

Say you have a $500 deductible on your Comprehensive coverage. If you had two tires slashed as a result of vandalism and the cost to repair the tires was $250, our insurance wouldn't cover that cost since it's lower than your deductible.

However, if the tire damage was higher than your deductible, you may want to file a claim with your car insurance and pay your deductible to have the insurance cover the remaining costs of the tire repairs. 

Are tires covered by insurance in an accident?

Car accidents are stressful, and wondering what your car insurance will or won’t cover is just another added layer of stress you don’t need. In the event your car tires are damaged after an accident, you’ll be relieved to know that if you carry Collision coverage—you’re likely covered. 

Collision coverage on a car insurance policy is a loss that is caused by hitting or being hit by another car, as well as hitting an inanimate object like a tree, house or pole. It’s there to help protect you and your car, in the event of an accident. 

So when you are in an accident that results in tire damage to your car and you have Collision coverage, those repairs may be covered by your car insurance company—after you pay your deductible. 

Does insurance cover flat tires?

If you’ve experienced a typical flat tire, you may have thought to yourself, “It’s all good, my insurance will cover it!” 

And then the exact opposite happens. That’s because unless tire damage occurs from an accident or a circumstance that falls under your Comprehensive coverage, your car insurance won’t cover your tire damage. 

We know that can feel deflating (pun intended) but we want you to know how your insurance policy may apply in certain tire damage situations. So when you experience a flat, it might be best to call for a tow or a local tire shop for repairs.

But what about tire damage from a pothole? 

Because car insurance isn't a one-size-fits all approach, coverage may look differently across carriers. Referencing your policy and asking questions to your car insurance company about tire damage related to potholes, debris, etc. is a best practice to keep top of mind.

Car insurance for tire damage

Having the right car insurance coverages can help in certain situations on the road that involve tire damage. Car accidents or events like vandalism are scenarios where Collision and Comprehensive coverage may help cover repairs.

As always, if you ever have questions about your existing coverage or are ready to make changes to your policy, contact your insurer. Being prepared on the road starts with an insurance policy that has you and your car in mind. Get started with HiRoad. 

The information in this article was obtained from various sources not associated with HiRoad®. While we believe it to be reliable and accurate, we do not warrant the accuracy or reliability of the information. HiRoad is not responsible for, and does not endorse or approve, either implicitly or explicitly, the content of any third party sites that might be hyperlinked from this page. The information is not intended to replace manuals, instructions or information provided by a manufacturer or the advice of a qualified professional, or to affect coverage under any applicable insurance policy. These suggestions are not a complete list of every loss control measure. HiRoad makes no guarantees of results from use of this information.