Rental car flat tire who pays? Sometimes, when you have no possibility of driving your own car but have a great desire to do so, a rental car company can help you in this situation. But what if rental cars get a flat tire? Let’s find out who pays for it.
Who pays for a flat tire when you rent a car?
When you rent a car, there are high risks of getting into a controversial situation in the event of some unforeseen circumstances. Imagine that your rental car runs over a nail and gets a flat tire. Is it the rental car company’s or the renter’s responsibility to pay for it?
The answer to this question may disappoint you. Most rental car companies claim that if somebody rents a vehicle, then this person pays for a flat tire if such a situation happens. However, as rental companies have their own policies, it is impossible to say for sure.
In most situations, according to the car rental agreement, it is you, not the rental company, who should provide a new tire for the rental vehicle.
Anyway, we insist on always checking out this agreement clause before driving.
A rental car gets a flat tire: your actions
If you decide to rent a car, you should understand that there are a variety of problems that you can face while driving.
We have already found out that the cost of a flat tire falls on your shoulders. Still, there is a question about what should be done to start if a driver gets into this situation. What actions should be taken? Let’s consider them one by one.
Calling your rental car company
If you notice something unusual with a tire on a rental car, pull over immediately. Make sure that your car doesn’t interfere with the movement of other cars (stop at the curb).
Check whether your rental car has run over something sharp and therefore has a flat tire. The next thing you should do is contact your rental company.
They would tell you what they could do in this case. Even if they said that a driver pays for a flat tire, at least they could help you with some advice.
Changing a tire on a rental car
If you have a replacement tire in your rental car, it is time to replace it. Do you know how to deal with it? If you don’t, that’s not a big problem.
Though not all rental cars have a replacement tire, there is a small chance that your vehicle has one. Look for it before driving.
Calling roadside assistance
If there is no spare tire in your car or you are not sure how to do it correctly, make sure to contact the car rental roadside assistance. You can do it yourself (by finding out their number on the Internet), or the rental company could help you with that.
It all depends on whether your agreement with a rental company includes this clause about roadside assistance services. If it states that roadside assistance is covered, it means that you don’t have to bother about getting a new tire instead of an old one.
In this case, the roadside assistance would do it right on the spot or help move your vehicle to the service center.
Don’t leave; just wait for them to come and help you.
However, there is one key moment you should take into account. Though these services may be covered, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the cost of spare tires is also included. In most cases, you should pay for a spare tire with your own money. Make sure to check this information for your own case.
Driving on a spare tire: why not?
After you have your car’s tire replaced with a spare one, don’t celebrate it too early, as it doesn’t mean that everything is over. You still need to replace it with another tire that fits your car.
There are many reasons why you should do it, including the different composition of the tire rubber, its small diameter, its unreliability, and its short possible period of use.
It is all done for more convenient transportation of that kind of tire (it is small and compact).
Note that you can drive with a spare tire for no more than eighty kilometers at a slow speed. Try to reach the nearest service center to get help, and don’t underestimate the consequences of driving on spare tires for too long.
Buying roadside assistance: pros and cons
When driving rental cars, people are usually asked whether they want to purchase roadside assistance. Is it worth doing it? Well, that is an ambiguous situation. Let’s consider its pros and cons so you can decide for yourself.
Cons of purchasing roadside assistance
Let’s start with the cons, as we suppose there are fewer of them than the pros. There is a key moment there.
The main disadvantage of buying car rental roadside assistance plans is that you need to pay extra money for them. Not everyone is ready for such costs, so it is entirely your choice and responsibility. Think over all the damages that could happen before renting.
In addition, there is no need to buy this service if you have your own car insurance or some special cards, as it all already provides you with free roadside assistance.
Pros of purchasing car rental roadside assistance
As for pros, it is recommended to buy roadside assistance, as you will feel more confident and comfortable when driving. If something happens (such as flat tires), you will know that there is no need to pay extra for that.
There are a great number of different services that you can choose from.
For example, we recommend choosing the premium emergency roadside service. Why is it advantageous? The main pro of it is that it covers all the costs if you get into an accident, including flat tires.
FAQ
As you can see, we have provided some car rental information that may be useful for you in case you get a flat tire on a rental car. 
At the same time, some more questions may arise while driving. Let’s discuss them together.
Are flat tires covered in rental?
Unfortunately, in most cases, a flat tire is not covered by rental car insurance. Therefore, you should pay for it out of pocket. Sometimes roadside assistance may be covered, so it would help to change flat tires. However, the cost of the tire itself is rarely covered.
We recommend reading all the provisions of the agreement before renting to find out what your rental car insurance covers, as all the companies have their own policies.
What happens if my rental car tire pops?
If you rent a car and its tire pops, there are certain actions that you need to take. Firstly, don’t panic and avoid sudden movements. Stop the car and put up an emergency sign.
Call for roadside assistance and wait for it to come. If your rental car insurance covers this case, you don’t have to pay to replace a tire on a rental car.
What happens if you have a flat tire and you keep driving?
If you keep driving with a flat tire, it will soon become unusable, and you will be unable to drive further.
The maximum speed at which you can drive like this is about 30–40 kilometers per hour. Thus, it is possible to drive several kilometers (from 2 to 3). Therefore, if you notice that you have a flat tire on a rental car, stop at the curb and contact roadside assistance.
How long can I drive on a spare tire?
If you have a spare tire, remember that it doesn’t mean you don’t need to replace it with a new one. Contrariwise, you should do it as quickly as possible.
Note that tire replacement is a temporary solution. You can drive like this for about eighty kilometers. After that, you must replace the tire. Remember that checking out the car’s state doesn’t only keep you safe; it is also safer for other drivers.
In conclusion
Overall, now you are fully aware of the actions that you should take when you see that your rental car has a flat tire. If you decide to rent a car, be ready for some unexpected situations and costs that may not be covered.
While you are generally responsible for paying for a flat tire, all the rental companies usually have different policies. Therefore, we strongly recommend checking out the information about who pays for a flat tire and what the rental car insurance covers in your car rental agreement in advance.