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Buy Tyre Insurance from Totallossgap.co.uk

 

What is Tyre Insurance?

Tyre Insurance from Total Loss GAP protects you against the cost of replacing or repairing your vehicle's tyres after sustaining accidental or malicious damage. For example, running over a pothole, picking up a nail in your tyre or even someone maliciously slashing your tyre.

 

Tyre Insurance from Total Loss GAP

Total Loss GAP provides a comprehensive Tyre Insurance policy that provides up to £350 per replacement tyre and up to £50 for a puncture repair. It can cover periods of either 2, 3, or 4 years, with a maximum of up to 4 claims per year of cover. That means up to 16 tyre claims on the maximum 4-year term. 

 

Please note that our policy terms have been updated since March 2023; your terms and conditions will differ if you purchased a policy before this date. The details on this page reflect the current tyre insurance cover available to purchase.

 

For a full list of what your tyre insurance policy will and will not cover, please see your policy documents or call a team member at 0151 647 7556 or 0800 195 4926.

 

Tyre Insurance Quote  Cover for N rated Tyres  Your Total Loss Policy Can cover Standard and Low Profile Tyres 

 

What does your Total Loss GAP Tyre Insurance cover?

  • Accidental  Damage: No one is perfect, and kerbing wheels, driving over potholes, it can happen to anyone.
  • Sidewall damage - Damage to the sidewall must be classed as an MOT failure
  • Malicious damage. It isn't very nice to think of, but it happens. Please remember that you will need a substantiated crime reference number.
  • We can cover cars up to eight years old on the day your policy starts
  • Cars up to 50,000 miles on the clock on the day the policy starts
  • Cars purchased within the last 30 days (without images) and up to 90 days (with approved images) from a VAT-registered garage at the time of policy purchase

 

The advantages of Total Loss GAP Tyre Insurance protection    Tyre Insurance UK

  • The policy allows for up to 2 or 4 claims 
  • There is no excess to pay when you make a claim.
  • Claim up to £150 or £350 per tyre replacement cost covered.
  • Up to £50 for a puncture repair.
  • No Wear and Tear deduction.
  • A 99% claims acceptance rate (at time of writing in April 2025)
  • UK-based call centres
  • UK-based claims teams
  • Up to 4 years' cover available
  • Cover for tyres which are up to and including 22 inches.
  • 30-cooling off period.
  • No waiting period for new cars *

*If you purchased a brand-new car and bought your Tyre insurance policy before you took delivery.

 

Why Buy Tyre Insurance?

Punctures or blowouts due to accidental or malicious damage can be expensive. Depending upon your tyre, they may even be designed not to be repaired. For example, if your car has a run-flat tyre, a simple puncture would generally mean that you will need a new replacement tyre. When you add the conditions found on typical roads, the chances of damaging a tyre are clear.   

We can provide the following types of Tyre Insurance cover

Tyre Insurance cost vs replacement Tyre cost

How much could a Total Loss Tyre Insurance policy save you?
Type of Car Ford Fiesta BMW 420i M Sport Mercedes E Class Volkswagen Touareg
Tyre Size 199/55/16 275/45/18 275/55/19 275/45/20
The average cost of a new tyre £109.99 £230.99 £240.49 £245.99
Cost of  Total Loss Tyre Insurance Policy  £99.99 £349.99 £269.99 £349.99
Maximum Number of claims for 3 years  6 12 6 12
Maximum value if all claims are made £659.94 £2771.88 £1442.94 £2951.88

 

Prices taken on the 23rd April 2025 - all policies were quoted with a maximum claim of £350 except for the Ford Fiesta, which had a claim limit of £150. Current tyre prices were taken as an average of available tyres on Halfords Autocentre from premium brands such as Pirelli, Goodyear and Michelin.

In each case, you could save over £1000; if you have two or more claims, you have had more than the cost of your premium back.

 

 

What is not covered by your Tyre Insurance policy from Total Loss Gap?

Examples of where claims would not be permitted include:  

  • claims where the tyre has less than 2mm tread depth across the tyre
  • claims made more than 30 days after the damage occurs
  • claims for damage due to wear and tear
  • where the damage is cosmetic, does not render the tyre unsafe, and would pass an MOT 
  • where more claims than the permitted maximum has been exceeded

 

What is the claims procedure for Tyre Insurance from Total Loss Gap?

