BIBA
GeoTrust
container image

Call Monday-Friday 9am - 6pm Closed Saturday & Sunday, 56 Hamilton Square

0800 195 4926 0151 647 7556
0800 195 4926

Call Monday-Friday 9am - 6pm Closed Saturday & Sunday

What is Alloy Wheel Insurance and why should you buy wheel insurance?

 

Alloy wheel insurance helps cover the cosmetic repair costs if your alloy wheels have been damaged.

 

Who can buy alloy wheel insurance?

To buy a form of alloy wheel insurance ...

  1. Your vehicle must be less than 10 years old on the day that your policy starts.
  2. You must be able to send clean, dry images of your alloy wheels.
  3. The vehicle must be owned or leased in your name (this includes salary sacrifice)
  4. You must have purchsed your vehicle from a vat registered garage, main dealership, lease or contract hire company.
 
 

Who can not be covered with alloy wheel insurance?

Every insurance policy, including our alloy wheel protection, has terms and conditions. It’s very important to read them, as they explain how any claims will be handled.
Because of this, we want you to know that your alloy wheel insurance policy will not cover:
  • vehicles used for any form of tuition ( driving school )
  • cars or LCVs used for any form of hire or reward.
  • Alloy wheels which are over 21 inch
  • Powder coated alloy wheels.
  • Any damage which happened before the start date of your alloy wheel insurance policy.
  • Any damage which happend afte the end dat of your policy.
  • Any damage which happend a result of a motor accident.
  • The theft of your alloy wheels.
  • Split rim construction alloy wheels
 
What types of alloy wheel damage can an alloy wheel insurance policy cover
 
Common Types of Alloy Wheel Damage:
  • Curb rash (scratches and scuffs from hitting curbs)
  • Dents from potholes
  • Paint chips and peeling
 
What types of Alloy Wheel damage can your alloy wheel insurance not cover?
  • Cracks from impacts
  • Corrosion and oxidation
  • Here’s how an alloy wheel is repaired.
 
If you buy alloy wheel insurance how are alloy wheels repaired?
Basic Repair Process:
 
1. Assessment: Your alloy wheel is checked to see if it can be repaired. Severe cracks or structural damage may make the wheel unsafe to fix, so these are not covered by your policy. Please remember, your policy covers cosmetic repairs.
 
2. Cleaning: The wheel is cleaned to remove brake dust, dirt, and old coatings. If needed, the old paint or finish is completely removed.
 
3. Repair
  • Damaged areas are sanded down.
  • Body filler or specialised alloy filler is applied to gouges and deep scratches.
  • The surface is sanded smooth and level.

4. Refinishing

  • A primer is applied
  • A layer of Paint is applied to match the original finish.
  • Clear coat is added for protection and shine.
  • Some wheels are polished or diamond-cut instead.
7. Quality Check:
  • The wheel is then inspected for quality control.
 

Why buy Easy Gap Alloy Wheel insurance?

 
At EasyGap, we are often accused of being old-fashioned. We don't offer discounts, pay for stars or recommendations; they are all nice, but they cost money and can lead some policyholders to pay more than others, which we think is fundamentally wrong. We also offer other formas of protection as well as gap insurance. From alloy wheel insurance to smart care. We want you to have all the infomration you need to make informed choices about the levels and types of cover that you want.
 
Instead, we just offer alloy wheel insurance that work.
 
  1. Financial Protection: A tyre and alloy wheel policy can protect you against the unforeseen costs of cosmetic damage to your alloy wheels, tyre punctures, flat tyres, and blowouts. Alloy wheel repairs can be expensive, and this insurance helps avoid unexpected bills.
  2. Coverage Details: Up to 4 claims per year.
  3. Covers Various Wheel Types: Your alloy wheel policy will cover Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels, Painted Wheels, and Laser Cut alloy wheels
  4. Protects Resale Value: Damaged alloy wheels can reduce your car's part-exchange value and may result in extra charges when returning a leased vehicle.
 
Alloy Wheel insurance is particularly useful if you frequently drive in urban areas with tight parking or roads with high curbs where wheel damage can happen all too easily.
Alloy Wheels have been around for over a century.
 
  • Early Development (1920s): The Bugatti Type 35, introduced in 1924, featured some of the earliest alloy wheels on a production vehicle. The first alloy wheels were made from magnesium, a lightweight metal known for its strength and durability.
  • Racing Origins: Magnesium wheels were first used for racing. However, the 1960s saw the development of other die-cast wheels, particularly aluminium alloys. Racing teams recognised the performance benefits early on.
  • Technical Improvements (1960s-1970s): In the mid-to-late 1960s, aluminium-casting refinements enabled the manufacture of stronger, less brittle wheels. The first factory-fitted all-alloy wheel widely available to the motorist of moderate means was the cast-aluminium 12-spoke, 5 x 13″ version offered as optional equipment on the first VW Golf, Scirocco, Passat and Audi 80, beginning in 1974.
  • Mainstream Popularity (1980s): They started becoming popular with the general public in the 1980's, but were in fact offered sporadically since 1924. This was when alloy wheels transitioned from luxury items to mainstream upgrades.
  • Modern Era (2000s onward): Alloy wheels have become considerably more common since 2000; they are now offered on economy and subcompact cars, compared with a decade earlier, when they were often not factory options on inexpensive vehicles. So while alloy wheels have existed since the 1920s, they didn't become widely popular on everyday vehicles until the 1980s, and are now standard on most modern cars.