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Is the Chery Exeed drive shaft covered by insurance?

by raymond•

Hey everyone, and welcome back to my corner of the automotive parts world. For those who don’t know me, I’m Jake—been working as a drive shaft supplier specifically for Chery Exeed models for over 8 years now. I’ve talked to so many Exeed owners, mechanics, and even insurance reps that I’ve lost count of the times someone’s asked me: “Is my Exeed’s drive shaft covered by insurance?” It’s such a common question, and honestly, it’s one that has way more nuance than most people think. No, it’s not a straight yes or no—and that’s exactly what I’m here to break down today, because I’ve seen too many folks get stuck footing a huge repair bill when they thought their insurance had their back. Chery Exeed Drive Shaft

First off, let’s get one thing straight: the drive shaft on a Chery Exeed isn’t some random, unimportant part. It’s that long metal (or sometimes composite, depending on the model) rod that connects your transmission to your wheels, right? Without it? Your car’s not going anywhere, or at least not safely. It handles all the torque from the engine, so it takes a beating over time—rough roads, potholes, even regular wear and tear can take a toll. And that’s where the insurance question gets tricky, because different types of coverage handle different types of damage.

Let’s start with the basics of auto insurance, because most people don’t actually understand what their policy covers. I’ve sat down with insurance adjusters multiple times for clients’ claims, so I know this stuff inside out. The main coverages that could potentially apply to a drive shaft issue are collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, and sometimes even mechanical breakdown insurance—but that last one’s not standard in most states, so don’t get your hopes up unless you specifically added it.

Let’s talk collision first, because that’s the one that most people jump to. Collision coverage is for damage to your car that happens when you hit something, or something hits your car. So if you rear-end another car, or you swerve to miss a deer and smack into a guardrail, and that impact bends or breaks your drive shaft—yeah, that’s usually covered under collision. Wait, but hold on—there’s a catch here. Your collision deductible. Most policies have a $500, $1,000, or even higher deductible, so you’re on the hook for that amount before insurance kicks in. Also, if you were driving like an idiot—say, drag racing, or distracted driving that led to the crash—they might deny the claim. But for the most part, collision-related drive shaft damage is covered. I’ve seen this happen a handful of times: an Exeed TXL owner hit a curb really hard and bent the drive shaft, filed a collision claim, paid their $500 deductible, and insurance covered the rest of the replacement. That’s a win, right?

Now the big one that people get confused about: comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive is for damage that’s not your fault and not collision—so things like theft, vandalism, falling trees, hail, or even hitting an animal (deer, coyote, whatever). So if a tree branch falls on your parked Exeed and cracks the drive shaft? That’s comprehensive. If someone keyed your car so hard it damaged the drive shaft (yes, that’s possible—keying doesn’t just scratch paint, it can bend suspension parts too)? Comprehensive. But here’s the huge gotcha: comprehensive does NOT cover normal wear and tear. Oh man, that’s where so many Exeed owners get burned. The drive shaft, like brakes, tires, or clutch, is a wear item. So if your drive shaft fails because it’s rusted from 10 years of road salt, or because the u-joints wore out from 150,000 miles of stop-and-go city driving? That’s normal maintenance, not an accident or a covered peril. Insurance will flat deny that claim, 9 times out of 10. I can’t tell you how many people call me upset because their insurance said “drive shaft wear isn’t covered” and they have to pay for a new one themselves. That’s the biggest myth I want to bust right here.

Wait, but what about mechanical breakdown insurance? Like I said earlier, that’s an add-on policy you have to buy separately, and it’s not cheap, but it does cover things that wear out over time. Some people call this “extended warranty insurance,” and it can cover drive shaft failures from normal use. But I’ve had clients call me who added this, only to find out their policy has a limit—like it only covers parts, not labor, or it only covers the drive shaft if it’s less than 10 years old or under 120,000 miles. So if your Exeed is a 2019 model with 140k miles, that MBI might not help. A lot of people don’t even know this coverage exists until they need it, so that’s a heads up for all Exeed owners reading this.

