May 19, 2012. Bill Szydlowski
Lon drives can turn into dreaded experiences especially if things go out of hand, as when your car breaks down while you are in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, the experience of driving for long hours to faraway place need not be dreadful anymore.
When in the UK, several companies offer roadside breakdown insurance cover. In the event that your cars breakdown, these companies will send mechanics your way and help you deal with whatever trouble your car is presenting.
Before anything else, you may consult a breakdown cover comparison in order for you to check out various plans in the market today. Remember than plans should make repairs cheaper as they cover a number of services. You would spend more money when paying for these services separately. Just make sure that you get a plan worthy of the money you are paying. When getting a new car, try getting an insurance plan right away. The prices of these plans rise with the age of the car, so get one while it’s cheap.
Different companies have different packages and it’s up to you to sort out which one is the best. For example, the AA, one of the many companies out there you can cut a deal with has their three top deals packaged in such a way. There is a £69 package that offers roadside and home cover. A more comprehensive plan is valued at £99 and it offers roadside + national rescue + cover at home. The most expensive deal is at £159 and gives you a roadside + national rescue + cover at home + parts and garage bills cover. Usually, the most basic deals cover a quarter of a mile radius from your home and accidents are also accounted for. In the event of a breakdown, expect mechanics to come your way to repair your car or tow you to the nearest garage for repairs.
Covers at home are only extended from the roadside to your doorstep. This is ideal for the colder seasons as your car is harder to start whenever snow or frost has accumulated. That is why these covers are also known as “Home Start”. To make this work, you can book a patrol to visit you at a certain time of the day beforehand, or you can call the provider whenever you car is having trouble starting.
Cars usually break down 26 miles away from home so you might want to avail of national recover deals as they cover extended miles; usually from a local garage to a mainland address. Up to 5 paid claims a year (£500 per time) can be made with an allowance of £25 in excess. In these recover deals, up to 7 passengers alongside your car are covered. In the event of a tow, it’s up to you where you car can be taken for repairs. And the Breakdown Repair Cover included in this type of deal accounts for the cost of the car parts and some extra garage work.
Remember that apart from the AA, there are a lot of companies out there offering various deals and packages. Make sure you get the best information on them possible by reading user reviews so you can get a grasp of what the offers are really like. Surf the internet and you are sure to find a lot of information about these covers!
Updated May 19, 2012. Published April 7, 2011. Bill Szydlowski
