Does Car Insurance Cover a Blown Engine?

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A blown engine can be an expensive and frustrating situation for any car owner. If the engine failure was due to normal wear and tear or mechanical issues, your regular auto insurance likely won’t cover repairs. But if the engine damage resulted from an accident or other covered incident, you may be able to file a claim to get compensation.

This article provides an overview of whether your car insurance will pay for a blown engine, what coverage is needed, and steps for making a claim if the damage is covered.

What is a Blown Engine?

A blown engine refers to internal engine failure where the motor can no longer function properly. This is usually due to

Mechanical breakdown – Worn or faulty engine components like pistons valves rods or bearings can cause the engine to seize up or stop working.
Overheating – Excessive heat buildup can warp and expand engine parts leading to failure. Cooling system leaks, low oil or poor maintenance often contribute.
Foreign object damage – Debris sucked into the engine can break internal components and cause catastrophic failure.
Improper modifications – Altering the engine in certain ways like chipping, racing or adding too much boost/pressure can exceed tolerances and lead to failure.

A blown engine will often display symptoms like loud knocking noises, smoke coming from the exhaust, oil leaks, overheating, and complete breakdown where the car won’t start. Repairing or replacing a blown engine can easily cost $5,000 or more in parts and labor.

Does Car Insurance Cover a Blown Engine?

In most cases, a standard personal auto insurance policy will NOT cover repairs for a blown engine itself. Here’s a breakdown of what coverage applies:

Liability coverage – Bodily injury and property damage you cause to others. No coverage for your own vehicle repairs.
Collision – Damage from an accident with another car or object. Blown engine alone is not covered.
Comprehensive – Damage from events other than collisions like weather, fire or theft. Again, does not cover mechanical failure.
Uninsured motorist – Injuries and damage from an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. Does not cover mechanical breakdown.

Exception: If the engine damage directly resulted from an accident or comprehensive claim event, your insurer may pay for repairs. You’ll need to provide proof the failure was caused by the covered incident.

When is a Blown Engine Covered by Car Insurance?

In some scenarios, you may be able to successfully file an insurance claim for a blown engine:

An accident caused leakage of fluids like coolant, oil or gas that led to overheating and engine failure.
Collision impact, like striking a curb, damaged internal engine parts and led to failure.
Your engine sucked in debris from the road after an accident, leading to damage.
Severe weather like floodwater or hail led to engine electronic failure.
Engine and electrical damage resulted from a fire covered by your comprehensive insurance.

In these cases, you’d need to demonstrate that the covered incident preceded and directly caused the engine failure. Never try to make a fraudulent claim by falsifying accident details or damage timelines.

Is a Blown Engine Covered Under Warranty?

For newer vehicles still under the original factory powertrain warranty, you may be covered for certain engine repairs or replacement. This warranty provided by the manufacturer typically lasts 3-5 years or 36,000-60,000 miles.

Coverage for mechanical failure is limited, but a blown engine from a defect may be covered for free repair or replacement. Make sure you adhere to all maintenance requirements and document service records to avoid denial of a warranty claim.

An extended auto warranty from the dealer or third-party provider can also pay for repairs for engine breakdown after the standard warranty expires. Compare plans carefully, as some exclude certain components like turbochargers, superchargers or electronics.

Steps to Make an Insurance Claim for Blown Engine

If you believe your blown engine resulted from an accident or other incident covered by your auto policy, here are the key steps to file an insurance claim:

Document damage – Take dated photos and video showing the engine failure and how it connects to the covered incident. Get repair estimates too.
Call your insurer – Immediately report the loss to your insurance company. Provide incident details and damage evidence.
Inspection – The insurer will likely send an adjuster to inspect your car’s damage and confirm cause of failure before approving a claim.
Negotiate claim – Work with the claims adjuster to ensure the settlement will fully cover the cost of repairs based on estimates.
Authorize repairs – Once claim is approved, the insurer will authorize repairs at an approved shop. Make sure to avoid out-of-pocket expenses and rental fees not covered.
Settle claim – Finally, review the settlement details before signing the release of liability and closing the claim. Ensure it covered all repairs accurately.

Key Takeaways

The key points to remember about whether car insurance covers a blown engine:

Standard policies do NOT cover mechanical failure or breakdown – only accident/damage-related repairs.
You must prove the covered incident preceded and directly caused engine failure.
Comprehensive or collision insurance may pay for engine damage from an accident, weather event or fire.
New vehicle warranties or extended warranties often cover mechanical failure for a time period or mileage.
Document damage timeline and meticulously follow the insurance claim process.

