Breakdown Cover

A. Without breakdown cover, you have the following options:

Call a breakdown organisation and request to join up on-the-spot. This will carry a mark-up of an extra £65 to £90 on top of the price that basic cover would normally cost you. This price will give you breakdown cover for a year.

o Asking the police for help. They will charge you a minimum £105 to move your vehicle away from the motorway to a safe place.

o Calling a local garage. A mechanic will usually charge £40 in call-out fees, in addition to the towing distance (usually charged at around £1.50 for every mile you need to be towed).

As you can see, it makes much more sense to join a breakdown organisation before anything goes wrong - you can take time to make the right decision rather than risking paying for expensive and unsuitable cover in a panic.

A. If you’re looking for breakdown cover, like most people, you´re probably a bit confused about what your policy actually means in practical terms. Most breakdown policies are very similar in structure, features and benefits - and even price - but one of the major differences you´ll find is that some cover the car and some cover the driver. So which one is right for you?

Quite simply, If you take out a breakdown policy that covers you as the driver, you’ll be covered even if you drive a different vehicle. Whereas if you take out cover on your car then it will still be covered even if someone else is driving it when it breaks down.

A. If you have a family car which is shared around or is lent to friends occasionally, then it makes sense to have the actual vehicle covered. In practical terms, this means that a mechanic will be sent out to tend to your car no matter who´s behind the wheel at the time.

A. Covering yourself is a good idea if you regularly drive other people´s cars or have more than one car yourself. Some motoring organisations will even offer help if you´re someone else´s passenger when they have a breakdown. So, if other people don´t use your car, you´ll be better off with this type of cover.

Always make sure you have a survival kit inside your car, which should contain the following items:

o Blankets and coats.

o Water (More so on hot days).

o Food.

o Torch.

o Change for a phone box (if you have a mobile, make sure it´s charged but remember that you won´t get a reception in some areas).

o Reflective vest.

o Warning triangle.

o Road atlas.

If for some reason you have to use items, replace them quickly as you never know when you might need them again.

You should also perform some checks on your car before you leave, topping up your oil, screen wash, petrol and the tread and air in your tyres. If you are not too good with cars and don´t know your Screen wash from your air freshener, then ask someone to show you.