  • If you have suffered a flat tyre or damage, please contact the Claims team immediately.   Tyre Insurance claims process
  • The Claims Team will authorise any eligible claim and provide you with an authorisation number. 
  • Go to your nearest tyre specialist, pay the repairer directly, and send an invoice for reimbursement from the claims team.
  • The Claims Team hours are Monday to Friday, 9 am until 5 pm.
  • If an incident occurs outside these hours and you require an emergency repair or replacement, proceed with the repair, but ensure both the damaged tyre and the invoice are retained and sent to the claims team for reimbursement. In these circumstances, please call the claims team as soon as possible after the repair.

If you have any further queries about making a tyre insurance claim then please refer to the policy documents of call a member of our team for clarification.

 

Looking for the best value Tyre Insurance? Combine your cover   

There are many other aspects of car ownership that you may want to consider covering. At Total Loss GAP, we offer a range of stand-alone and combined products that can protect your finances in many different ways.

These include:

Complete Wheel - Combined Tyre & Alloy Wheel Insurance

As the product name suggests, this provides a combined insurance policy to cover damage to tyres and alloy wheels on your car. In either case, it can cover accidental or malicious damage to your vehicle's tyres and alloy wheels. You can choose 2, 3 or 4 years of cover and between a maximum of £150 or £350 per replacement tyre on the vehicle.

The alloy wheel section, like the stand-alone alloy wheel insurance we offer, covers the cost of repairing cosmetic damage to the alloy, often where you graze the alloy wheel when parking (known as kerbing).

You can choose 2 or 4 claims per section of cover, per annum of cover. So if you elect for two claims per year for a 3-year term, then that is 2 claims for alloys and two for tyres for each of the 3 years of the policy.

Combining the two elements of tyre and alloy wheel will give you a better value than buying the stand-alone policies separately. 

Our complete wheel insurance may be available for people who buy a car within the last 30 days (up to 90 days with approved images) from a VAT-registered motor dealer.

 

Alternative products to buy alongside Tyre Insurance

SMARTCare Cosmetic Insurance

SMARTCare Cosmetic Insurance is another combined policy that considers both minor bodywork damage and alloy wheel damage. This means you can cover the costs of minor cosmetic repairs like scuffs, scrapes, dents, and chips to your vehicle's bodywork and alloy wheels.

This policy allows either 3 or 6 claims per annum, to mix between the alloy wheel and bodywork damage claims. You have a choice of either 2, 3 or 4 years of cover also.

Again, the policy must be purchased within 30 days of buying a vehicle from a VAT registered motor dealer, or up tp 90 days with approved images.

This product is a popular choice for those looking to cover tyres, alloy wheels and minor bodywork damage when purchased alongside a tyre insurance policy.

 

GAP Insurance

GAP Insurance, also known as Guaranteed Asset Protection, is a simple type of financial protection. If your vehicle is written off during the policy term (by your motor insurer following an accident, theft, fire or flood) then GAP cover can be used to top up your motor insurance 'market value' settlement.

Different types of GAP Insurance cover can top up your motor insurance settlement in different ways:

Return to Invoice GAP - covers you from your motor insurance settlement back to the original price you paid for the car.

Vehicle Replacement GAP - covers you between the motor insurance settlement and the cost of replacing the vehicle with the same type you first bought (so if the vehicle was a brand new Nissan Qashqai, then the equivalent brand new Nissan Qashqai at the time you make a claim.

Lease & Contract Hire GAP - covers the difference between your motor insurance settlement and the outstanding lease settlement at that time. This is designed specifically for contract hire style leases, where you have a long-term, fixed rental agreement, and you have no option to own the vehicle written into your lease.

 

Motor Excess Insurance

Motor Excess Protection is designed to work alongside your car insurance. Where you have to make a claim on your motor insurance, and you have to pay your excess, then a motor insurance protection product can be used to claim back your excess contribution paid.

It only works where you pay your motor excess as part of a successful motor insurance claim. For example, if you have a total compulsory and voluntary excess of £500 and the claim cost is only £300 then you would not be making a successful motor insurance claim as you pay the first £500 of any claim.

 

Other forms of protection you may want to consider

Alloy Wheel Insurance     Smart Care Insurance     Excess insurance

Tyre and Alloy Wheel insurance      Scrath and Dent insurance for your BMW     Tyre insurance

 

Tyre Insurance terms and conditions, plus IPID summary documents

 

These are for current policies sold from March 2023 and previously sold policies prior to that date, from Total Loss GAP.