Now, let’s talk about something specific to Chery Exeed, because I know that’s the model we’re all talking about here. I supply drive shafts exclusively for Exeed models, so I’ve got first-hand knowledge of common drive shaft issues on these cars. From what I’ve seen, the most common drive shaft problems on Exeed are worn u-joints, faulty center bearings (that’s the part that supports the middle of the drive shaft, right?), and occasionally balance issues that cause vibration at high speeds. And guess what? Most of these issues pop up around the 80k to 120k mile mark—right around the time people might start wondering if insurance will cover it. And like I said, if it’s just normal wear from driving, insurance is not paying for that. I had a client with a 2021 Exeed VX, 95k miles, who started hearing clunking when he put it in reverse. He thought it was covered, filed a claim, and got denied because it was “mechanical wear and tear.” He ended up buying a new drive shaft from me for way less than the insurance repair estimate would’ve been, plus he didn’t have to pay a deductible. That’s a real example, no fluff.

Another thing that comes up a lot: if you modified your Exeed, does that change things? A lot of Exeed owners like to tweak their cars—bigger tires, lift kits, performance parts. If you modified your drive shaft or other parts, and that modification caused the drive shaft to fail, insurance is probably not going to cover it. I had a guy who lifted his Exeed TX by 2 inches and installed bigger off-road tires, which put extra stress on the drive shaft. It cracked a month later, he filed a claim, and insurance said the modification was the cause, so they denied. Had he come to me first, I would’ve hooked him up with a heavy-duty modified drive shaft built for lifted Exeeds, but hindsight is 20/20. So modification is a big one to keep in mind.

Wait, what about if someone else causes the damage to your drive shaft? Like, if someone hits your parked Exeed and breaks the drive shaft, or if an auto shop messes up when doing a transmission service? That’s different. If another driver is at fault, their liability insurance should cover the damage to your drive shaft. And if a mechanic or shop causes it, their insurance or their business’ policy will cover it. That’s a whole separate scenario, but it’s worth mentioning because a lot of people don’t know who to go after if the damage wasn’t their fault. I had one client whose transmission shop accidentally dropped the drive shaft while working on his Exeed, bending it beyond repair. The shop paid for a new one, no questions asked, and I got the order within 24 hours. That’s a win too, but it’s not your own insurance covering it, it’s the other party’s.

Let’s also talk about what insurance considers “corrective maintenance” vs. “damage.” Sometimes, if your drive shaft had a known issue and you didn’t get it fixed, and then something worse happens, they might deny. For example, if you knew your u-joints were worn for 6 months, didn’t replace them, and then the entire drive shaft seized up and caused an accident. Your insurance will probably say you neglected maintenance, so they won’t cover the damage, and might even deny liability if the accident was your fault. That’s why it’s always better to fix small issues early, and keep records of any maintenance you do—if you need to file a claim, having receipts for past work can help, or at least prove you weren’t neglecting your car.

Now, I know a lot of Exeed owners are probably thinking, “So I’m just stuck paying for drive shaft repairs out of pocket?” Not exactly. Here’s the thing: as a supplier for Chery Exeed drive shafts, I work on a lot of these repairs, and I know that independent, high-quality parts (like the ones I supply) are way cheaper than OEM parts through the dealership, and way cheaper than insurance paying full price. If your claim gets denied because it’s wear and tear, you’re better off going with a reliable third-party supplier like me, rather than paying a deductible and letting insurance mark your car as a total loss or raise your rates. Wait, that’s another point: if you file a claim for a drive shaft repair, even if it’s covered, that can make your insurance rates go up. A lot of people don’t think about that—if you have a $1,000 drive shaft repair, and your rate goes up $20 a month for the next 3 years, that’s $720 extra, on top of the deductible. So sometimes, it’s actually cheaper to just pay for the repair yourself, especially if it’s wear and tear.

