Car breakdown cover

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Breakdown insurance gives you peace of mind from car problems

It’s a sunny day, so you’ve decided to go on a cruise. You’ve put down the windows, and are enjoying the cool breeze when suddenly, your car starts stuttering uncontrollably.

The next thing you know, you’ve pulled over, and your car looks like it’s been fitted with a smoke machine.

Hopefully, this never happens to you, but if it does, you better hope you have breakdown cover! If not, you could have to wait for hours and pay a fortune for a tow truck.

Here’s a quick guide to what breakdown cover is, and why you need it!

What is break down cover?

Breakdown cover is like a type of insurance – you pay a monthly fee (or pay it yearly), and you’re ‘covered’ for any breakdowns. If you find yourself pulled over, you phone your provider and they will come to you. If they can’t repair your car, they’ll get it to a garage for you and take you home.

Some breakdown cover also covers ‘at home’ issues. If you need to head to work and find your car isn’t starting, you can phone your provider.

Remember, there are different levels of cover. The most basic plans will only cover emergency breakdowns and may be limited to a certain amount of callouts per year. More premium options give you unlimited cover and callouts. If you’re driving a lot, it’s definitely worth getting the best protection you can afford.

Who should I go with?

You can’t go wrong with the big names, like AA and the RAC. Use a comparison site, like MoneySavingExpert, to find the best deals. You’re talking around £10-15 a month for the top level of protection, and around £5-7 for basic cover.

If you opt not to get breakdown cover and need to phone a tow-truck to come and get you, plus a taxi to drive you home, you’ve already spent at least double your yearly breakdown cover cost. Not worth it!

Isn’t that included in my insurance?

Possibly. Some insurance companies offer breakdown cover at an additional cost. To be honest, this often isn’t worth the money – make sure to do your research and figure out if they’re offering you a good deal!

Is it a legal requirement to have breakdown cover?

It’s not illegal to drive without breakdown cover. Still, don’t think of it as optional. If you aren’t covered and break down, you could have to deal with the following:

  • Pay for a tow truck to take your car to a garage.
  • Pay whatever the garage decides to charge you – you’re at their mercy!
  • Pay for transport home.
  • Be stuck on the side of the road for a considerable amount of time.

Overall, we strongly recommend picking up some breakdown cover. You can get deals that work out at around a fiver a month – when you find yourself stuck at the side of the road, you’ll think that’s a bargain!

Warning!