Total Loss Tyre Insurance Key FactsTyre Insurance IPID After March 2023                  Total Loss Tyre insurance terms and conditionsTyre Insurance T&C After March 2023

New Total Loss Tyre Keys factsTotal Loss Tyre IPID Before March 2023              New Total Loss Tyre Terms and conditionsTyre Insurance T&C Before March 2023

 

How do I know my tyre size?

Do you want to know more about your tyres and what the long numbers on the side of your tyre mean?

 

What do the numbers on the side of your tyre mean?

Let's look at a tyre 255/35 R19 96Y.

 

It is not a random set of numbers; instead, it contains all the information that any tyre specialist needs to ensure that your replacement tyre is the right size.

 

  1. 255/35 R19 96Y. This is the width of your tyre from one edge of the tyre to the other.
  2. The following number is 255/35 R19 96Y. The aspect ratio is another way to say the tyre's height. For example, if your tyre has an aspect ratio of 35, its height is 35% of its width.
  3. The next letter, 255/35 R19 96Y, relates to how your tyre's casing was made. In this example, it is R, which stands for Radial construction, "B" for Bias-ply, and "D" for Diagonal construction. 
  4. Next is a number in our tyre sequence: 255/35 R19 96Y. The number 19 shows the diameter of your wheel in inches. 
  5.  255/35 R19 96Y, the fifth indicator in our example, is 96. This is the maximum loan the tyre is designed to carry when fully inflated safely. 
  6. Last in our tyre sequence is the speed rating, which in this example is Y. 255/35 R19 96Y. The ratings go from A to Z and indicate how fast the tyre has been designed to perform safely. The further away from A, the higher the tyre can perform at speed.

 

 

Tyre manufacturers - some stats and facts

 

Approximately 2.35 billion tyres are produced each year. So, how popular is the brand of tyres fitted to your car?  Figures taken from the British Tyre Manufacturers Association February 2024 are shown as a percentage of market share. We concluded that while 50% of the tyres produced were from four larger tyre manufacturers, the rest were from over ten other manufacturers.

 

How popular is the make of tyres fitted to your car?

 

 

 

Different tyre manufacturers spend hundreds of millions of pounds developing their tyres, so the exact formula of any specific tyre is a commercial secret. However, the BTMA ( British Tyre Manufacture Association) lists the following ingredients as being included in the manufacture of tyres. 

 What is your tyre made of? Where is your tyre from?

 

 

Some simple Tyre Insurance Q and A's

 

 

1. Do you have to have another type of insurance (for example, GAP Insurance) from Totallossgap.co.uk to buy Tyre Insurance? 

No, we want you to be able to pick the policies you want and leave the ones you don't.

 

2. Why is there a maximum limit of 30 days (90 days with approved pictures) from when you purchase the car as the maximum period in which you can buy Tyre Insurance from Totallossgap.co.uk?

This is simply a fraud prevention measure. As you can arrange the policy online, it would be tempting for someone needing a Tyre Insurance policy (as they have just suffered a 'blowout') to go to our website and purchase a policy. 

Without this measure, we have seen very high numbers of very early claims (for example, 20% of the total number of claims coming within ten days of policy purchase) with some policies in the past.

By keeping the policy fairer for our customers and insurers, we can see claims costs kept in line with expectations, with all legitimate claims paid. Therefore, we can maintain excellent value policy prices.

 

3. Where can my Tyre Insurance claim be processed?    Tyre Insurance Frequently asked questions

We don't know where in the country you are based, and we don't know where or when you will need to have a puncture repaired or a replacement tyre fitted. Our policy is administered on a pay-for-claim basis, which gives you more freedom, autonomy, and choice about where your tyres are repaired or replaced. We offer full Tyre Insurance UK cover so as long as you are within the territorial limits then we can provide cover.

 

4. What type of damage cannot be claimed for my Tyre Insurance policy? 

(Please check the policy terms via the link below for full exclusions.) Tyres wear down with everyday road use; a tyre that needs replacing due to wear and tear would not be covered. Damage that does not render the tyre unsafe, i.e., it would pass an MOT. We can also not cover vehicles used for unusual uses like racing, rallying, or track days. 

 

5. What does Tyre insurance cover?

Your total loss Tyre insurance will cover the cost of a puncture repair up to £50 or the price of a replacement tyre to either £150 or £350, depending upon the level of protection you have chosen.

