That feeling when you realise your car won’t move right in the middle of a line of traffic definitely ranks as one of life’s less pleasant experiences. Before you have a chance to flick your hazards on, horns start blaring around you and your mind races with thoughts of how this is going to mess up your day.

Breakdown Assistance Explained

Unlike road traffic accidents, mechanical faults with your car are not usually covered automatically by your motor insurance policy. That means that unless you take action to protect yourself in the event of a breakdown, you are on your own when it comes to arranging (and paying for) help.

Breakdown assistance comes in two forms. You can join one of the ‘motor clubs’ - the AA, RAC or Green Flag being the biggest - which offer roadside assistance and recovery to members. Alternatively, you can look for insurance policies which offer breakdown cover as an extra.

Many people find the service provided by the big clubs to be convenient, reliable and high quality. However, there are advantages to taking out breakdown cover as part of your main insurance which suits a lot of people more. For one, it means you have everything all in one place, and you call the same people to get help whether your car has packed in or you’ve been involved in an RTA. You could even get cost savings from having both services bundled into one package, rather than paying twice.

Different insurance providers offer breakdown assistance in different ways and attach different conditions. Most will offer it as a paid-for optional extra, but it is possible to find higher-value policies which include it as part of the core package. It is important to look at the details of the cover and select an option that will make it worthwhile for you. For example, there is little point in having a breakdown policy that kicks in when you are 30 miles from home if you do most of your driving and commuting in the same town or city.

Another thing to consider is whether to take out personal breakdown cover or vehicle breakdown protection. The former means you can call for help if any car you are in breaks down, whether you are a driver or a passenger - great if you often get lifts in a car pool, for example, or have more than one vehicle in your household. Vehicle protection, however, means help is available whoever is driving that car - great for concerned parents of newly qualified drivers sharing the family car, for instance.

*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.

Whether you regularly hire a car, or you occasionally rent a vehicle for holidays and long journeys, you’ll be aware of the ‘excess’ on your car hire contract.

You’ll also have an excess to pay if you have an accident in your own car. This is likely to be a sum of the voluntary excess you chose when buying the policy, plus an additional compulsory excess figure.

In both cases -- car hire and personal car ownership -- the excess is very likely to be several hundreds of pounds, and could even run into the thousands. Excess insurance is therefore a low-cost way to avoid having to pay the full excess if damage is found to your own car, or to a vehicle you rent.

Why is Excess Insurance Important for Car Hire Customers?

The majority of car hire companies charge some kind of excess on their policies, but if you’re expecting the figure to be similar to a regular car insurance policy, you might be surprised.

Many car hire companies charge much higher excesses than you’d see on a regular insurance quote.

In addition, car hire companies tend to inspect their cars very carefully, and will also bill the full excess figure for even the tiniest scratch. Of course, not all of them do this. But if you return a hire car with damage, you can expect to pay out the full whack in many cases.

Car damage is sometimes inevitable. Often, it just happens during normal, safe driving; you may pick up a ding or a dent from a piece of gravel, or damage something while driving on an uneven, unfamiliar road.

The risk of potentially then paying out hundreds (or thousands) of pounds could be enough to ruin your holiday. Excess insurance ensures that you’re protected from that.

Is Excess Insurance Worth it?

If you hire a car regularly, then excess insurance is something of a no-brainer. You’ll save money by buying one policy per year, which will then protect you each time you hire a car during the term of the policy. Be sure to check with your insurer about any restrictions; some policies only apply to hire within the UK, for example, while others offer global cover.

If you own your own car, or you hire a car infrequently, we still recommend excess insurance for peace of mind. Why? Because, in most cases, your excess insurance cover is significantly cheaper than the excess you’ll be charged if damage is found. You can purchase a policy that just covers one vehicle, which is great for anyone who owns their own car and would struggle to pay the full excess after damage.

This means you can hire a car with confidence, knowing that the final bill will be affordable. And it could also mean that you bring down the cost of your personal car insurance by pushing your agreed voluntary excess that bit higher.

*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.