Last Updated on October, 2024
Are you wondering why you should pay for a personal breakdown cover if it’s not compulsory?
That’s why there are temporary breakdown covers to help you for a short period if you don’t want to pay for an annual policy.
It will protect you during long trips, even when you’re in some other European country. With this, you can borrow your friend’s car without fear of getting it damaged.
So keep reading to see whether getting a temporary breakdown cover is worth it. We’ll discuss the services, FAQs, and everything you need to know.
Quick Summary
- Temporary Breakdown Cover Overview is a short-term or single-trip policy offering similar services to an ordinary breakdown cover but for a limited period, making it more cost-effective for occasional use or specific trips.
- Services Offered include roadside assistance, home recovery, vehicle recovery, onward travel, European cover, and protection against theft, vandalism, and misfueling.
- When to Use this cover is ideal for long trips, borrowing a vehicle, or for those who don’t need year-round coverage, providing peace of mind without the commitment of a full-year policy.
Contents
- 1 What is a Temporary Breakdown Cover?
- 2 When Should You Purchase a Temporary Breakdown Cover?
- 3 How to Get a Temporary Breakdown Cover?
- 4 How Much Does a Temporary Breakdown Cover Cost?
- 5 Services Included in Temporary Breakdown Covers
- 6 How Long Does a Temporary Breakdown Cover Policy Cover for Me?
- 7 Is Getting a Temporary Breakdown Cover Worth it?
- 8 Conclusion
- 9 FAQs
What is a Temporary Breakdown Cover?
Are you hesitant to pay the extra cost for a personal vehicle breakdown cover every year? Then, a short-term breakdown cover is the option for you as it’s more cost-effective.
It’s just like an ordinary breakdown policy but obtained for a short period or a single trip. It will assist you on the spot if your vehicle suddenly breaks down. Your car can even be recovered and fixed in a garage without you having to pay extra.
We’ll look at the services offered by a short-term breakdown cover later in the article. So keep reading till the end.
When Should You Purchase a Temporary Breakdown Cover?
Just imagine that you’re planning to go on a bit of adventure, but you don’t have a breakdown cover to help you in an emergency. That’s when you should purchase a temporary car insurance policy.
This way, you don’t have to maintain a vehicle cover policy if you don’t regularly drive one vehicle. Just get a temporary breakdown cover when you’re going on a long trip or a risky journey. This is a good option to save your bank account from draining.
If you have an old vehicle that needs frequent repairs, then you can also get short-term car insurance as a new policy till you change to a new car.
What if you’re borrowing someone else’s car for a while? Basically, it’s for any short-term need for temporary insurance. There are different cover levels in a comprehensive policy.
How to Get a Temporary Breakdown Cover?
There are two ways to obtain a short-term breakdown policy.
- From your car insurer, as an extra service to your regular car insurance policy
- From a breakdown cover service provider, as a standalone policy
You can simply contact a vehicle insurance company to purchase a short-term breakdown cover. There are various services you can add to your policy documents, as we’re discussing below.
Most of the vehicle rescue companies offer temporary breakdown covers. Those who provide regular breakdown covers also provide the same services temporarily for short periods.
How Much Does a Temporary Breakdown Cover Cost?
The cost of a temporary breakdown cover will depend on the following.
- Your age
- Your driving history
- The make and model of the vehicle
- The age of your vehicle
- Your vehicle’s breakdown history
- How long you need to be covered
- Your cover’s level and additions
You can usually get a temporary breakdown cover for a price varying from £18 to £100 based on the add-ons.
Learn the cost of car recovery in the UK.
Services Included in Temporary Breakdown Covers
You can choose what you need from the following services and create your policy. The cost may vary depending on your needs for the optional extra services.
Roadside Assistance
Imagine how desperate you’ll be if your vehicle breaks down in an unknown area.
A dead battery, running out of fuel, or a flat tyre, you name it, a short-term breakdown cover will take care of these problems on the spot.
You’ll be provided with replacement tyres or any other roadside assistance to revive your car for the rest of the journey. You just have to call the service provider.
Home Recovery and Assistance
What if you have an old car that has a mechanical breakdown and doesn’t start when you’re about to leave home?
If you have temporary breakdown insurance, your service provider will get your home address and come to fix any issue right at home. You don’t have to go looking for a local garage mechanic and pay extra. So, getting a policy is great even if you’re not going anywhere far away.
Vehicle Recovery
Let’s say your vehicle broke down when you’re on a long trip away from home. It’s good to have nationwide recovery in your policy.
If your car breaks down, just reach out to your temporary breakdown cover provider. They’ll arrange to have your vehicle towed to a safe spot or the closest garage for repairs.
Need a ride? You can also request transportation for you and your passengers to a destination of your choice or within a certain distance.
Onward Travel
What if you want to continue the journey after your vehicle is towed for repair? You need a replacement car, right? The short-term cover providers will give you and the family members a replacement vehicle or the fare for public transport if your car breaks down.
As mentioned earlier, you can even request them to take you all to the same address with this add-on. You’ll even need overnight accommodation depending on the situation.
European Cover
Isn’t it scary to get stranded in a broken-down car somewhere in Europe, in another country out of the UK?
Apart from national recovery, temporary breakdown insurance offers an additional service to rescue you and your vehicle if this happens. So if you’re planning to go on a trip to another country in Europe, this is a great option for you to have peace of mind during your journey.
Theft and Vandalism
When you travel in a secluded area, the risk of thefts and robberies can’t be ignored. So, temporary breakdown policies cover the luggage and valuables you lose to such unfortunate incidents.
They will also cover the loss if someone intentionally damages your vehicle or possessions.
Misfuel Cover
Is it possible to accidentally put the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle?
It’s funny that people have done it at unfamiliar filling stations during long trips. The service providers know this, and they cover for the mistake. So you can add this option to your policy if you don’t trust yourself to do it right.
How Long Does a Temporary Breakdown Cover Policy Cover for Me?
Usually, you can get a temporary policy between just a day and one month. The time period varies from one insurer to another based on your needs.
You can even get covered for a couple of hours if your job is done in less than a day. This option is for you if you are hiring a vehicle for a specific purpose.
Is Getting a Temporary Breakdown Cover Worth it?
A temporary breakdown policy can cost you more than a regular breakdown policy if calculated per day. But overall, if you don’t want to pay for personal coverage for the whole year, getting temporary coverage is cheaper.
When considering the risks you can face during a long journey, we can say that purchasing a temporary breakdown cover is worth it.
That way, you’re covered when it’s essential, even though you don’t want to maintain a regular policy.
Other useful guides:
Conclusion
A temporary breakdown policy covers you for a short period, varying from one day to one month. They can cost you between £16 and £98 depending on the level of service you want.
These policies are great if you go on a trip or borrow someone else’s vehicle. Even though you don’t maintain an annual cover, you can purchase a temporary cover when you truly need one.
The policies offer roadside and home assistance, European cover, misfuel cover, vehicle recovery and onward travel cover. Even your belongings are covered if a robbery takes place.
So we recommend you purchase a temporary breakdown cover to roam around freely with peace of mind.
