Breakdown cover varies hugely in price, and some of the best plans are not from the big providers. But shopping around can be difficult when the different packages have so many features that vary between them.

Additionally, you might feel that a top-notch breakdown policy is overkill if you’ve never broken down before.

Unfortunately, dealing with roadside recovery can be very challenging, and breakdown cover is a vital helping hand if the worst does happen.

How to Choose Personal or Vehicle Cover

To choose breakdown cover, the first decision you need to make is whether you’re going to insure yourself as the driver, or the vehicle you drive. There is a basic rule of thumb for this:

●     If you travel in several vehicles on a regular basis, it makes sure to insure yourself so that you have breakdown cover irrespective of the vehicle you’re in (remember: you don’t have to be driving at the time to be covered)

●     If you have one car at home, shared by yourself, a spouse, and maybe your grown-up kids, then it makes more sense to insure the car so everyone’s covered for driving it.

There are other factors to bear in mind:

●     The age of the cars you travel in, and the degree to which you trust them not to break down, might play a factor in which type of cover you pick

●     Cost is an issue; personal cover is almost always more expensive than cover for a vehicle, because the probability of you actually using it is higher.

How Recovery Works

Breakdown cover will either aim to get your car fixed by the roadside, or it’ll get you to the nearest garage.

Pay more, and you’ll have the option of being taken to your original destination if you break down. So you can complete your journey to home, work, or perhaps a holiday.

You might need to consider your own appetite for risk here. If you travel with small children, being recovered to a garage in the middle of nowhere may not be much help to you. In that scenario, you’d perhaps rather be taken to your destination. Some insurers will cover a hotel and hire car if you’re stuck miles from home.

The final option would be the most expensive: the option to call out a repair person even if you are stranded at home.

Final Thoughts

The final components in each policy are essentially the fine print.

●     Consider where you drive. Cover can be for UK-only, Europe, or the world.

●     Consider how reliable your car is. If you’re limited to a couple of call-outs a year, you may run out if you have an older vehicle that’s prone to issues.

●     Finally, consider whether your new car really needs full roadside cover; it might be better to get a cheap policy at first. After all, many cars are now more prone to computer problems than they are to mechanical issues, and few computer-controlled components could be fixed on a hard shoulder.

Confused? Recovery to a garage is better than nothing if you’re short of cash. You will at least know that you won’t be stranded by the roadside if the worst does happen.

*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.

The question over whether there is a right age to start using a mobile phone is something that has been much debated; particularly between those that feel today's children are owning phones too young, contributing to them becoming tech-addicts. With more individuals around the world using mobile phones and tablets for everyday tasks, the ‘right’ age to start using a mobile phone is becoming younger and younger.

How Young Is Too Young?

Currently 90% of 11 to 16 year olds own a mobile phone, and it is not uncommon to see children as young as 11 or 12 owning the latest, most expensive smartphone, especially as this is the age they begin secondary school and gain a newfound independence. Often parents allow children of this age to own their first mobile phone as a safety precaution and a way to contact them if an emergency were to arise.

However, more and more often, children of a much younger age are becoming interested in mobile phones; some even owning them as young as 8 or 9 years old. The debate as to whether this is too young is mainly centred around the notion that children of that age do not necessarily have a need for a mobile phone, as they are rarely away from their parent or guardian, and many believe this contributes to the number of children that are 'obsessed' with video games and on-the-go technology from a young age. 

With a large percentage of the population owning a smartphone, it comes as no surprise that children develop a keen interest. Many young children of today start using a mobile phone from pre-school age, though this is usually purely for suitable games at their parents wish. However, bearing this in mind, it is easy to see why today's youth are starting to use mobile phones much earlier than people did, for example, 10 years ago. They are exposed to everyone around them, day in and day out, using a mobile phone.

Is There Ever A Right Age to Start Using a Mobile Phone? 

There is not a definite 'right' age to own a mobile phone, mainly as every individual is different and their circumstances differ. For example, a child who is starting secondary school may need a mobile phone around the age of 11 or 12, but a child who spends a lot of time at after school clubs or away from their parent or guardian when they are younger than this may need one a lot earlier. 

Ultimately, it is up to the parent or guardian of the child to decide what they deem the ‘right’ age to start using a mobile phone to be, though ‘the older the better’ appears to be the stance most people take on the matter. 

To find out how much our mobile phone insurance would cost you to protect your child’s phone, click here to get a quote with us today.

*The information in this blog is designed to provide helpful information on the subjects discussed. Please seek a professional for expert advice as we can not be held responsible for any damages or negative consequences upon following this information.