Everyone knows that when it comes to car insurance you need to have it in case of an accident that leaves you or another person with injuries and damages to your vehicle. It is also pretty typical for car insurance to cover any damages or losses caused by fires or theft. You may even see some policies cover damage from natural disasters. One thing that most people don’t see included in an auto insurance policy is coverage for repairs for mechanical breakdowns or for regular checkups and routine wear and tear like oil changes, tire replacements, or cosmetic improvements. Unless these things were the direct result of a car accident. So, no, your typical car insurance policy won’t cover most mechanical breakdowns such as blown engine or wear and tear servicing. However, there are some insurance companies that do in fact have an additional type of coverage you can purchase that would cover things such as a blown engine.
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In What Situations Does Car Insurance Cover a Blown Engine?
If you find yourself with a blown engine or needing some other sort of repairs to your car following an accident then, if you carry what is known as collision coverage, you will be covered for those repairs.
Another type of coverage you can get that would possibly cover a blown engine is comprehensive coverage. This would cover your vehicle in an instance that isn’t related to a car accident but also isn’t your fault. Let’s say for example a tree falls on your car and damages the engine. This is something that could be covered through comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive coverage not only covers falling objects, such as in our tree example above, but it also covers natural disasters, theft, destruction or defacement, fire, or damage from a collision with an animal.
What Type of Coverage Would Cover a Blown Engine?
Some drivers may want to look for additional coverage to protect them in the event some mechanical failure does eventually happen to their vehicle. Depending on exactly what type of coverage you’re looking for you’ll have a few different options:
- Warranty or Extended Warranty: Most cars, depending on how new they are, have some sort of a warranty. Cars may have a form of warranty that covers only engine-related issues and then there may be another type of warranty that covers other issues with the car that are unrelated to the engine. Typically, these warranties have a different time frame on them. Some manufacturers will allow you to pay for an extended warranty that will extend beyond the typical, free warranty already included with your purchase.
- Roadside Assistance: There are many different ways in which roadside assistance can assist you with some problems you may experience with your car. Roadside assistance could assist you in the event you have a dead battery and need a jump, you can call them if your car breaks down on the side of the road and you need a tow to a mechanic, they can even help you change a flat tire (although you will more than likely need to have the spare tire yourself. In other situations, they can bring you gas if you run out or let you into your car if you are locked out. For a lot of people, roadside assistance added to their original policy is enough coverage.
- Mechanical Breakdown Insurance: Although this coverage is not as common, there is something known as mechanical breakdown insurance. This type of coverage could help pay for things like brake replacements, new parts for your engine, or repairs to any internal parts of the car. It is important to note that for this car claims for maintenance are typically denied, and also cars that are particularly old probably won’t be approved to be insured by this coverage.
- Rental Car Reimbursement: Your typical plan will probably not reimburse your rental car fees accrued while you are waiting for your car to be serviced. Having this add-on can be a great help in case of an emergency where you need to get a rental car but maybe it’s just not in the budget.
- Uninsured Motorists Policy: This is a good policy to have added on to your coverage because in the event you are in an accident and the other person doesn’t have any coverage this type of coverage can help pay for any repair work that needs to be done.
Overall, your basic auto insurance policy does not cover an engine blowout. There are many options you can choose from depending on your need, how much you want to spend, and the timeframe for which you are looking for coverage. While mechanical breakdown insurance might be more expensive than paying for an extended warranty it still covers more things that the warranty may not cover. Unfortunately, you may end up paying quite a bit for the additional types of coverage and then discover later on that you never need it. But you’ll thank yourself for having it if you ever find yourself in a situation where your engine has blown and your insurance policy takes care of the whole repair and rental car reimbursement takes care of the need for temporary transportation.
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