Break down covers

Breakdown cover pricing
One of the most significant differences between breakdown cover providers is the way in which their pricing system operates; understanding how each company prices their products and which system suits your particular situation can play an important part in keeping the cost down. First, you need to decide whether you want cover for yourself or your car; since some companies provide policies that cover the member no matter what car they are in (even if they are just a passenger, in many cases), whilst others cover the vehicle itself - this can often present better value for families who share a car, for example, than family membership policies that cover each family member.

Some providers offer predetermined, vehicle-based premiums, while others calculate policy prices through criteria such as your vehicle's age, your average annual mileage and the age of the policy holder. In the case of the latter, this generally means that if you or your car is seen as 'high risk' your premium will be a lot higher, and you would be better off shopping around for a fixed-price system (and, therefore, conversely if you are 'low risk', this may be the cheapest option).

The vast majority of breakdown cover providers offer an automatic system through which they send out their own patrols to deal with vehicle breakdowns or tow them to a local garage for repair. This type of system is very convenient and practical but the membership premiums can be quite expensive. However, there are a few companies who offer a 'pay and claim' service in which they arrange for a local recovery firm to deal with the situation, you pay for your garage repairs and/or recovery costs and then reclaim the expenses back from your provider. This system is not as common, and certainly not as convenient, but it can provide some degree of cover at a much lower price.

Make sure you check out any discounts on offer. Some companies operate no claims discount systems for returning customers through which you can make substantial savings. Others offer online discounts, limited-period seasonal offers and a few grant substantially discounted premiums to customers with new or nearly new cars.