Break down covers

What's covered?
The other major factor that you need to consider is the degree of cover a policy provides. Most basic packages offer on-the-spot repairs and local recovery only (usually to the nearest garage). You will have to pay extra for home assistance and other services such as long distance recovery (which generally means that you, your vehicle and passengers can be taken to any mainland UK destination) and emergency accommodation, car hire or travel expenses should same-day repair prove impossible. Be aware that most companies do not provide recovery in the event of accidents or vandalism on their policies, but there are a few who do, so always check the small print to find out exactly what is covered.

Most of the major providers package their policies into about four or five different products with increasing levels of cover and benefits. These packages are usually fixed, so that you may find that in order to get a particular feature you may have to pay for others that you don't really need. However, there are some companies that offer a 'pick and mix' system, so that you can just pay for the features that you require without paying extra for superfluous cover. Finally, beware of policies that advertise 'free' features such as European cover; this is fine if you require it but, generally, it will be built into the price of the premium.