Tyre Protection in Car Insurance

A tyre is a significant component to bear the highest wear and tear as compared to any other part of the vehicle. Considering India’s road condition, it is essential to opt for an insurance policy to avoid unexpected repair or replacement costs of the tyre and tube. Read ahead to know about tyre protection in car insurance.

It is common in India to encounter bad roads with potholes and cracks while driving. Apart from spoiling the driving experience, these bad roads may also damage your vehicle. Although intense damage is rare, damages like bent or cracked rims due to irregular roads are common.

There are two types of insurance policies available for cars, namely, Third-party Car Insurance Policy and Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy. A Third-party Car Insurance Policy only offers financial protection against accidental injury, death or property damage to a third party. It does not cover accidental damages to the insured car. Consequently, it also does not cover damages to your car’s rims.

A Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy, on the other hand, offers Own Damage Insurance (OD) cover and financial protection against third-party liabilities. The OD component provides cover for accidental damages and damages arising from natural and man-made calamities. Thus, in the event of an accident, the financial cover is also extended to the damaged rim of the insured car. 

However, in non-accident cases, rim damage is not covered under this policy and a Rim Damage Cover has to be bought separately. Non-accident scenarios may include rim damages resulting from driving over potholes, road debris or driving too fast over speed breakers. That is why it is recommended to buy a rim cover on top of your Comprehensive Car Insurance.

A Rim Damage Cover offers financial protection against damages to the rims of an insured car. Such damages can result from driving over potholes, road debris or kerbs. This cover is usually offered by insurers in addition to a Comprehensive Car Insurance Policy and is subject to availability. And may increase the policy premium payable.

The following are the inclusions of a Rim Damage Cover. The exact list of inclusions may differ from insurer to insurer. Always either check with your insurer or go through the policy document to find out the exact inclusions of the policy.

The following are exclusions of a Rim Damage Cover. The exact list of exclusions may differ from insurer to insurer. Always either check with your insurer or go through the policy document to find out the exact exclusions of the policy.

Note: If you happen to change your car rims on your own, you will have to inform your insurer. You may also have to share details like the identification number of the new rims. 

If your car’s rims get damaged, it is important to consider whether it is worth raising a claim. You could base your decision on the cost of buying new rims and the type of wheels your car has. The reason is, most car insurers have a deductible that may be of equivalent cost to buying new rims. Also, you may lose the accumulated No Claim Bonus (NCB).