While you can’t expect your car insurance to pay for any engine failure due to wear and tear, carefully filing a claim can lead to coverage if the breakdown resulted from a covered loss based on policy terms. Managing insurance expectations around blown engines can help avoid frustration.

What Type of Insurance Covers a Blown Engine?

If it turns out that you did everything you could to keep your car in good shape, then some insurance companies will pay to have your engine replaced. That is, if you have collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, or mechanical breakdown coverage, your insurance company might pay for the damage.

MBI, or mechanical breakdown insurance, is an extra policy that you can buy on top of your regular car insurance. MBI will pay for the purchase of major car parts like the engine. It will also pay to replace your transmission, brakes, power system, and other parts. It’s easy to picture this kind of policy as an extra warranty for your most expensive car parts.

MBI can cost around $100 a year, but the exact amount depends on your service provider and the type, make, model, mileage, etc. of your car. You’ll pay a different amount if you drive an electric car compared to someone with a Toyota Civic or a Ferrari. But keep in mind that MBI usually has a high deductible. This means that the policyholder (you!) may have to pay for many things out of their own pocket. Â.

If you’re buying a new car, you might want to get mechanical breakdown insurance as an extra warranty. This will keep you from having to pay a lot of money to fix expensive car parts. Getting MBI can ensure that your vehicle stays functional for longer.

If you purchase comprehensive coverage, youâre protected against damages caused by conditions other than collision. So this means that if your engine blows because of vandalism or bad weather, your car and your money will be safe. Â.

While full-coverage car insurance policies come with comprehensive coverage, liability-only car insurance does not. Thatâs because comprehensive insurance is not mandatory. However, if you lease or finance your car, your lender may require full coverage, which could be useful if your engine ever breaks down. Â Â.

And comprehensive coverage can come with add-ons such as rental car reimbursement, rideshare insurance, and loan-lease payoff. In addition, it covers damage due to hail, fallen tree branches, and more. If you want more coverage for a wide range of situations, such as a blown engine, you might want to add comprehensive coverage to your regular auto insurance.

Collision coverage does what its name says: protects your car in case of a collision. Accident damage insurance can help pay for repairs to your car’s engine if it blows up. Often, you won’t have to pay anything out of pocket. Just be aware that collision coverage is subject to deductibles, which will affect your rates. Â.

If you have collision and comprehensive coverage, your car will be well protected against most problems, even if the engine blows up (again, as long as you didn’t do anything to cause it to happen!).

Does Car Insurance Cover a Blown Engine?Â

Yes, but there is a big catch: it depends on the type of policy you have and what caused the engine to blow out in the first place. When the blast comes from a car accident, it’s one thing. When it comes from not taking care of your car’s maintenance, it’s a whole other story. Â.

Before going any further, we need to answer a crucial question: what is a blown engine, and how is it different from a failed engine? A blown engine has “catastrophic damage” that has affected the motor and therefore needs extensive repairs. A failed engine, on the other hand, means that one part of the engine stopped working, which stopped the whole system from working. Â.

Okay, now back to our regular programming: your blown engine and how youâre going to pay for it.Â

If the blown engine is caused by commonly covered perils, your insurance provider may cover it. But since car insurance varies by state, check your details before making a claim. Â.

If your problems are caused by worn-out ignition switches, corrosion, transmission problems, or loose connections, your insurance company may say it’s your fault because you didn’t keep the car serviced and in good shape.

Will Car Insurance Cover a Blown Engine? | Does Car Insurance Cover Engine Failure? Blown Engine

FAQ

Can you claim insurance on blown motor?

Typically, unless the engine failure was caused by an accident, your insurance won’t pay for repairs. However, there are options for coverage. Mechanical breakdown insurance, for example, can come into play if you’ve got a dead engine and are looking for financial help in fixing it.

What happens if your engine blows and you still owe money?

Regardless of the shape of the vehicle, you still owe the finance company money and are obligated to make payments or else they can repossess the vehicle and get a deficiency judgment against you for the difference between what the vehicle sells for at auction (with a blow engine) and the balance of your loan.

Will gap insurance cover a blown engine?

One of the most expensive breakdowns a car owner can have is engine failure. An engine that needs to be replaced can cost thousands of dollars, so you want to protect yourself and your finances if you can. But does gap insurance cover engine failure? The simple answer is no, gap insurance doesn’t cover engine failure.

How much does a blown engine cost?

Repairing blown engines is costly. You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $5,000 on parts and labor. Even fixing one or two small engine parts will result in a high price because of the complexity of the engine and the amount of time a mechanic needs to do the job.