The breakdown cover is an additional service you can buy to help with repairing or towing your vehicle to a garage if your car breaks down during a trip. Roadside assistance is among the many types of breakdown cover available.
Breakdown cover can be very helpful if your car breaks down unexpectedly. It could cover everything from a flat battery to punctured tires. In the event that you’ve got breakdown cover the insurance company will send a qualified mechanic to you if your vehicle fails. The mechanic will fix your vehicle and help you get to the highway, or tow your vehicle in the direction of the nearby garage if you require additional time to assist you in fixing it. Breakdown cover policy makes sure you won’t be stranded in middle of your journey . It also will assist you in fixing your car. The majority of insurance providers cover all types of vehicles, including bicycles, cars, vans, motorhomes, caravans, trucks and buses. The provider might have criteria for these types of vehicles that include a maximum weight or age limit of the vehicle. Always check the small print on a contract to ensure that you’re protected.
What is breakdown cover function?
Details can vary depending on the level of coverage you’re insured is involved, but generally, you simply pull over and call your insurance provider if you’re experiencing problems with your vehicle.
When you call the insurance provider, they’ll inquire about your location and help assess what’s wrong with the car to be able to dispatch a mechanic to you. You could also be able to make use of an app to notify your insurance provider and give them your address. Be sure to are carrying your policy provider’s phone number on your phone, and write it down on a piece paper in your car, together with your account number unique code, account number or other policy information that is included with your cover.
Different types of breakdown cover
There are five standard kinds of breakdown cover that you can choose from. The best kind coverage cover for you will depend on how much and where you travel and the coverage you need. To see more on the differences, visit breakdown cover comparison.
1. Roadside assistance
Roadside assistance is the most basic level of cover and is covered in the majority of policies that you can purchase.
Roadside assistance is available by the roadside if your vehicle malfunctions during your journey. The trained specialist comes to your location and fix the issue on the spot. If your vehicle requires any additional assistance, they’ll bring the vehicle to the nearest garage or the one that you choose or your provider based upon the terms agreed to in your policy. One thing to keep in mind when choosing the level of cover is that assistance is only provided when your vehicle has a breakdown at a certain distance your home, usually at least a quarter of mile away.
2. Home recovery
At-home recovery, also called ‘home start’ helps when your vehicle has a breakdown at your registered home address or within a brief distance of your home. This usually is not part of roadside assistance level coverage which is why a home start can be a smart option if you usually commute close to home. The exact length of time you can seek assistance under home start will depend on the policy you have with your insurance provider.
The same level of help as roadside assistance which means that if the mechanic is unable repair your car and tow it to the closest garage. This level of breakdown cover is beneficial when you travel frequently for shorter distances or need to leave your car at a stop for a few minutes and it results in a depleted battery or soft tyres.
3. Onward journey
The onward or ‘alternative transport’ breakdown cover assures you that even if the vehicle you’re driving cannot be repaired at the roadside and your travel plans won’t come to a halt.
With onward journey you can get a courtesy car, arrangements for overnight accommodations or reimbursement of travel costs and medical aids, or any other form of public transport – depending on what’s mentioned in your contract – to aid you in getting to your destination safe and sound. It’s a great choice when you travel for often over long distances, particularly for business , since it ensures that you get to your meetings on time or that you aren’t late for your train or flight. If you are considering a return journey breakdown cover be sure to check if there are any exclusions that apply to the coverage. For example, expenses like toll charges and ferry costs might not be a part of the coverage, and the charges covered for accommodation might be limited to a certain amount of nights or a specific number of people or taxis or a car you hire could cover only a specific amount of days or miles.
4. National or vehicle recovery
“National recovery,” also known as’vehicle recover’, offers the convenience of having your vehicle towed anywhere within the UK of your choice, regardless of distance. For instance it could be a garage that is specialized of your choice, or your home address.
This is a good option for people who regularly travel for long distances as it offers peace of mind in knowing you and your vehicle can be assisted on the road regardless of where you’re located, even if you’re miles away from home , or your preferred destination for return.
5. European recovery
If you are planning to drive your vehicle on the next trip to Europe If so, the European recovery cover could be an excellent option.