Let me recap this real quick to make sure I didn’t miss anything, because I know this is a lot. Is the Chery Exeed drive shaft covered by insurance? It depends entirely on why it’s damaged:

  1. If damage is from a collision (hit another car, curb, etc.): Usually covered under collision, minus your deductible, but may raise your rates.
  2. If damage is from a covered non-collision event (tree, vandalism, animal hit): Usually covered under comprehensive, same fine print.
  3. If damage is from normal wear and tear, age, or lack of maintenance: Almost never covered by standard insurance.
  4. If damage is caused by another driver or shop: Their liability should cover it, no your insurance involved.
  5. If you added mechanical breakdown insurance: May cover wear and tear, but check your policy limits.

Now, I want to be clear here—this isn’t legal advice, and insurance rules vary by state, policy, and even the specific adjuster handling your claim. I’m just speaking from 8 years of working with Exeed parts and dealing with people’s insurance claims, so this is the real-world stuff I’ve seen. If you have a specific situation, you should always call your insurance rep and ask, but I can tell you from experience that the wear and tear claim denial is super common for Exeed drive shafts.

A lot of Exeed owners reach out to me panicking because their drive shaft is making noise, they heard it’s expensive to replace, and they’re not sure if insurance will help. Here’s my two cents: don’t wait until it fails completely. The longer you put off replacing a worn drive shaft, the more likely it is that it will cause other damage to your Exeed—like messing up your transmission or damaging your wheels—and that will only cost you more. And if your insurance denies the claim because it’s wear and tear, don’t stress. As a Chery Exeed drive shaft supplier, I have OE-matching parts built specifically for Exeed models, at wholesale prices, no middleman markup. I work with mechanics and individual owners alike, so whether you’re a hobbyist doing your own work or a shop needing bulk orders, I can hook you up with parts that are reliable and way cheaper than going through the dealership or paying full insurance rates.

If you’re an Exeed owner dealing with a drive shaft issue, or if you’re a mechanic looking for consistent, quality Exeed drive shaft parts, hit me up. I don’t do generic parts—everything I supply is tested to fit Exeed TX, TXL, VX, and all the other Exeed models, so you know it’s going to work right. No hidden fees, no weird wait times, just solid parts for your Chery Exeed.

Before I wrap up, I want to mention a few things I’ve learned over the years that will help you if you ever do need to file a claim. First, take photos of the damage as soon as you notice it, before you touch anything. Second, keep all your maintenance records—even if you take your car to a quick lube, save the receipt. Third, don’t admit fault at the scene of an accident, even if you think you might have been at fault—let the insurance adjusters sort it out. Fourth, if your claim is denied because of wear and tear, don’t get mad at the adjuster—they’re just following policy rules, but there are other options, like going with a trusted parts supplier.

At the end of the day, the drive shaft is a critical part of your Exeed, so taking care of it is non-negotiable. Whether you go through insurance or not, getting a quality replacement is key to keeping your car safe on the road. I’ve been supplying Exeed drive shafts for almost a decade, and I’ve never had a part fail on a customer in less than 5 years—so I stand behind the parts I sell. If you need anything for your Chery Exeed drive shaft, don’t hesitate to reach out to connect for procurement discussions.

Jeacoo J7 Drive Shaft References:

  1. Insurance Information Institute. Auto Insurance Coverage for Mechanical Breakdown and Wear and Tear. 2024.
  2. Chery Exeed Official Owner’s Manual. Drive Shaft Maintenance and Common Issues. 2022.
  3. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Consumer Guide to Auto Insurance Claims. 2023.
  4. Automotive Parts Association. 2024 Cost Guide: Drive Shaft Replacements for Modern Crossover SUVs.

Wuhu Shengsheng Automotive Parts Co., Ltd.
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