Car Breakdown Cover
When it comes to deciding on Car Breakdown cover there are lots of options on the market, so we decided to write a little guide to help make your choice a bit easier
With over 5 million breakdowns on the UK roads attended by just the RAC and the AA in 2010, having a breakdown recovery policy makes sense. With the average cost of just being towed off the motorway over £250, just having a basic policy could save you a lot of money should you breakdown.
Types of Breakdown Cover
Before you take out Breakdown cover its usefull to decide what type of cover you actually need. If your car is relatively new and you keep it regularly serviced, you might only wish to get a Basic policy just enough to get you towed home in the event of a breakdown. However if your car is not regularly maintained and you often cross your fingers when going on a long journey,a more comphrensive policy may be more up your street.
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Roadside Assistance
- Basic no frills cover. A patrol will try and fix your car at the side of the road or tow you to the nearest garage of their choice.
- Will not attend your call out if you are usually within 1/4 mile of your home. So no good if your battery is flat on a cold winters morning and you are late for work.
Homestart
- As roadside assistance, but with the added benefit that if you should not be able to start your car at home or you breakdown within a 1/4 of a mile of your home, a patrol will attend.
National Recovery
- As roadside assistance but if the patrol cant get your car going, they will take you home and take your car to a garage of your choice.
Onward Travel
- Usually only available in conjunction with national recovery, Onward travel cover can give you free hire car or money towards alternative transport costs, depending on provider.
European Cover
- Exact benefits are dependant on provider, but usual cover includes, roadside assistance abroad, alternative travel costs should your car not be able to be fixed, and collection costs of your car should you have to leave it abroad.
- A must for anyone planning a driving holiday to the costa del sol!
Cover Providers
Once only the realm of the two big motoring Groups the RAC and the AA. Lots of new companies now offer Breakdown policys alongside other insurances. Greenflag are still classed as a relative newcomer, even though they have been on the scene for 40 years. They offer the classic breakdown cover whereby you pay a premium each year and in the event of a breakdown they come out and fix your car.
The Rac
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Road side from £29.99
+ At Home from £85.00
+ Recovery from £89.00
+ Onward Travel from £121.00
These prices are for Cars up to 10 years old, additional premium required for older cars
What the RAC say..
RAC are the driving people…why?
- We've been around since 1897
- We have over 7 million members
- We're one of the UK's most progressive motoring organisations
- We assist both private and business motorists
- We boast the world's most advanced computer systems to deal with roadside assistance calls
The AA
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Roadside from £30
+ National Rescue £69
+ At Home £99
+ Onward Travel £130
What The AA say
To our members we're the 4th emergency service
- We attend over 3.5 million breakdowns a year
- Repairs are completed in under 30 minutes on average
- Your in safe hands. As the UK's largest breakdown organisation, we fix more cars by the roadside than anyone else.
Green Flag
Rescue from £20
Rescue Plus from £45
Recovery from £40
Recovery Plus from £60
Europlus from £116
What Green Flag Say..
More reasons to choose Green Flag breakdown cover:
- We offer 24-hour assistance, 365 days a year
- We have a national network of breakdown specialists
- We offer no-callout discounts
- We have 4.5 million customers, with nearly 40 years experience in providing breakdown assistance
- We offer breakdown cover tailored to suit your individual circumstances
- Our breakdown cover is competitively priced
- We offer breakdown cover tailored to suit your individual circumstances
- We get to you in an average of 39 minutes *
- * Response time based on 242,553 recorded call outs during Oct 10-Sept 11
Gem motoring Assist
Recovery Extra from £89.75 2 for 1 available
Policy includes, Roadside, homestart, Recovery and Onward travel.
Recovery Reclaim from £68.95 2 for 1 available
Same as above but is a pay and reclaim policy. See below or website for more details.
What Gem say ..
You're never stranded with our breakdown cover. Our 24-hour rescue control centre, with efficient, friendly staff sees to that. Thanks to 1,250 car breakdown specialists nationwide you can enjoy complete peace of mind on the road.
In 2011 GEM once again took No. 1 spot in the Auto Express Driver Power Survey for Breakdown Cover. This follows our Auto Express win in 2010, 2008 and runners-up position in 2009. Proof four years running, of the excellence of our service.
Pay and Reclaim Policy
Compared to Roadside assistance pay and reclaim policies are relatively new. They can offer a big annual savings if you are looking for a full breakdown policy, the downside to them is if you breakdown you have to pay out for whatever service you used, you can then claim it back. They work just like an insurance policy
Car Breakdown Providers Comparison
Onward European
Company Roadside + Home + Recovery + Travel + Cover
From £20
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