Do Tire Warranties Cover Nails?

Car ownership is a necessity for many Americans — especially those who live in areas without reliable public transport. However, it can also be an expensive venture. While fuel costs and other minutiae can take a bite from your monthly budget, miscellaneous expenses like servicing and buying new tires can put a significant dent in your wallet. Replacing all four tires on your vehicle can easily set you back $500, with many consumers paying $1,000 or more. The cost depends on the size of your vehicle's tires, what type of tires you select, where you have them installed, etc.

After paying a large sum of money, you may wonder what's included with your tire purchase. Most tires from major brands come with a standard or manufacturer's warranty and a tread life warranty. A standard warranty typically covers manufacturing defects for a set number of years after purchase. Tread life warranties, also called mileage warranties, will cover your new tires for a specified number of miles before the tread wears out. Some brands even offer a warranty of up to 80,000 miles. If the tread wears down to unsafe levels before you've hit that specified number of miles, the manufacturer will ideally replace the tire. Road hazards — including nails — are unfortunately not covered under these standard warranties.

If you frequently drive on debris-covered roads or have simply had bad luck in the past with tire punctures, you may want to consider purchasing additional coverage. Some tire manufacturers and almost all retailers offer a road hazard warranty. This warranty goes beyond the standard and mileage warranty offered by manufacturers — covering the damage caused by nails, screws, or other foreign objects. If the damage can be repaired, this warranty will cover the cost. If it's irreparable, the warranty will also partly cover the cost of a replacement tire. Only partly, you may ask? This may not seem fair, but the warranty provider takes into account the wear on the tire before giving you the final quote. The amount covered will likely be calculated based on the percentage of tread remaining, multiplied by the original purchase price.

The price of road hazard warranties varies, but it's typically about 10-15% of the tire's price. If you're on the fence about purchasing a road hazard policy, ask yourself a few simple questions. How often have you had a flat tire that needed fixing in the past? Are you prepared to return to the original site of your tire purchase should you need a replacement? Finally, we recommend you compare the cost of the additional warranty to the potential cost of repairing or replacing a damaged tire. You can make a call based on the answers to these questions.