Does Insurance Cover Slashed Tires?

You’re about to get on the road when you realize someone took a blade to your tires. Along with feeling the shock that comes with this situation and having to figure out other transportation, you’re stuck with the bill to replace the tires. So does insurance cover slashed tires?

If you have comprehensive coverage, then yes, your car insurance covers slashed tires. It doesn’t matter how many tires are slashed, either. But whether you should make an insurance claim is another story. Read on to learn all about insurance coverage for slashed tires, then check out our review of the best car insurance providers to start your search for better coverage.

Key Points:

• Comprehensive insurance covers slashed tires (it’s included in full-coverage insurance).
• If your comprehensive insurance deductible is high, it may not be worth using your insurance.
• Whether you use insurance or not, you should file a police report if you believe your tires were slashed.

Does Insurance Cover Slashed Tires?

Yes, comprehensive insurance can cover slashed tires, and collision insurance can cover damaged tires depending on the situation.

If your tires have been slashed, the first step is figuring out if you’re covered by your auto insurance company. This depends on the type of car insurance policy you have and how the tires were damaged.

Does Liability Insurance Cover Slashed Tires?

No, minimum liability auto insurance, also known as basic car insurance, doesn’t cover slashed tires. Bodily injury and property damage liability insurance compensate other drivers and their passengers when you cause an accident.

Slashed tires are most often the result of vandalism. Sometimes, even running over road debris can slash your tires. Neither of these scenarios is covered by liability insurance. If your tires were slashed by someone with ill intent or damaged by a road hazard, you’ll need other insurance coverage.

What Insurance Covers Slashed Tires?

Depending on the cause, most auto insurance policies cover slashed tires with comprehensive insurance. Collision insurance may apply in some cases.

It doesn’t matter how many tires have been slashed. If you have the right coverage, it’ll cover one to four (or more) tires as long as the cost exceeds your car insurance deductible.

Comprehensive Insurance Covers Slashed Tires After Vandalism

Comprehensive car insurance protects your vehicle when it’s damaged by something other than a collision. This includes non-accident damage caused by things such as:

• Fire
• Severe weather
• Collision with animals
• Theft
• Vandalism

Slashing tires is considered a type of vandalism. Most insurance companies pay to restore your vehicle to the state it was in before the damage. The insurer will subtract value to account for the mileage your tires had before they were slashed. So while you’ll get new tires, you might have to pay for a portion of the cost (in addition to your deductible).

Collision Covers Tire Damage From Car Accidents

Collision coverage repairs your car when you get into a collision with another vehicle or an object. So if your tires are damaged after an auto accident, collision coverage can help. Collision insurance could also cover tire damage caused by running over a pothole or road spikes.

Check with your car insurance company to learn the specifics of your collision coverage when it comes to damaged tires.

Should You File A Claim For Slashed Tires?

It may or may not be in your best interest to use your insurance coverage for new tires. First of all, your comprehensive deductible needs to be low enough to make filing a claim worth it. If your comprehensive deductible is $1,000 or more, your insurance may not cover a set of tires.

And if your comprehensive auto insurance covers some of the cost of slashed tires, you’ll probably see your premium increase for the next three years. There’s a good chance the rate increase would cost more in the long run than whatever amount the insurance company paid toward new tires.

Basically, use your insurance to cover slashed tires if the tires are of high value. But if you’re just using basic commuter or all-season tires, you might save more money in the long run by paying to replace them yourself.

File A Police Report Right Away

Whether or not you want to file an insurance claim, you should file a police report if your tires were slashed. Your insurance company may require this for a vandalism claim.

If the offender is apprehended, your insurance provider may be able to hold them responsible for covering the costs of the vehicle damage.

