Is a Breakdown Cover Costly?

A right car breakdown cover can rescue you from car trouble in less than an hour and in the most hassle-free manner possible. But, bear in mind that when we say this, we are specifically talking about the breakdown cover that is 'right' for you. In the simplest of terms, a breakdown cover is an insurance policy and as is the case with all insurance policies, this one also has a variety of offerings and different levels of this cover are priced differently. In other words, different breakdown covers cost a different amount, but not all of them are expensive.

So, what decides the cost of a breakdown cover? The number of services offered and the extent of breakdown covered determine the cost of such policies. The most comprehensive breakdown covers include alternate transportation and emergency overnight accommodation and naturally these are expensive. But, if you use your car just to commute to work during the week and to go to the movies and the supermarket on weekends, you do not need such a comprehensive breakdown cover. What you need is a cover that ensures that if you have a car breakdown on your way to work or to the mall, it is fixed. Such a cover would cost you substantially less than the comprehensive policy mentioned earlier.

Further, you also have the choice between the cheaper vehicle-based cover and the more expensive personal cover. The vehicle-based cover takes care of the problems of a single car, irrespective of who is behind the steering wheel. Whereas, the more expensive individual cover, also known as the personal cover insures the person, regardless of the vehicle and whether the individual is the driver or the passenger.

While shopping for a breakdown cover, make sure that you compare both the cost of the cover and the services provided by the various insurance companies. You can visit www.breakdowncover4u.co.uk for a list of the top breakdown cover providers in the UK.

As with other insurance policies, you need to read the fine print even for this policy. Some covers have restrictions on the number of callouts provided or on the cost of parts and/or labour. The cost of the cover changes accordingly. Therefore, when you sign up for breakdown cover, make sure your policy covers all the services that you actually require. If the policy is more comprehensive than what you need, you will end up paying for services you will never avail of and therefore unnecessarily hike the price of your cover.

All in all, most basic breakdown covers are not very expensive. In fact, some cost less than £2 a month. Most insurance companies also offer heavy discounts if you purchase the breakdown cover online. But, even if the cover that is right for you costs slightly more than what you expected, it is worth having it. For all you know, a single breakdown may cost you more than what you might pay for breakdown cover for a year.