With this type of cover when your car is damaged, you are able to repair your vehicle at the side of the road or get your vehicle hauled to the nearest garage. Although it’s similar to roadside assistance, the primary benefit from European recovery is having experts’ assistance in sorting out your car when you are abroad. You could also be able to have your vehicle sent in the UK if the policy covers it. Although these are the most frequently used kinds of breakdown coverage, various providers can offer different varieties of breakdown cover also, as well as the option of choosing an all-car cover, corporate cover along with family cover.
Different breakdown styles
Besides the different levels of breakdown cover You can also choose the style of policy which is most suitable for your needs either traditional or insurance style.
Traditional style
If you decide to go with the traditional type of breakdown cover and you’ll receive all the benefits your chosen policy provides after you’ve paid the annual or monthly fee to your policy’s provider.
Style of insurance
In an insurance-style cover it is necessary to pay up-front for repairs such as towing, repairs car hire, or other services you use in the event of your vehicle breaking down. Later you can be able to claim back the amount with the receipts you have provided to the policy company.
What’s the distinction between personal cover and car cover?
A breakdown cover can be purchased as a personal cover or a car cover.
Personal cover
Personal cover is for a specific person. If you purchase a private cover, it doesn’t matter the vehicle that breaks down, provided you’re in the car.
The benefits of personal cover include:
* You’ll receive help no matter which and whose vehicle you are driving * If the policy you have with your provider states that, you’ll get coverage even if you were a passenger in the vehicle If you drive multiple vehicles, it could be a great option * A personal cover can be extended to cover the other members of your family , if the policy maker allows it.
The disadvantages of having personal cover are:
* If you’re not driving the vehicle, any shared owner of the car or a family member won’t be covered by your personal cover * It’s typically more expensive than obtaining vehicle cover for a car If you have more than one individual who is driving your car, you may want to consider getting family cover in addition to personal cover depending on whether your insurance company allows. The amount of people covered by family cover is contingent on the policy’s proof of coverage. Family members must reside at the same address in order to be considered for family cover and all members get the same amount of coverage. In general you can add any member in the family cover that includes your spouse, children, friends and flatmate – as long as you all reside in the same house.
Vehicle cover
A vehicle cover is a way to provide claims if a specific car breaks down. The policy can be used only against specified vehicles, and not to cover other vehicles.
Advantages of car cover:
* Your policy provider may allow you to cover only a handful of vehicles covered under the policy, as long as they can be registered with your specific address. It’s usually cheaper than an individual cover * It can be ideal if you have multiple people drive your car * If you own a single vehicle, this is your primary option
Disadvantages of car cover:
* You will not be protected if you’re driving who is driving someone else’s car * You can cover only one vehicle under vehicle cover * It’s not ideal to have multiple cars and it can cost more to cover every vehicle in the same way rather than purchasing a personal cover If you want to cover more than one vehicle the multi-car cover is a viable option if your policy provider will offer it. The number of cars allowed under multi-car cover will depend on the insurance company and each vehicle will receive the same amount of protection. Typically, multi-car cover will require all vehicles to have the same registered address.
What do breakdown cover include and exclude?
What’s covered will depend on the type of breakdown cover you buy, and the terms and conditions.
To understand exactly what’s exempt from your insurance policy It is important to study the policy’s guidelines carefully and verify what you can assert a claim for and what’s exempt.
A few common exclusions to an breakdown cover include:
The issue is in your vehicle that doesn’t cause your car to breakdown, like running out of fuel , or having a malfunctioning entertainment centre, horn , or other vehicle accessories that are damaged. Broken down due to an accident on the road (though they may be capable of towing your vehicle) * Breakdown because of poor car maintenance, like having worn-out tyres; or vehicle mismanagement such as refilling your tank with the wrong type of fuel The car isn’t roadworthy * Breakdown on private property (except when it’s your property and it’s covered in your insurance policy) * Breakdown with animals or pets in the car of replacement parts policy could have an activation period of a couple of hours, one day or two weeks or a part cover of up to 30 days
Breakdown cover additional features
There are various add-ons that you can choose to add extra coverage on top of your chosen policy. The options available to you to you for add-ons may differ from policy providers.
Consider whether an additional add-on could help make the policy better to meet your requirements when selecting breakdown cover for yourself.
A few common breakdown cover additions are:
* Tyre replacement * Battery replacement * Key replacement * Mis-fuelling * Family cover * Multi-car cover * Special vehicles cover
