Breakdown Cover Guide

With vehicles becoming increasingly technologically sophisticated, it is no longer as easy to make repairs yourself. Looking under the bonnet to find a problem is becoming more a matter of courtesy than an attempt at action.

Additionally with more vehicles on the road, repairing your vehicle on the hard shoulder is becoming far more dangerous.

It is therefore easy to conclude that breakdown cover is a safer, cheaper and easier option than going without. We therefore take a look at what options are available for motorists considering purchasing a breakdown cover policy, and things that should be looked out for prior to making your purchase decision.

Pros and cons of breakdown cover

According to the AA, they alone attend to around 20,000 calls outs to breakdown recovery services every single day during the harsh winter months in the UK. The reasons for this vary, but punctured tyre’s and flat batteries tend to be the most common problems. However regardless of how prepared you are a vehicle failure will always be a possibility.

Obviously in this day and age with an increased number of vehicles on the road, changing a tyre on the hard shoulder is not a safe option. It is therefore unsurprising that some many more people are opting to pay a little bit extra in order for the peace of mind that comes with breakdown cover policies.

The biggest drawback with breakdown cover is of course yet another annual expenditure, further increasing the running costs of your vehicle. However, there are a variety of different breakdown cover options to consider which could help to limit the amount you spend. The choice you make is of course dependant on your budget.

Types of breakdown cover

There are two different types of breakdown cover to choose from called vehicle and personal. Vehicle cover entitles you to assistance in the event of a specific vehicle breaking down, regardless of who is driving it at the time.

The other option is personal cover, where a breakdown recovery service is provided to an individual regardless of whether they are the driver or passenger in any vehicle. However, there is now an option available for personal cover to be purchase for multiple individuals on the same policy through some breakdown cover providers.

While vehicle cover is usually the cheapest option overall, the best value for money is entirely dependent on your personal situation. For example, someone with more than one vehicle in their household who drives all of them regularly would likely find personal cover the best option despite it being more expensive than the vehicle cover option.

What is covered by breakdown insurance?

Different levels of breakdown cover afford different levels of protection; with their being four options to choose from.

The most basic and cheapest level of cover is called Roadside. This is where the breakdown cover provider will send out a patrol to fix your vehicle at the side of the road if possible, with a certain allocation of free labour time usually afforded through membership before additional charges are applied. The time allowance will vary depending on the breakdown cover provider. If the vehicle can not be repaired the patrol will tow the car to the nearest garage for repair, with the cost any replacement parts required not covered by the breakdown cover membership.

The next level up from this is National which includes the services provided at Roadside level, but also agrees to transport you, your passengers and your vehicle to a destination of your choice when ever a breakdown occurs. It costs a little bit extra but you are obviously getting more in return.

Home start is the next level up, and this includes all the features offered at the national level. In addition to this the breakdown insurance provider will also agree to send patrols to your home to make repairs if required. You may consider this an important additional feature, with the Roadside and National levels only agreeing to cover members when they are a certain distance away from their home.

Onward travel is the most complete package available. This contains the three before mentioned packages rolled into one, with the costs of any unexpected accommodation and car hire also being paid for the breakdown cover provider. Whether or not you consider this to be a worthwhile additional expense is dependant on your own situation.

European breakdown cover

However some motorists may require European breakdown cover in addition to the basic cover they purchase. This can be included as a standard feature on the package lasting for the full 12 months of the policy.

Breaking down while in Europe can be an incredibly expensive affair; and if you are not fluent in the local language, your problems will be compounded. Therefore, if you are planning on taking your vehicle into Europe, you would be wise to purchase a European breakdown cover package.

To read more about this, visit our European breakdown cover page.

How to pick the right breakdown cover policy

There are a number of points that you need to consider when choosing the breakdown insurance package that best suits you. And remember, that the cheapest deal is not always the best value for money.

You may want to investigate the membership benefits which are available through individual providers, many of whom will offer introductory offers and special vouchers such as half price MOT’s for new and existing members.

However, this may not be an important differentiator in the eyes of all breakdown cover customers who may be more concerned with the actual package provided. For example, some providers enlist the services of local garages to attend to members while others have their own dedicated patrols. Additionally, some breakdown cover companies will put a cap on the number of call outs that members can make over the course of a year. These are both important differentiators in performances which should be investigated prior to purchase.

What ever you consider to be important, the MoneySupermarket.com breakdown cover comparison service can help you find the right deal. For ideas on how you could save money on your policy, visit our breakdown cover money saving tips page.