A car breakdown is one of those things in life that could send your delicately balanced personal finances into disarray. If like most drivers you’re reliant on your car for work or to get around from day to day, you probably won’t be in a position where you can hold off repairs until you’ve saved some extra money. So having your car fully insured against breakdown is essential. But the costs of breakdown insurance can be prohibitive in themselves. Thankfully, there are things you can do to bring down your breakdown premiums and save valuable outgoings without compromising your safety on the road.
Get the right level of cover
It’s an all-too-common frustration to try to make a claim for a costly repair job, only to find that the incident you’re trying to claim for isn’t actually covered by your insurance. Reading the small print may be tedious, but it could save you a lot of money in the long run.
…but don’t pay for what you won’t use
Comprehensive cover offers peace of mind, but if you’ve held the same policy for a few years, it might be worth looking at the elements that are useful to you and the ones you can do without. For example, personal breakdown cover is vital if you frequently use more than one car, but if you only have one vehicle and never use anything else, it may be an unnecessary expense.
Don’t forget to plan for trips abroad
A standard breakdown insurance policy often won’t include cover for repairs and recovery in Europe – and nobody wants to find themselves stranded and out of pocket in a foreign country. If you frequently take your car abroad, it might be more cost-effective to add European breakdown cover to your annual insurance policy – most insurance companies offer this in some form.
Look for policies tailored to your needs
If you have specialist requirements, don’t assume that standard insurance policies will give you the cover you need. For example, older drivers can often get better value by buying insurance through a company like RIAS, who offer insurance specifically focused on the over 50s. There are also insurance providers who specialise in providing cover for young drivers, disabled drivers and drivers of private hire vehicles.
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