Breakdown Cover Articles

Car Breakdown Cover - Compare Rescue and Recovery Services

When looking for car breakdown cover it can be a minefield out there with so many companies vying for your attention and all claiming to offer you the best benefits on the market. So, how do you compare the rescue and recovery services to ensure that you get the best value for money and the service that meets your requirements?

I have recently been looking into updating my car breakdown cover as my cover is due to expire this month and I was surprised by the amount of confusing information on the Internet. Not only do you get the traditional companies such as the RAC, AA and Green Flag offering breakdown cover but supermarkets such as Tesco’s are getting in on the act, as well as independent companies which I haven’t heard of, are all offering to take care of your car recovery needs. All these companies try and draw your attention by their percentage saving figures and price points, making it hard to know where to begin when choosing cover.

My first point of call in my search was to look at some comparison websites where the rescue and recovery information was plotted into grids so I could see exactly what cover I was getting. However, it soon became apparent to me that I needed to know what sort of cover I was looking for. This would be my main recommendation to you, know and understand what you want out of your car rescue and recovery service. There are many options which companies offer such as standard options of roadside assistance and national recovery but there are also optional extras such as cover at your home and whether you want the cover to extend to other members of your household.

The options that you need will all depend on how you use your car. For me, as a lone female driver, I would be looking for a priority rescue as one of the options as this would be important to me, especially if I broke down at night. But, I would also be interested in European roadside assistance and repair as I often travel in the car abroad. So, having a clear understanding of your needs is important to ensure you get the right cover.

I also noticed through my research that some companies are also offering free apps for your phones to give you that added feeling of security and trust in your recovery services which I thought was an interesting extra. These apps are free but can help tell the car rescue and repair company where exactly you are which in theory should speed up your recovery. Other nice to have features which companies try and tempt you with are free messaging services where the company will let your family and friends know what has happened and how you are being looked after.

Once I knew my requirements for a rescue and recovery service it became easier to cut down the list of potential companies. I also had a look for reviews on the company and the service that I was interested in as this helped me narrow my research further. It is great to read other people’s options and gauge whether the company is the one for you.

In the end I decided to go with a mainstream company as I felt that this would give me the peace of mind that I was looking for even though it was more expensive than some of the independent companies. But, choosing a company that you feel will meet your needs and you have trust in is important as well as it fulfilling the type of service and optional extras you desire.

Article by Sarah Wain, 29th July 2012. Content correct at the date of publication.

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