No matter where you live in Australia, you’re bound to find yourself driving on poor road surfaces. On top of this unfortunate reality, you’ve probably also noticed the trend of rims getting larger at the expense of tyre walls, which are becoming narrower and narrower.
While it’s true that tyre technology and construction has improved, these current configuration trends increase the probability of tyre and rim damage. If you’re driving on low profile tyres that are 45 series or less, you may have already noticed how prone they are to bulges and sidewall gouges.
Why You Need Tyre and Rim Insurance
With manufacturers trending towards these specifications combined with the poor road conditions found throughout the country, your tyres and rims are at a greater risk of being damaged than ever before.
Unfortunately, repairing tyres and rims is expensive. You may also need a replacement if the damage is extensive enough, which can cost hundreds of dollars.
Many people are realizing that local councils and tyre manufacturers frequently refuse to pay up for damage resulting from poor roads, leaving them with the expensive repair bills. The good news, though, is that tyre and rim insurance can protect you from these costly repairs when they do occur.
The Key Benefits of Tyre and Rim Insurance
A major benefit of having tyre and rim insurance is that it can save you money in the long run. For a modest ‘one-off’ policy premium payment, you will avoid being devastated by an expensive repair bill that you can’t afford.
If you don’t have the money to pay for the needed repairs, you’re likely to just keep driving your car. This is obviously unsafe and will put you at greater risk of getting in an accident.
Furthermore, your damaged tyres aren’t road compliant, so your vehicle will be unable to pass its yearly inspection. Tyre and rim insurance solves these potential problems to protect your safety, your wallet, and your peace of mind.
What Tyre and Rim Insurance Covers
Tyre and rim policies are extensive, covering tyre and rim damage caused by the following:
- Kerbs
- Poholes
- Metal
- Road debris
- Nails and screws
- Glass
- Blowouts
- Misshapen, warped, or cracked rims
In addition to that basic coverage, many policies offer extra options to get you back on the road if you experience a flat tyre, battery failure, lose your keys or lock them in the car, or if your car runs out of fuel.
Is Tyre and Rim Insurance Right for You?
Though there are exceptions to what tyre and rim insurance will cover, these exceptions are both reasonable and logical. For example, damage resulting from negligence, vehicle collisions, or wheel modifications isn’t covered by tyre and rim insurance.
In other words, you generally don’t need to be worried about something being snuck into the fine print of a policy that prevents you from getting compensated for damage caused by road conditions or bad tyres or rims.
That being said, we do recommend reading through any policy you’re considering to see exactly what is and isn’t covered.
All in all, having tyre and rim insurance is more important now than ever when you consider the increased likelihood and cost of tyre and rim damage in recent years.
If you drive on a regular basis, tyre and rim insurance can end up saving you hundreds of dollars in the long run.