Is Breakdown Cover Really Necessary?

As you no doubt already know, it is illegal to drive any vehicle on the roads in the UK without insurance. This in turn means that practically every honest driver has insurance and if that's the case, is it really necessary to have breakdown cover? After all, surely your insurance policy has you covered in the event of your car breaking down.

Well, if everyone's insurance policy included this sort of cover then there would be no need for breakdown companies to offer cover which includes the likes of roadside assistance and vehicle recovery. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, your regular car insurance will be of no use to you if your car breaks down. This is something so many people only discover when it's too late. Their vehicle breaks down when they least expect it and when they phone up their insurance company to request assistance they end up bitterly disappointed.

When that happens, you're literally on your own. Of course you may be able to phone a friend or family member and if you're fortunate enough they'll soon be there to give you a lift home. What a relief. At least you aren't left stranded in some remote location in the dead of night, but then again, your car probably will be, unless of course your friend is a mechanic and skilled and equipped enough to fix the problem there and then.

What's to say you'll have to leave your car on the side of the road? Surely your friend can tow you to the nearest service station? Yes, your friend can tow you but just remember it's illegal to do so on a motorway. The law actually requires you to use a specialist recover service and you're going to be horrified at just how much that is going to cost you. Also, if your friend decides to tow you and they end up being involved in a collision, their insurance company will refuse to honour any claims because their insurance is unlikely to provide cover for the towing of other vehicles.

Okay, so you're faced with having to leave your car at the side of the road. Do you really feel comfortable doing so, considering just how many cars are stolen or vandalised in the UK each year? On the other hand, if you have breakdown cover you'll never need to worry again. In fact most cover providers state that they are able to repair more than 80% of cars right there and then, meaning that vehicle recovery is rarely necessary. If your car can't be repaired on the spot, then at least you'll have peace of mind in knowing that it will be towed home or to a service station and of course you'll also be taken home.

In fact, depending on what level of breakdown cover you opt for, you may even be provided with a courtesy car until such time yours has been repaired. At least you won't be forced into using buses, taxis and trains for the next few days while your car sits waiting to be repaired. Getting cover does of course have its pros and cons, but there certainly are far more pros than what there are cons.