Does auto insurance cover damage caused by a transmission failure?
Comprehensive and collision auto insurance will cover the damage caused by a transmission failure. The damage incurred must happen during a claimable incident in order to have transmission failure covered by insurance. In addition, auto insurance will not cover mechanical negligence.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Ty Stewart
Licensed Insurance Agent
Ty Stewart is the founder and CEO of SimpleLifeInsure.com. He started researching and studying about insurance when he got his first policy for his own family. He has been featured as an insurance expert speaker at agent conventions and in top publications. As an independent licensed insurance agent, he has helped clients nationwide to secure affordable coverage while making the process simpl...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Dec 15, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Dec 15, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider.
Our insurance industry partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Full auto insurance coverage would not cover transmission failure unless it was from an accident
- For auto insurance to cover the damage caused by a transmission failure, it has to be from an incident that can be claimed
- No auto insurance coverage will pay for the damages to a vehicle if it is just from mechanical failure
Nothing is worse than having the transmission go on your vehicle, especially if further damage occurs. So let’s take some of the guesswork out of what sort of auto insurance will help with your transmission failure.
Does auto insurance cover damage caused by a transmission failure? Getting a transmission replacement is costly and difficult, and this guide will provide pertinent information as to whether your insurance plan will cover it.
In addition, you can shop for auto insurance quotes by vehicle to find the most affordable options for coverage in your area.
Will my auto insurance cover damage from a transmission failure?
Having the transmission go on your vehicle is the absolute worst-case scenario barring a total engine replacement. The good news is, your auto insurance plan may very well cover the replacement and installation of your transmission. However, your vehicle will not be covered if the transmission decides to give up the ghost.
Unfortunately, the expense rests on your shoulders at that point. Auto insurance will cover a vehicle’s transmission replacement in the event of a covered incident and all the accompanying damages. You might ask yourself, “How much auto insurance coverage do I need?” Let’s clarify what will cover a transmission failure.
For what auto insurance will cover, here are a few examples:
- Accidents: If your transmission suffers catastrophic damage while in a collision, your auto insurance covers the damage.
- Natural disasters: Any sort of nature-derived incident which causes catastrophic damage to your vehicle’s transmission will see your auto insurance cover the damage
For mechanical negligence, you’ll be on your own, unfortunately. Any incident where you’d be filing a claim an auto insurance claim will result in the damage caused by a transmission failure being covered, however.
Read more: Does my auto insurance cover damage caused by my own negligence?
Compare over 200 auto insurance companies at once!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What sort of auto insurance covers damage caused by a transmission failure?
If you’ve been in a claimable incident, only two varieties of auto insurance will cover the cost of the damage.
Collision auto insurance will cover the damage caused by a transmission failure in the event of an accident. However, you will have to prove the damage that caused a transmission failure was incurred during the accident.
Comprehensive auto insurance will cover the damage incurred if it was done during any non-accident-related incident. This includes natural disasters, sinkholes, and vandalism. However, you will have to provide proof that damage to your transmission occurred during the claimable incident.
You may wonder about Comprehensive vs. Collision Coverage and which might be better for your needs. If you want to provide a wider range of coverage for your vehicle, then getting both is the best choice.
Choosing the Right Auto Insurance for Different Types of Damage
Mechanical failures like a complete loss of your transmission are a massive headache. If these mechanical failures occur during a claimable incident, having the right auto insurance can take some of the burdens off of you.
Unfortunately, liability insurance isn’t of much use when considering what will cover mechanical failures that can be covered. Picking the right coverage requires understanding auto insurance and what the different types cover.
As previously mentioned, liability isn’t much use for mechanical damage. Its primary purpose is paying for the repairs to another vehicle if you are the responsible party in an accident.
Collision auto insurance will cover mechanical damage, including transmission failure. It does require that those mechanical failures are directly caused by a claimable accident.
Having collision auto insurance serves as a great safety net for these sorts of incidents and can save you a fair amount regarding the actual cost of repairs.
Comprehensive auto insurance covers damages caused by incidents that aren’t strictly automobile accidents. This means things like vandalism, damages caused by wildlife, and natural disasters can all be considered when factoring in having repairs covered.
The Final Word on Auto Insurance Covering Transmission Damage
Having your transmission fail is catastrophic, but there are options for a covered incident. It will require concrete proof that a claimable incident was responsible for the damage to your transmission, but it beats the alternative. In addition, having the right auto insurance coverage will result in far lower repair bills.
Compare over 200 auto insurance companies at once!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a claim in the event of a mechanical failure?
Auto insurance coverage doesn’t help with costs associated with mechanical failure. If your vehicle has transmission failure following negligence, repair costs will rest solely on your shoulders.
Does liability auto insurance cover transmission failure?
Liability auto insurance only covers the cost of damages to another person’s vehicle if you are responsible for an accident. If your only coverage is liability auto insurance, then the cost of repairs will be your responsibility.
Is full coverage the best option for transmission failure?
Full coverage is a great choice for having coverage for any sort of incident that might affect your vehicle. For example, if your budget allows for it, full coverage will certainly cover transmission failure in a claimable incident.
Compare over 200 auto insurance companies at once!
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Ty Stewart
Licensed Insurance Agent
Ty Stewart is the founder and CEO of SimpleLifeInsure.com. He started researching and studying about insurance when he got his first policy for his own family. He has been featured as an insurance expert speaker at agent conventions and in top publications. As an independent licensed insurance agent, he has helped clients nationwide to secure affordable coverage while making the process simpl...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.