Tire Change: Insurance Coverage For Your Car

Whether you should change one or two tyres depends on a few factors. Firstly, consider whether your car is all-wheel or two-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive cars have specific tolerances for how much your tyres can differ in tread depth, so consult your owner's manual to avoid damaging the drivetrain. For two-wheel-drive vehicles, determine how much wear your tyres have. If your tyres are less than 30% worn, you can replace just one tyre and place it on the rear axle. If they are closer to 40-50% worn, it is recommended to buy two new tyres of the same brand and model as the ones already on your car, and place them on the rear axle. This will help maintain safer and more predictable handling. If your tyres are 70% worn or more, it is best to replace all four.

In terms of insurance, car insurance does not typically cover flat tyres or tyre wear and tear. However, if you have comprehensive auto insurance, it may cover slashed tyres, stolen tyres, and other acts of vandalism. Comprehensive insurance also covers damage due to animal collisions, flooding, fire, hail, and theft. Keep in mind that you will still be responsible for your deductible, so it may not be worth filing a claim unless the cost of replacing your tyres is significantly higher than your deductible.

Comprehensive insurance covers slashed, stolen, and vandalised tyres

If you have comprehensive insurance, slashed, stolen, and vandalised tyres are covered. However, comprehensive insurance is optional, so you must have this type of coverage for your insurer to replace your tyres. Comprehensive insurance also comes with a deductible, which is the amount you must pay before your insurance kicks in to cover the cost of replacement. Unless the cost to replace your tyres is several hundred dollars more than your deductible, it doesn't make sense to file a claim.

Comprehensive insurance covers slashed tyres on vehicles that have this type of insurance on their policy. But drivers must pay the deductible before this type of insurance kicks in.

Insurers are only required to pay for the depreciated value of the tyres to return things to the condition they were in before the damage occurred.

Comprehensive insurance also pays up to the actual cash value of the car if it’s stolen, vandalised or damaged due to flooding, fire, hail and animal strikes.

Comprehensive insurance covers incidents involving your car that collision coverage will not pay for, i.e., incidents that do not involve a collision with another vehicle. Collision insurance will only pay for damage to your tyres if it happened during an accident.

Vandalism cover is a feature of car insurance that enables you to make a claim in the event of your car being vandalised. It’s not included in all RAC Car Insurance policies - it’s not part of their third-party, fire and theft or comprehensive policies. However, it is a key feature of RAC Car Insurance Plus.

If your tyres are slashed or stolen, comprehensive coverage could help repair or replace them. This is an option to provide coverage if your vehicle is damaged in certain non-crash situations, such as vandalism and theft. If you don't carry comprehensive coverage on your car insurance policy, chances are you'll be responsible for replacing your tyres if they get stolen or vandalised. Check your insurance policy to see if you have comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive car insurance will cover tyre theft. This type of coverage pays for damages to your vehicle not related to an accident.

Liability-only insurance does not cover tyre theft or vandalism

Liability-only insurance is the minimum level of insurance coverage required in most states. It covers the other driver's losses when you cause an accident. This includes the other person's bodily injuries, their property damage repairs, and your legal fees and court costs if you get sued. However, liability insurance does not cover theft or damage to your own vehicle.

Comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, covers theft and vandalism, including slashed tires. If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurer will reimburse you for the current value of your car minus your deductible. This coverage also includes damage to your vehicle due to flooding, fire, hail, and animal strikes.

While liability insurance does not cover tyre theft or vandalism, comprehensive coverage can provide protection in these situations. It is important to note that comprehensive coverage is optional and comes with a deductible, which is the amount you must pay before your insurance covers the rest of the replacement cost.

In addition to comprehensive coverage, you may also consider adding a tire protection plan offered by tire dealers. These plans typically cover wear and tear up to a certain number of years or miles and damage caused by road hazards. Custom Parts and Equipment Coverage (CPE) is another option if you have custom wheels or rims and want to protect them from theft or damage.

