Insurancewide.com issues car breakdown guide
“Many of the most common faults in our cars can easily be avoided by spending 30 minutes every month checking over the car,” warns James Harrison, chief executive.“But although good car maintenance and regular servicing should be a ‘given’ at this time of year, even the most sensible motorists are taken unawares when temperatures fall and conditions get treacherous.”
“Even if your car is in great condition, make sure you have some form of breakdown cover or you risk a minimum cost of £65 -£70 to get rescued every time. Choosing a policy that suits you and your car can be bewildering and time-consuming so bear in mind these points and your options should become clearer. One of the first questions to ask is whether you want cover for your car, or for you as a person – the major providers differ here in their core offer. If you choose the latter option, you are covered for call out if you break down in your second vehicle or in someone else’s car. You can also opt to cover your entire family for call out from any car.”
“Before you scour the market for a separate breakdown policy, check whether your existing car insurance covers you and to what extent. If you are not covered and need to add breakdown cover onto your existing policy, it won’t necessarily be cheaper with your existing insurer. Be very clear what you want to be covered for before you start your search – don’t blindly make do with the cheapest policy going.”
The options
1. Roadside Rescue: If you break down, this type of policy will quickly get you moving again or towed to the nearest garage within a specified radius. If the car can be fixed at the roadside you should receive guaranteed minutes (up to 60) of free labour to repair minor mechanical or electrical faults. All you are likely to pay for are the parts.
Note: Incidents at your home or within specified radius of your home would not be covered and only the specified car in the policy would be covered.
2. Roadside Rescue and Home Rescue: This should provide the same level as cover as roadside rescue but will also extend the cover if your car breaks down at home or within a ¼ mile of your home. If the vehicle can not be fixed, it will be towed to your local garage.
3. Roadside Rescue and Recovery Plus: This policy should provide all the benefits of Roadside Rescue and Home Rescue to cover your car at your home address, plus a choice of either:
A hire car to return home or continue your journey.
The cost of alternative transport to enable you to complete your original journey or trip home.
Accommodation in a local hotel while awaiting completion of repairs, providing the incident occurs more than a certain number of miles away from your home.
4. European Rescue: If you drive on the continent it is worth considering a European breakdown policy. Some insurers provide this free of charge with their car insurance policy, so check the small print. Some of the benefits of cover include:
Roadside breakdown assistance
The cost of travelling home if your car is stolen
The return of your vehicle if it cannot be driven
Legal cover and payment for delivery of replacement parts if they're not available locally
Other Inclusions/Exclusions to look for:
Depending on the insurer, you may receive extra benefits in the policy. For example, some insurers offer cover for caravans or trailers (check the policy details before you sign up) and discounts on the policy for second and third cars kept at the same address.
It is essential that you use a well-known company. After all, the larger the company providing cover, the larger their recovery operator network is likely to be. Most large insurers have a network of operators with at least 2,000 members.
What to do if you break down
Pull off the road and park in a safe place.
Put on the hazard warning lights and decide on your course of action before calling for help.
Put a warning triangle on the road at least 45 metres (147 feet) behind your broken down vehicle on the same side of the road.
Always take care when putting a warning triangle behind your vehicle. Never use a warning triangle on a motorway.
Keep your sidelights on if it is dark or visibility is poor.
Lock the doors and call for help from your mobile phone or from a payphone.
NB: If you do not have a mobile phone always keep some loose change in your car to call from a payphone.