Do you need tyre and rim insurance?

As 4x4 enthusiasts, we're all about the off road. Off road means unsealed tracks, steep drops, jagged rocks and other nasties that might wreak havoc on your tyres and rims.

But you have comprehensive car insurance, why should you have to worry? The truth is - you might have to. Bill Tsouvalas, from Savvy, BRW’s fastest growing company in 2015 and market leader in automotive finance explains all about car insurance options here to help you. It’s always important to get your car insurance right when you’re buying a new or used 4x4. Make sure you know how much you’ll be paying for your loan and insurance up front before committing yourself. Always use a car loan repayments calculator and find insurance quotes before proceeding.

Everyone knows the 4x4 owner's hip pocket pain

Replacing a tyre or a rim on your 4x4 is an expensive prospect. For the bigger and tougher tyres, you could be out of pocket upwards of $300. If you have to fork out for all four...it may easily cost four figures. Replacing cracked or warped rims costs even more. It also means your 4x4 is out of commission while it's repaired. You may even have to pay for a tow-truck or specialised roadside assistance to get your vehicle to a repair centre.

Comprehensive doesn't mean completely covered

Even if "comprehensive" insurance falls short, you can buy separate tyre and rim insurance. Depending on what level of cover you purchase, you can cover your tyres and rims against blow outs, encounters with rocks, odd kerbs and road debris and other accidental damage. Your claim payout will usually cover the costs of buying new tyres or rim repairs. You will have to pay an excess in many cases, but that's usually far lower than paying for it yourself.

You can even buy high value and high extras policies. These policies may cover emergency accommodation if the damage occurred far away from your home. Some offer no excess claims and one-off payments that cover your tyres and rims for beyond the usual 12 months.

Can you bundle tyre and rim insurance?

Tyre and rim insurance could be paired with other types of insurance such as modification insurance. This could be as simple as an LPG swapout, new seats, engine mods and so on and so forth. If you've been steadily upgrading your pride and joy throughout the years - your tyres and rims included - you should consider looking at a policy that covers all those mods and other bits and pieces that you assume is covered under a comprehensive policy. You may be in for a rude awakening!

Follow the rules or pay

Remember, you have to make sure you're following the rules of your policy to ensure you get what you entitled to. If you add oversize tyres on your vehicle and blow them out, your insurance company may not cover the damage as your vehicle may be unroadworthy! So talk to an insurance professional to make sure you're covered properly.