Provide Accurate Information For A Slashed-Tire Insurance Claim

Take pictures of the damage and note information about the incident, like where your car was parked and the estimated time of day the incident occurred. Depending on your insurer, you may have a few options for filing a claim:

• Call your insurance company’s claims line
• Submit a request through your insurer’s website
• Submit a request through your insurer’s mobile app

Provide accurate details about the incident so your insurance agency can investigate your claim efficiently. Be honest with your insurance agent and provide as much detail as possible about how your tires were slashed.

After you submit a request, a claims adjuster will come out to inspect your vehicle and confirm the tires were slashed. Part of their job is to make sure this isn’t a case of insurance fraud.

Other Types Of Tire Coverage

You can also get other types of tire-related insurance coverage depending on the situation.

Custom Parts And Equipment Coverage

If your car has custom aftermarket tires, it can be expensive to cover damage after they’re slashed. And some car insurance companies offer little or no coverage for aftermarket parts and accessories. Consider getting a policy from a provider that offers custom parts and equipment coverage, such as Progressive. This would ensure your vehicle’s modifications are fully covered.

Does Roadside Assistance Cover Tires?

While roadside assistance won’t pay for tire damage or a tire replacement, it can still be helpful to have. If you get a flat or experience a blowout on the road, roadside assistance will send someone to tow your vehicle or help replace your damaged tire with a new tire.

Check if you have roadside assistance through your auto insurance company or your car’s manufacturer.

Road Hazard Protection Plans

Dealerships, auto manufacturers, extended warranty companies, and retailers offer road hazard protection plans that can cover certain types of tire failures. Usually, these are limited to hazards encountered in normal driving, not vandalism or slashed tires. Normal wear and tear also isn’t covered.

This coverage doesn’t have a deductible in most cases. You may have a certain allowance to use on tires, like $400 or $1,000, depending on the protection plan.

Does Insurance Cover Slashed Tires?: Conclusion

Comprehensive insurance covers slashed tires in the case of vandalism, and collision insurance covers tires damaged after a car accident. Liability-only policies don’t cover slashed tires at all. Compare your insurance deductible (and a likely rate increase) to the cost of replacing damaged tires yourself to see if filing a claim is worth it.

Our Recommendations For Car Insurance

It’s important to get quotes from multiple companies to compare the value each one offers. We took a look at some of the top providers in the insurance industry to see which companies have the best customer service, coverage, and costs. Geico and Progressive are among our top 10 picks.

Progressive: Best Usage-Based Insurance

Progressive has a reputation for saving people money with its Name Your Price^® tool and many discounts. Drivers can save by bundling multiple policies, going paperless, and paying their premiums in full. You can get all of the standard car insurance options from Progressive. Plus, it offers custom parts and equipment policies to cover aftermarket gear like rims.

Geico: Best For Discounts

Geico is a good option with its reliable coverage and affordable car insurance rates. Available in all 50 states, Geico offers comprehensive coverage, emergency road service, and rental car reimbursement. You can access many discounts with Geico, like those for members of the military and good students.

Does Insurance Cover Slashed Tires?: FAQ

Below are some frequently asked questions about whether car insurance covers slashed tires.

How We Rate Insurers

Our review process aims to deliver consistent and unbiased assessments of car insurance providers. While there are multiple qualities that make a car insurance company successful, our review team focuses on those we believe are the most important for consumers:

• Cost: Cost can be difficult to compare between insurers because so many factors impact annual premiums. The cheapest insurer for one driver may not be the cheapest for another. To determine our cost score, we look at insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services, discount opportunities, and consumer reports.
• Coverage: To determine our coverage score, we look at the number of coverage options available as well as coverage limits and deductible options. Our ratings also take into account additional services and benefits like roadside assistance.
• Reliability: It’s important that an auto insurer is able to meet its claims obligations. Companies with a strong financial strength rating from AM Best score best in this category. Established insurers with a long history of reliable service also receive positive marks.
• Service: We comb through customer reviews on sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to learn about customer experiences. Insurers with a low volume of complaints score well in this area. We also consider the claims process, giving higher ratings to car insurance providers that offer easy-to-use claims apps.

*Data accurate at time of publication