 

6. Is Tyre insurance worth it?

With a modest tyre costing upwards of £100 and a premium, bigger-sized tyre costing over £300, we think that a tyre insurance policy is worth considering. After all, why let a puncture or blowout ruin your day? Why not let you use your insurance policy for it instead?

 

7. Can tyres be replaced with a tyre insurance policy?

Your tyre insurance policy will replace your tyres if they have been punctured, blown out, or suffered other unforeseen or malicious damage. (T&C's Apply) 

 

8. Will Tyre insurance payout if your tyres are bald?

No. To make a successful tyre insurance claim, your tyres must have a minimum width of 2 mm for tyre depth. 

 

9. Is it better to repair or replace a tyre? 

There is no fixed answer, as it will depend on the type of tyre and the location of the damage.

  • Our claims team can not physically view every tyre, so we must rely on your specialist and images. If your tyre specialist thinks the puncture is not repairable, your policy will pay for a new tyre as long as standard eligibility applies.
  • Tyre inflation solutions are often supplied as designed to be pumped into your tyre to seal it, giving you a short fix. Many are supposed to be water-soluble, but the time and effort required to remove all the used solutions often mean the tyre is no longer economically viable.
  • Theoretically, if you have a run-flat tyre, you can repair it. However, this is often not possible, so even a small puncture could mean you must replace your tyre.
  • Damage in certain areas of the tyre almost makes a repair unlikely. For example, if you have a nail in the middle of your tyre tread, it is more likely than impossible to repair it. Conversely, if the nail is close to the edge of your tyre or on the tyre wall, it is often unsafe to even attempt a repair.

Ultimately, we have to take the advice of your tyre specialist as they will know if a repair is possible or if a new tyre is needed.

 

10. If you damaged one tyre on the same axle, would you replace the other tyre? 

No, we would only pay to replace ( when necessary) the damaged tyre. 

 

11. What happens if my new tyre costs more than the maximum claim limit I chose for my insurance policy? 

Your tyre insurance policy would pay up to this maximum, and you would be responsible for any additional amount. 

 

12. How many years of tyre insurance can I buy? 

You can buy up to four years of cover and choose the coverage duration that best suits you.

 

13. Can I renew my tyre insurance?

Unfortunately, you can not renew your policy when it expires. We recommend reviewing your insurance needs and considering your required coverage before purchasing a new policy. .

 

14. Do I have to pay an excess when I make a tyre insurance claim?

We're pleased to inform you that if you have purchased your policy after March 2023, there is no excess or call-out charge. We want you to feel secure knowing there are no hidden costs.

 

15. How much does tyre insurance cost?  

Several factors influence the cost of tyre insurance. These include the type and size of your tyres, whether they are run-flat, N-rated, low profile, or standard, and the duration of the policy. The maximum number of claims per year you choose also affects the cost. For instance, a 4-year Run flat tyre insurance policy for 22-inch wheels with up to 4 claims per year will be more expensive than a 2-year 16-inch standard policy with up to 2 claims per year.  

 

16. What happens if I have a flat tyre at the side of the road?

 If your car is safe to drive, don't hesitate to contact the nearest local VAT-registered tyre specialist and contact the claims team. If your car is unsafe to drive, please get in touch with your recovery service, who will assist you in finding a tyre specialist. If you do not have a recovery service with the claims team's authorisation, your policy will pay up to £35.00 towards the recovery cost.

 

17. Does your tyre's speed rating affect the cost of your tyre insurance? 

No, your tyre's speed rating will not affect the cost of your Total Loss Gap tyre insurance policy.

 

18. If my tyre is partly worn, do I have to pay anything towards the cost of a new tyre if it can not be repaired? 

No, as long as your tyre has a minimum of 2 mm of tread, your policy will, when necessary, pay for a new tyre. However, it's important to note that our tyre insurance policy does not pay for tyres damaged due to wear and tear, punctures, or other non-accidental reasons. We recommend reviewing the terms and conditions to comprehensively understand our tyre insurance policy's limitations.

 

19. What is the difference between accidental and malicious damage?

Accidental damage could be puncturing your tyre while driving. Malicious damage could be deliberately damaging your wheels.

 

 

Why not click for an instant quote and see how affordable a tyre insurance policy can be?

 

Updated by Mark Griffiths 23/04/2025