When it comes to comparing car breakdown cover, the clue’s in the name. You already know that whatever policy you choose, it will serve a basic purpose: to provide assistance should your car break down.
It’s reassuring to know that you’ll never be left high and dry on the motorway or stuck in the back of beyond. So far, so good.
But dig a little deeper and you’ll find all sorts of other things that breakdown cover can do. From the logical to the luxurious, we run down 5 extra services that you might find whilst comparing car breakdown cover.
Did you know that breakdown cover can:
1. Reach Vulnerable People First
This one makes a lot of sense. Most reputable breakdown providers make it a priority to get to people in vulnerable situations first, and to get there fast by using the shortest and quickest route possible. In this case, ‘vulnerable’ usually refers to lone females, mothers and elderly people. So if you’re out and about and you break down in the worst possible place, don’t panic – help is on its way.
2. Rescue Pets
When your vehicle breaks down or won’t start, it can be for all sorts of reasons. Not for the first time, breakdown suppliers have been called out because an animal has crawled under the bonnet and the driver can’t get to it. Sometimes, the driver isn’t even aware the four-legged fiend is there at all. One mechanic from The AA was called out to a car that wouldn’t start only to find a kitten caught in the fan belt, who had managed to rip a wire in the engine. The furry bundle was safely retrieved and happily, both kitty and car have since made a full recovery.
3. Fix Your Turbo
Some breakdown companies offer cover for parts and garage bills, which can help to cut the cost of repairs after a breakdown. Some of the most common complaints involve starter motors, radiators, alternators and turbochargers, which can each cost hundreds of pounds to replace. A specialised policy including parts and garage bills will normally cover the cost, save for a small excess.
4. Pay For Your B&B
You don’t get to choose where and when your car breaks down. So if it just happens to be 300 miles from home, it’s tough luck. However, there are now various breakdown policies available that include travel options to help people who are stranded a long way from home. If your car can’t be fixed at the roadside, some policies offer overnight accommodation in the area or car hire to help you get to your destination. Just think, while your car is towed to a nearby garage, you could be sipping something cool and refreshing in the local B&B. Every cloud has a silver lining!
5. Remedy a Wrong Fuel Disaster
We’ve all been there, or at least we know someone who has. Putting the wrong fuel in your car is a costly and embarrassing mistake, yet it’s one made by hundreds of thousands of people every year. Most breakdown suppliers now offer a special fuel service that pumps the wrong fuel out of your tank, cleans up, and replaces it with the correct fuel (unless you’re still at the pump, in which case you can re-fill yourself… carefully!) On the bright side, you’re not likely to make the same embarrassing mistake twice!
These are just five additional services that car breakdown policies can offer, but there are plenty more where they came from. Have you come across any others that we haven’t mentioned?
