Heading for a breakdown?

When you talk of breakdown recovery, the AA and RAC are always the first you think of but the market is more open now, with the likes of Green Flag, Direct Line and Tesco snapping at their heels.

The cost of breakdown cover varies depending on what level of service you want. Starting from as little as £28 up to around £199 per year. With such varied costs and services you should do some research and compare breakdown services.

Categories of cover
Generally speaking, there are four main categories of breakdown cover. 'Recovery' will recover you and your vehicle from the breakdown site. 'Roadside Assistance' will try to fix the problem at the roadside or if it can't be fixed, will tow you to the nearest garage. 'Comprehensive' cover normally includes roadside assistance and the option to take you, the vehicle and up to five passengers anywhere in the UK. Last but not least, 'Total Cover' offers pretty much everything including repairing your vehicle at home if you can't get it started.

Additionally, most breakdown services offer separate cover for Europe if you find yourself travelling there on a regular basis or even if it's just for one day or a one off holiday.

Before you decide
Before deciding on a recovery service, grill them with these questions:

What's your average call-out time?
Will you try and fix my car at the roadside?
Will you take me home or to my original destination?
Does the policy include home start?
Am I limited to how many times I can call each year?
If I make no claims in a year will my following years policy be discounted?
Can I cover other cars?
Can I cover my other half or kids?
Am I covered even as a passenger in someone else's car?
Are there any additional costs I might incur for any of the services you provide?
Will I be covered for driving abroad?

Remember, the cheapest cover is not necessarily the best cover. Do your homework and ask plenty of questions. Get the cover you want and the next time you find yourself stranded on the hard shoulder, you'll know that help will be with you within the hour.