Do Worn Tyres Affect Your Car Insurance?

This is a question that often crops up and, for once, it is a question that is easy to answer. Yes, worn tyres could invalidate your car insurance.

Worn/damaged tyres put people’s lives at risk

Your car insurance company expect that any vehicle that they insure is roadworthy and that includes the likes of your tyres and brakes. There are enough car accidents that take place involving fairly new cars that are “fit for purpose” never mind the large numbers of cars that have an accident that are then found to have had problems such as those we have referred to above.

There are a number of factors that affect whether a tyre is worn or not and that does not just include tread depth. Tears or cuts can make a tyre unsuitable for use. Bulges or lumps could also affect whether the tyre is classed as un-roadworthy. None of the cord or ply should be visible. All the tyres on your car should be compatible with one another.

What is the point in paying so much a month for your car insurance only to discover that if you were to be involved in an accident and one or more of your tyres were found to be not roadworthy that the insurance company refused to meet your claim. It could cost you thousands of pounds. You could get a fine and points on your license. Let’s not also forget that you could be endangering other people’s lives as well as your own. In certain circumstance, you could even go to prison.

You should seriously consider taking your car into one of the major tyre fitting companies and get them to do a free check of your tyres. At least this will give you peace of mind if the results of the check are that the tyres are all OK or, if not, you can get it/them replaced.

You don’t have to go for the most expensive tyres available if your finances are tight like they are for a lot of people. There are often budget tyres available. Again, the tyre fitting company should be able to advice you on the most suitable tyres.

Get those tyres checked!