At first glance, it’s easy to get mixed up between breakdown cover and vehicle insurance, because they can seem like they do a similar job. After all, they both give you peace of mind when you’re on the road, they both involve your car, and they both help when something goes wrong.
But they’re actually very different.
Think of vehicle insurance as protection for the financial side of accidents, damage, theft, and legal responsibility. Breakdown cover, on the other hand, is there for the practical side of things when your vehicle lets you down. Let’s take a look at when this applies and clear things up.
What is vehicle insurance?
In the UK, vehicle insurance is a legal requirement if you drive or keep a vehicle on public roads, unless it’s officially declared off the road (SORN). At the very least, you need third-party insurance, which covers damage or injury you cause to other people, their vehicles, or their property.
Depending on the level of insurance you choose, your policy might also cover things like damage to your own vehicle, fire, theft, vandalism, or personal injury. Comprehensive insurance usually gives the widest protection.
So, if you have a bump in a supermarket car park, reverse into a wall, or your car is stolen, you’d usually look primarily to your vehicle insurance policy for solutions.
What insurance usually won’t do is send someone out because your car won’t start on your driveway, or because you’ve broken down halfway through a journey. That’s not really what it’s built for.
How breakdown cover differs from vehicle insurance
Breakdown cover, on the other hand, is designed for those situations where your vehicle suddenly stops working:
- Your battery’s flat
- You’ve got a puncture
- Your engine stops unexpectedly while you’re driving
In those situations, breakdown cover helps you get assistance, so you’re not left trying to solve the problem on your own.
Breakdown cover isn’t a legal requirement, it’s more of a useful, emergency service. It means if you break down, you can get expert help as quickly as possible, and often without paying a callout fee (depending on the provider). A technician can come to help you at the roadside or take you to a garage.
With some breakdown cover policies, for example, roadside assistance is available 24/7, and depending on the level of cover you choose, it can include things like local recovery, national recovery, home start, and onward travel.
Having insurance doesn’t always mean you’re covered for breakdowns
This is where it’s easy to get caught out. Some vehicle insurance policies include breakdown cover as an optional extra. Others don’t include it at all. And even when breakdown cover is included, the level of support can vary between policies,
It’s always worth checking the details. Be sure that you feel clear on whether:
- You can get recovery help at home
- You can get recovery to a garage nearby, or to a destination of your choice
- You’re covered as a driver or whether only your vehicle is covered
- You can get help if you’re more than a certain distance from home
These are the kinds of details that make a big difference when you’re actually stuck somewhere.
Breakdown cover can be for the vehicle or the person
Another useful difference is how the cover applies.
Vehicle insurance is tied to the insured vehicle and named drivers. You’re insuring against specific risks linked to that vehicle and the people allowed to drive it.
Breakdown cover can work a bit differently. You can often choose vehicle cover, which applies to one specific vehicle, or personal cover, which applies to you as a driver or passenger in eligible vehicles.
That can be useful if you regularly travel in more than one car, including time as a passenger. For whatever reason, personal cover can give you breakdown reassurance beyond just one specific vehicle.
How breakdown cover and vehicle insurance work together
Breakdown cover and vehicle insurance aren’t rivals, with both extremely helpful in their own right. Your insurance is legally-necessary, there for the bigger financial and legal risks that come with driving. Your breakdown cover is for the more practical emergency moments, when you need assistance to get your back on your way as soon as possible.
Having both can make life a lot less stressful, ensuring that you’re covered for all situations you may encounter on the road.
Need some peace of mind?
Along with an up-to-date MOT and vehicle tax, remember that vehicle insurance is legally required for driving in the UK. Once you’ve ticked off these must-haves, breakdown cover can help give you peace of mind.
Choosing the right cover doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re comparing breakdown cover options, it’s worth checking what different policies include and how the cover applies to make sure it suits how, when and where you drive. Because if the unexpected happens, knowing help is on the way can make all the difference.