Breakdown & Recovery
Picture the scene:
It's late, it's dark and it's raining.
You break down, in the middle of nowhere / on the motorway / your car won't start...
You call your breakdown service, and within a short time, they have someone on the scene with you. In just a few minutes, they get your car going and see you safely on your way. The AA, for example, fixes 8 out of 10 breakdowns at the side of the road.
If it comes to the worst and your car cannot be fixed at the roadside, the breakdown company will tow it to a nearby garage or take you can the car on to your original destination (depending on the level of cover you've chosen).
Your breakdown company may even provide you with a courtesy car while yours is being fixed.
Now think about the alternative - no breakdown cover. You have to rely on friends or family members to come and bail you out - wherever you might be - or pay full price to have a breakdown company come out and fix or recover your car.
Just one call out will probably cost more than a year's membership of a breakdown service - is it really worth the risk?
What Services Do Breakdown Companies Provide?
Here's a rundown of the services provided by most breakdown operators.
You don't have to have all of these - most companies offer different levels of cover to suit different people's requirements:
- On-call assistance, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
- Home assistance for those times when your car won't start
- Priority service for members in vulnerable situations - e.g. lone females at night
- Repair at roadside where possible - The AA fix 8 out of 10 breakdowns at the roadside
- No charge for labour at the roadside (sometimes with a time limit)
- Breakdown cover all over western Europe, including Scandinavia
- Courtesy car while yours is being repaired
- Recovery of your car to a nearby garage or to your choice of destination
Here are some companies offering UK breakdown cover:
Simple Motoring Guides
Essential Car Care Tips
Click to find out more...