Tyre wear and tear is not covered by insurance

While insurance can help protect you in the event of an accident or unforeseen damage to your vehicle, it's important to understand that not all types of damage are covered by your policy. Tyre wear and tear is one such example. Here are some key points to consider:

Understanding Wear and Tear Exclusion

Wear and tear exclusion is a standard provision in insurance policies, stating that the normal deterioration of the insured object is not covered. This includes the gradual breakdown of auto parts over time and use, such as tyre wear, brake pads, timing belts, and water pumps. Insurance is designed to protect against unforeseen losses, and if it covered inevitable losses, premiums would need to be significantly higher.

Tyre Maintenance is the Owner's Responsibility

Maintaining proper tyre care is the responsibility of the vehicle owner. This includes regular tasks such as checking tyre pressure, rotating tyres, and ensuring adequate tread depth. By taking these preventative measures, you can help extend the life of your tyres and reduce the risk of accidents or unexpected breakdowns.

When to Replace Tyres

It is recommended to replace all four tyres at the same time to maintain optimal vehicle handling, ride comfort, and road traction. Replacing a single tyre can lead to imbalances in tread depth, affecting accelerating, braking, and cornering abilities. If only one or two tyres need replacement, it is generally advised to place them on the rear axle to prevent hydroplaning on wet roads.

Tyre Protection Options

While standard insurance policies do not cover wear and tear, there are additional protection options available. Some tyre dealers offer protection plans that cover wear and tear up to a certain number of years or miles. These plans typically cost between $15 to $30 per tyre and can provide peace of mind in case of unexpected tyre issues.

Manufacturer's Warranty and Roadside Assistance

In some cases, your tyres may be covered under the manufacturer's warranty, which can include defects, premature wear, and road hazards. Additionally, consider adding roadside assistance coverage to your policy. While it won't cover the cost of a new tyre, it can provide helpful services like changing a flat tyre or towing your vehicle to a repair shop.

Mixing tyre brands can cause instability

Each tyre on your vehicle plays a specific role in conjunction with the other three tyres. Mixing tyre brands can affect the handling capability of your vehicle, especially in inclement weather or situations where you need to react quickly. It can also cause tyres to wear out prematurely and increase the risk of tyre damage and blowouts.

When tyres from different brands are mixed, they may have different tread patterns and be made from different compounds of rubber, which can lead to varying levels of grip in extreme conditions. This inconsistency in tyre performance can result in unpredictable handling and compromise safety.

Additionally, mixing tyre brands can affect the stability of your vehicle, especially if one tyre is wider than the others. This can be particularly dangerous in wet or icy conditions, as it can cause serious instability and increase the risk of accidents.

To ensure optimal performance, safety, and stability, it is recommended to use identical tyres on all wheel positions of your vehicle. If a tyre needs to be replaced, it is best to replace it with one that matches the brand, size, tread pattern, and load index of the other tyres on your vehicle.

All-wheel-drive vehicles may require all four tyres to be replaced at once

All-wheel-drive vehicles require all four tyres to be replaced at once. This is because all-wheel-drive vehicles need balanced traction at all four corners. Mismatched tyres on an all-wheel-drive vehicle may lead to damage to several components.

The front tyres on an all-wheel-drive vehicle often wear out faster than the rear ones. This could be due to several reasons, such as not rotating the tyres, aggressive driving, driving with under-inflated tyres, or misalignment of the tyres or wheels.

If you replace only one or two tyres on an all-wheel-drive vehicle, it could cause unnecessary wear and tear on the drivetrain or confuse the traction control system into thinking you are frequently losing traction. This is because a new tyre is larger in diameter than one of the same brand, type, and size that is part-way through its tread life. This means there is a measurable difference in tyre circumference that may affect the vehicle's performance.

The vehicle's central computer ensures that each wheel gets the right amount of torque, reducing slippage and maximising wheel control. If any of the tyres have less tread or a smaller circumference than the others, the computer will take incorrect readings and send the wrong information to other components. Driving with mismatched tyres for a long time can burn out the drivetrain.

Therefore, it is recommended that all four tyres on an all-wheel-drive vehicle be replaced at the same time to ensure optimal performance and avoid potential damage to the vehicle.

Frequently asked questions