If your car breaks down on the motorway or fails to start in the morning – having breakdown cover can help you get it fixed or towed to the nearest garage.
Here, we look at:
Is it worth taking out breakdown cover?
Breakdowns can and do happen. If you drive your car regularly, it might be worth having some form of breakdown cover for peace of mind.
The best type of breakdown cover for you will depend on how much and where you travel, and the amount of cover you need.
You may also already have breakdown cover as part of an existing policy. In that case, you may have sufficient cover, but be sure to check the terms and conditions to see what’s included.
There are several levels of cover to choose from, including roadside assistance and home cover. Here are a few of the most common ones you’ll come across:
Roadside assistance is usually the most basic level of cover. If your car breaks down on the side of the road, a breakdown van will come and fix your vehicle or tow you to a local garage.
There may be limits to this level of cover. For example, if you break down within a certain distance from your home address, you may not be covered for roadside or breakdown assistance.
Home cover, or home start, will include roadside assistance but will also cover you if your vehicle fails to start at your home address or breaks down close to home.
If you have national recovery, you’ll get roadside assistance and, if your vehicle can’t be fixed, it’ll be towed to your destination or a garage close to your destination.
European recovery covers you for travel across the Europe. You may want to check what countries apply as this will depend on your policy. Before traveling, ask your insurer for a green card as proof of vehicle insurance when driving abroad.
You may also need to choose between personal cover or cover for a specific vehicle.
If you regularly drive different vehicles, personal cover may be more suitable, as it would cover you for whatever vehicle you’re in – even as a passenger. If you only drive your car, specific vehicle cover may be more suitable.
Always read the terms and conditions of the level of cover you choose.
HSBC doesn’t offer breakdown insurance, but you can typically buy suitable cover through:
There are dedicated breakdown providers that you can buy cover from. Prices and levels of cover vary, so it can pay to shop around to find the best level of cover for your needs.
Depending on the provider, you may be able to add additional extras, such as wrong fuel or battery replacement to your policy.
Some car insurance providers may let you add breakdown cover to your car insurance policy. There may be an additional charge, and you’ll need to be sure the level of cover suits your needs.
Some banks may also offer packaged current accounts where you can get things like breakdown cover included. There may be a fee for taking out this type of account. Again, you’ll need to make sure this meets your needs and is worth the additional cost.
If your household has multiple cars, it can be worthwhile to check whether you are already covered. For example, your family or those you live with may have taken out a joint, family, or multi-vehicle breakdown policy.
Keep in mind that multi-car breakdown cover comes with some exclusions. For example, you may not be covered if your car is used for business purposes, so it’s important to check.
If you have a new car, you may automatically have breakdown cover from your manufacturer, although the length of cover and what’s included differs between companies.
