Why get breakdown cover? Are you worried about being left stranded by the roadside after a car breakdown? Here is the Young Car Driver guide to the merits of getting breakdown cover.
Why do you need breakdown cover?
Motoring gets more and more expensive, so it’s not unreasonable for us to try and cut the cost of driving when we can.
You might try and reduce your motoring cost in many ways but, whatever you do, don’t avoid taking out breakdown insurance.
Driving with breakdown cover gives you the confidence of knowing if your car does break down, professional help is a phone call away.
What if your car breaks down!
All vehicles have the potential to break down at some time, and eventually, most do they also have this inbuilt ability to choose especially for you the worst time and place to do so.
Imagine the total stress of a breakdown stranded in extreme weather, miles from home, perhaps miles from anywhere!
With a carload of unhappy passengers or even worse, you may be alone. If you don’t have breakdown cover, you will Oh-so-sure wish you had made that purchase.
Why do the costs make breakdown cover a No-Brainer!
Breakdown cover isn’t expensive, not when you think of the relatively high costs of insurance and petrol. But having reliable breakdown insurance could make your life so much easier if your car breaks down and even if it doesn’t you will have peace of mind.
Choose a trusted and established breakdown service
There is an ample selection of car breakdown services to choose from in the UK; below are the three largest.
- AA Breakdown Cover
- Green Flag Breakdown Cover
- RAC Breakdown Cover
All these services use their own branded vehicles that do inspire extra confidence and security when you are stranded and need help.
Do you need personal or vehicle breakdown cover?
All policies are either Personal or Vehicle based consider carefully which best suits you.
- Personal. Will cover you as the driver or passenger in any vehicle.
- Vehicle Will cover your car no matter who is driving.
Roadside Rescue is the minimum protection available
Different levels of cover are available, but as a minimum, all breakdown policies have Roadside Rescue as standard and include:
- 24/7 Breakdown cover.
- Your car will be fixed at the roadside as long as you are over a specific mileage from home usually a ¼ mile. Included is a 10-mile tow to a destination of your choice, local garage or a place of safety if they are unable to fix the vehicle at the roadside.
What are the extra levels of breakdown cover you can add?
These are the various levels of cover you can bolt on in addition to the standard Roadside Rescue.
Home Rescue can be very useful, particularly for the Autumn and Winter months when the more cold and damp conditions often cause additional problems with the car starting. Included:
- Cover on your driveway or within a ¼ mile from home; you can usually book a time for the breakdown service to arrive and fix your vehicle.
- Fixing is free, but you must pay for the cost of replacement parts.
- If unable to repair your car at your home, they will tow it to the nearest garage.
National Recovery gets your car, you and your passengers to any single UK mainland destination or back home after a breakdown if they are not able to fix the vehicle at the roadside.
Onward Travel will vary depending on the service provider you use but includes such items as public transport, car hire or hotel accommodation if your car needs to go to the garage.
European Cover When you take your car abroad, breakdown cover is a must. You don’t want to experience the stress of a breakdown in a different country with language barriers and unfamiliar regulations without the support of reliable breakdown policy.
Winter is the worst time of the year for car breakdowns
The Infographic (from the RAC) shows the most common causes of winter car breakdowns
The Top 10 reasons for a call out
The AA (2019) says the most common ten causes related to breakdown call-outs are:
1. Flat or faulty battery.
2. Lost keys.
3. Damaged tyres or wheels.
4. Alternator faults.
5. Starter motor fault.
6. Running out of petrol.
7. Filling up with the wrong type of fuel.
8. Clutch cables.
9. Spark plugs.
10. HT cables.
Punctured tyres
In case you do need to call out the breakdown service, for a tyre puncture be sure to keep a serviceable spare tyre and the key for removing any locking wheel nuts on board.
Cars break down when least expected
Don’t get caught out there is no need to suffer the stress of being “Billy No Mates” if your vehicle does break down. The standard cover of a Roadside Rescue breakdown cover is all you need to get help when needed.
