Not all motor breakdown policies cover misfuelling

Independent financial research company Defaqto has analysed 288 motor breakdown policies for their coverage on fuel related breakdowns and found that:

23% of motor breakdown policies exclude cover if you fill your car up with the wrong fuel
14% don't provide cover if you run out of fuel.

Mike Powell, Insight Analyst for General Insurance at Defaqto said: "Drivers putting the wrong fuel into a vehicle not only face a huge repair bill but may also find that their breakdown policy doesn't provide cover for their vehicle to be towed to a garage. Even those motor breakdown policies that do cover such an eventuality will tend to find that the extent of the coverage is limited to towing the car to a garage or to their destination. Our analysis found that 23% of motor breakdown policies don't cover breakdown following misfuelling and, in such cases, if the breakdown company appears, the motorist will most likely face an additional charge for having the vehicle towed to a garage."

Mr Powell continued: "Fuel related problems are not uncommon and the AA has stated that every year more than 100,000 motorists put the wrong fuel in their car and also that fuel problems are one of the ten most common problems dealt with by their motor breakdown patrols".

Mr Powell concluded: "Motorists need to be aware that there is a wide variation in the type of coverage offered by motor breakdown policies even beyond the better known classifications such as roadside assistance, home service, towing, onward travel, replacement car, hotel expenses and European cover."