Will My Insurance Cover Running Over a Nail?

This has probably happened to all of us. You are driving and suddenly you realize something is not right with your tires. For some of us, it turns into a slow leak and others a completely flat tire. Finding a nail in your tire can completely ruin your day. Have you ever wondered if this happened would your car insurance do something about it? I know I have asked this very same question which is why I have done extensive research to find an answer once and for all. 

So, does insurance cover running over a nail? Yes and no. The answer is really that it depends. If running over the nail is part of regular wear and tear on your vehicle, your insurance will not cover you. However, if running over the nail is in some way connected to you having a car accident and damaging your vehicle your car insurance could cover the cost of the damage. You would need to ensure you have comprehensive coverage on your vehicle.

In this post, we will cover the questions which might come up regarding getting your insurance company to possibly fix the nail in your tire. If this happens to you there are some key things you should know to have the best outcome possible. You should know in what specific cases you can call your insurance company to help you with a nail in your tire.

You also need to know what your insurance company will and will not pay for. Other questions which might come up include using your tire warranty when you have a nail in your tire, and how you can get this problem fixed. The detailed information in this post is essential when trying to know your benefits when this occurs and what to do next.

What Should I Do If I Run Over a Nail?

The first thing you should do is not panic as this is a very common occurrence. Running over a nail is not typically covered by auto insurance. However, there are a few occasions where insurance could cover the nail in your tire that would be based on the context of the situation.

Here are a few examples:

• Your car insurance will generally cover any vehicle damage caused by the flat tire (if you got in a car accident).
• Your car insurance will usually cover vandalism, storm damage, and theft of your tires.

 

All of this only applies if you have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle. You also would need to consider if you meet any of these circumstances you would first have to pay your deductible which might outweigh the cost of the actual repair.

Why Won’t Insurance Pay for a Nail in Your Tire?

There are a few reasons why your auto insurance will not pay for the nail in your tire.

Auto insurance carriers will not cover a nail in your tire because it is considered normal wear and tear on your vehicle.

The insurance company has no way of knowing if the tread on your tire is worn down or if driver negligence comes into play concerning your tires.

They do not know if you keep your tires at an acceptable pressure (over or under-inflated).

As you can see several variables can impact why or how you could have gotten a nail in your tire. Due to this, it would be impossible for an auto insurance company to cover every nail in their customer’s tires.

Auto insurance carriers are designed to handle unexpected events. Wear and tear on your vehicle is considered an expected event. They believe that as a responsible car owner you should have the resources to cover your car’s normal wear and tear.

Other Options to Help When You Get a Nail in Your Tire

You may need to consider alternative solutions to assist you if you get a nail in your tire. Roadside assistance is typically available through your auto insurance carrier. This assistance will help you if you get a nail in your tire causing a flat tire.

These services typically will pay for someone coming out to assist you with your tire, and can also deliver fuel to you or have your car towed. Useful services such as these have a low-cost monthly fee of a minimum of $15-20 per month (or less). Some credit card companies even offer these types of services to their customers as part of their credit card agreement.

A service similar to this is often included in car rental insurance, something that is wise to have if you plan to drive a rental car a significant distance.

Does My Tire Warranty Cover a Nail in My Tire?

Many tires do have a warranty. So another question which you might think of is if your tire’s warranty will cover a nail in your tire? The answer to this question is also no. Tire warranties also consider this normal wear and tear on your tire and not a tire defect. A tire warranty will generally cover defects with the tire itself.

Other things that your tire warranty might cover are:

• Milage: your tires are guaranteed to last for a certain number of miles. However, to use this benefit you would need to be properly servicing your tires with regular tire rotations.
• Ride disturbance: a defect in the tire which causes vibration or anything else within the tire.
• Road hazards: the replacement of your tires if damaged by road conditions with things like potholes.

Related Questions

How much will it cost to fix a nail in my tire? This will depend on the type of damage the nail has caused. You can often go to a local business or service station and get the tire patched if there has not been extensive damage to the sidewalls and inner liner of the tire.

However, most people do not notice a nail in their tire until the tire goes flat or has a slow leak. Then you will need to replace the tire. The cost to replace the tire will depend on the type of tire you choose for your car.

Do I need to replace my tire if I find a nail in it? If you find a nail in your tire, the amount of damage it has caused is what will determine if you need to replace the tire. If you continually drive with a nail in your tire you could ruin the tire. In some cases, if the puncture is not bad you may be able to get your tire plugged.

You can also purchase a kit from an auto repair store to plug your tire yourself. However, if you opt to do your tire repair you must follow the directions on your kit as not to make your tire worse. Depending on the location of the nail plugging or patching your tire may not be an option.

Will insurance cover me if I have a tire blowout? In most cases, insurance probably will not cover you if you have a tire blowout. The insurance company will examine the circumstances of the blowout. If there is no other damage to the car most certainly your insurance will not cover it. Again, this would fall under normal wear and tear.

However, depending on the other damage the blowout might have caused to your car you may be covered. This will also depend on if you have comprehensive coverage for your vehicle. The best rule of thumb is to call your auto insurance company. Ask questions regarding your specific situation and see where they may be able to assist you.