Is a tire blowout covered under car insurance?

Tire blowouts can happen to anyone. Even new cars can be subject to a tire blow out and when a tire blowout accident happens you will want to know if it’s covered under car insurance. The answer is not as simple as a yes or no.

Without full coverage car insurance, you certainly will not be covered but even with comprehensive coverage you may not be covered for a tire blowout as it depends on your policy details. Tire blowouts can also end up causing damage to other parts of the vehicle so before purchasing car insurance always ask about whether or not your auto insurance policy will cover tire replacement from a tire blowout and any other damages sustained as a result.

How common are tire blowouts?

More common than you think. Tire blowouts actually even result in over 500 deaths per year and are responsible for over 20,000 car accidents in the USA alone. This translates to over 60 car accidents a day caused by tire blowouts nationwide with at least 1 person dying every day.

The most common reasons for a tire blowout are low tire pressure, road debris and worn tires so always make sure your tires have the recommended air pressure by the tire manufacturer, avoid driving over items and make sure tires are in good condition at all times.

Read More: What are some car insurance coverage details people often overlook?

How can I prevent a tire blowout?

Tire blowouts are mainly preventive with good maintenance and care however sometimes they are still unavoidable. Some things you can do to lower your risk of a tire blowout are:

• Regular inspection of your vehicle’s tires and threads
• Always monitor your tire pressures regularly and make sure all tires meet the manufacturer recommended guidelines for PSI
• Rotate your tires as recommended

What should I do when a tire blowout happens?

While tire blowouts are common and do result in fatalities for some drivers most people who have a tire blowout suffer inconvenience more than injury. It’s important however to understand that you need to take some steps when a tire blowout happens to reduce your chances of additional injuries:

• Always avoid panicking and try to steer the car to a safe place. Whether that’s the side of the road or a parking lot – focus on getting to the closest SAFE location
• NEVER slam on the brakes or stop urgently. This could result in severe damages from cars behind you and cause your vehicle to even spin out of control. Driving experts indicate that simply navigating the car to compensate for the tire blowout is the right way to do it. Any kind of sudden stop on a moving highway or road is never a good thing.
• Maintain a firm position on the steering wheel and avoid fast movements.
• Put your hazard lights on to help notify other drivers you are having problems.

I just bought new tires – Are they covered under car insurance for a tire blowout?

No. New tires are covered under the tire warranty so you need to speak with whoever sold you the tires to pay for new ones. However, your car insurance may cover items such as towing or rental car reimbursement but this depends on your policy details.

My tires had a blowout and caused a car accident – Am I covered for damages?

This depends on the type of insurance you have however most people have liability insurance which covers damage to other people’s property and persons so most likely you are covered (at least for the damage to the other person). Whether or not you are covered for damage to your vehicle or how much insurance you have depends on your car insurance policy. You may also want to consider hiring an attorney should a tire blowout cause an accident as there may be a defective product lawsuit there.

Tire blowouts are rare but they do happen and can sometimes have fatal results. Always make sure your vehicle is properly maintained and speak to your car insurance company well in advance of a tire blowout to understand how your car insurance policy works.