S.Africa’s collapsing roads: Why tyre insurance is a must for South African roads

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No matter how cautious and alert you are as a driver, driving on South African roads can often be a hair-raising experience.

There are potholes to navigate, minibus taxis to swerve around at short notice, and patchy roads often littered with debris that can put your vehicle to the test regularly.

As the only part of your vehicle that touches the road surface, tyres take the biggest hit when it comes to these road hazards.

And if you’re dipping regularly into your main car insurance policy or your monthly budget to replace tyres, the costs can add up quickly.

This makes tyre insurance a worthwhile consideration for replacing irreparably damaged tyres in the event of a serious puncture, blowout or flat that leaves your tyres beyond saving.

Here Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, manufacturer of the Dunlop, Sumitomo and Falken tyres, unpacks the ins and outs of tyre insurance.

Why do you need it?

Getting tyre insurance in place helps to keep your wheels in tip-top shape – and that’s especially important when you consider that your overall vehicle insurance policy might not pay you out if your unsafe tyres were found to be the cause of any other accidents or incidents.

What if you already have a main vehicle insurance policy in place?

Most car insurance policies include a section on maintaining your car in a roadworthy condition – and tyres are critical to roadworthiness.

If your tyres aren’t in a safe condition and insurance inspectors decide this has contributed to an incident, your vehicle claim could be rejected.

Tyre insurance is a handy complement to your main vehicle insurance cover. Claiming from your tyre insurance cover also won’t affect any no-claim bonus on your main vehicle cover and there’s usually little or no excess when doing so.

What should you look out for when selecting a tyre insurance product?

Confirm any upfront and hidden costs:

Tyre insurance is usually cost effective.

But while there are various tyre insurance offers on the market, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa offers comprehensive tyre cover at absolutely no additional charge, upon purchase of a wide variety of its own qualifying tyres.

Called Dunlop Sure, this selection of individual tyre insurance and warranty offers has been tailored to give drivers peace of mind at no additional cost for the first 12 months of getting their new tyres.

You can then renew directly with the Insurer for a further 12 months at a low monthly premium.

Check what’s covered:

You want to be covered for all eventualities when it comes to tyre damage.

The Dunlop Sure tyre insurance, available only through dedicated Dunlop branded stores, includes a 12 month All Road Hazard Guarantee that covers irreparable tyre damage sustained from any road hazard. No more stressing over potholes, uneven road surfaces and sharp objects.

If the tyre is damaged beyond repair, you’ll get it replaced in full without any costs for tread already used. Qualifying tyres are: passenger tyre – 16 inch and above, all SUV and 4×4 tyres, and all light truck tyres (except 195/14C).

For all other pneumatic tyres in the Sumitomo Rubber stable, including Dunlop, Sumitomo and Falken tyres, you’re covered by a Product Life Warranty that protects you against defects in material and/or workmanship for the usable life of the original tread – up to 8 years from the manufacture date.
Confirm how long you’re covered for:

For example, while the Dunlop Sure All Road Hazard Guarantee is for 12 months on all qualifying tyres, specific SUV/4×4 tyres from the Grandtrek range also offer up to 100 000 km of guaranteed protection against premature tread wear through Dunlop Sure’s Mileage Warranty.

South Africa’s roads might sometimes be daunting, but if you want the confidence to take any road, you can find out more about the comprehensive tyre insurance and warranties available with Dunlop Sure.

Speak to your local Dunlop dealer or visit the Dunlop website for more information, to request a quote or to find your nearest participating tyre dealership. Sumitomo Rubber SA has over 350 dealers across South Africa. To get instant pricing on a wide range of Dunlop tyres visit Click2Fit.

Don’t forget these important tyre safety tips from Sumitomo Rubber South Africa:

Check tread depth regularly: Your tyres must always be above the legal tread depth of 1.6mm in South Africa and should be structurally sound.
Get the pressure right: Maintaining optimum tyre pressure guarantees you’ll get more life out of your tyres. Tyre pressure impacts both vehicle performance and safety. Pencil in a tyre pressure check every two weeks or try to do one each time you refuel your car.
Inspect for damage: Have you recently hit a pothole or curb? Check your tyre sidewalls regularly for marks, scratches and bulges, which could result in a slow puncture or blowout if left unchecked.
Maintain roadside safety: If your vehicle breaks down or you get a flat tyre, pull over as far as possible from the road and put on your hazard lights. Remain in your vehicle at all times, with the doors locked and windows up, while you make a call for roadside assistance.

Source: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/industrynews/432492-why-tyre-insurance-is-a-must-for-south-african-roads.html