Will Car Insurance Cover Regular and Routine Maintenance?

Last Updated on January 3, 2026

You buy car insurance for the big, unexpected stuff—crashes, theft, storm damage, and liability claims. But what about the everyday costs of owning a car? Does car insurance cover routine maintenance, or do you pay out of pocket?

In almost all cases, car insurance does not cover routine maintenance. You can’t file a claim to replace worn tires, pay for worn windshield wipers, or cover a scheduled service appointment. Maintenance is considered an expected cost of ownership—not an insurable “sudden and accidental” loss.

Below, we’ll break down what auto insurance does cover, what it excludes, and when something that feels like “maintenance” could actually be covered because it was caused by a covered event.

Key Takeaways

1. Routine Maintenance Isn’t Covered: Auto insurance generally won’t pay for oil changes, tires, wipers, filters, brake pads, or other wear-and-tear items.
2. Insurance Covers Sudden, Unexpected Losses: Collision and comprehensive help with accidental damage, theft, and certain weather or vandalism claims—not scheduled upkeep.
3. Deductibles Usually Make Small Claims Unworkable: Even when damage is covered, common deductibles are often $500–$2,000, which is higher than most maintenance costs.
4. MBI and Warranties Are Different Products: Mechanical breakdown insurance (and extended warranties) may help with certain repairs, but they still typically exclude routine maintenance.

Does Car Insurance Cover Routine Maintenance?

No. Auto insurance is designed to cover unexpected losses. For example, you don’t plan to get into a collision (that’s what collision coverage is for). You don’t plan for injuries or property damage to others (that’s what liability coverage is for—like hitting a pedestrian).

Routine maintenance is different. It’s an expected part of owning a vehicle. Cars wear down over time, and owners have different habits and schedules. Some drivers follow an oil-life monitor or the owner’s manual, while others change oil more frequently (see when to change oil by oil-life percentage). Because maintenance is predictable and varies widely by owner behavior, insurance companies treat it as an out-of-pocket cost.

This same concept applies to other insurance lines. For example, homeowners insurance doesn’t pay for a roof replacement simply because it reached the end of its useful life. Insurance is meant for sudden, accidental, and unexpected losses—not gradual wear and tear.

What Auto Insurance Usually Does Not Cover

A standard car insurance policy does not cover routine maintenance or normal wear and tear, including:

• Tune-ups
• Oil changes and filters (including an oil change)
• Wheel balancing and alignments (including suspension alignments)
• New tires, rotations, and expected tread wear
• Windshield wipers and other wear items
• Air filters
• Fluids (coolant, transmission fluid, brake fluid top-offs, etc.)
• Spark plugs (see spark plug replacement costs)
• Brake pads and rotors (wear items)

The Big Reason: Wear and Tear

Insurance generally excludes gradual deterioration—rust, corrosion, aging parts, and normal wear. Even if a worn part eventually fails, insurers typically treat it as maintenance-related unless a covered event caused the damage.

What Auto Insurance Does Cover Instead

While there’s no “maintenance coverage” in auto insurance, there are major coverage categories that protect you financially after covered losses. The three main types of car insurance coverage are liability, collision, and comprehensive.

Liability Coverage: Pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others (and is required in nearly every state; New Hampshire is the major exception, though financial responsibility rules still apply). Requirements vary—check state-by-state auto insurance rules.

Collision Coverage: Helps pay to repair or replace your vehicle after a crash with another vehicle or object.

Comprehensive Coverage: Helps pay for non-collision damage (theft, vandalism, hail, falling objects, animal hits, fire, and more).

When “Maintenance-Like” Damage Might Be Covered

Sometimes people call something “maintenance” when it’s actually accidental damage. A few common examples:

• Tire damage from a pothole or road hazard: May be covered under collision in some situations (but normal tread wear is not).
• Windshield damage from a rock: Often covered under comprehensive (some policies also offer glass coverage or reduced glass deductibles, depending on state and insurer).
• Mechanical damage after a covered event: If a crash breaks a radiator and the engine overheats, the resulting repairs may be related to the covered loss—even though they’re “mechanical.”

Why the Deductible Matters

Even when a loss is covered, many claims require you to pay a deductible first (learn how deductibles work). Common deductibles are often in the $500 to $2,000 range, though your insurer may offer lower or higher options.

That’s another reason routine maintenance isn’t a good fit for insurance. Many maintenance services cost less than the deductible anyway. For example, an oil change might run roughly $40 to $125+ depending on oil type and vehicle—so even if it were “claimable,” it usually wouldn’t make sense.

Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Can Help With Some Repairs

Some insurers offer mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI), which is closer to a warranty-style product than traditional auto insurance. MBI can help cover certain unexpected mechanical failures and some mechanical repairs that a standard policy won’t cover.

MBI is often restricted by vehicle age/mileage and may require a deductible per repair visit. It’s also similar in concept to an extended warranty, and some drivers shop third-party service contracts (for example, CarShield).

What MBI May Cover

Coverage varies, but many MBI policies focus on major systems—like:

• Engine components (including issues that could lead to a blown engine)
• Drivetrain
• Exhaust (certain components)
• Transmission repairs
• Electrical components
• Some braking system components (usually not wear items like pads/rotors)

Always read the exclusions. Many policies do not cover wear items, routine service, fluids, filters, or “maintenance schedules.”

MBI Still Does Not Cover Routine Maintenance

Even with MBI, routine maintenance is still typically out-of-pocket. That includes tune-ups, oil changes, tires, rotations, filters, spark plugs, wipers, fluids, coolant services, and most brake pad/rotor replacements.

Does Good Maintenance Lower Car Insurance Rates?

Not directly in the way a discount does, but good maintenance can reduce breakdowns and accidents—meaning fewer claims over time. And fewer claims generally supports lower premiums (see ways to save on auto insurance).

Maintenance doesn’t make you “rated as safer” the way driving history does, but properly maintained tires, brakes, lights, and wipers help you avoid crashes. That makes you a safer driver—and helps you avoid the costs and hassle of claims.

Final Word on Routine Maintenance and Car Insurance

Car insurance is not designed to cover routine maintenance. Maintenance is expected, predictable, and tied to normal wear and tear—so it’s typically excluded from coverage.

If you want help with unexpected mechanical repair bills, look into an extended warranty or mechanical breakdown insurance. Just remember: even those products generally won’t pay for routine upkeep.

FAQs on Car Insurance and Routine Maintenance