Take cover this Bank Holiday

26.08.2024
  • Incorrect or no cover could leave you out of pocket
  • Check your breakdown cover before setting off
  • Almost half of claims due to invalid policy

Whatever the weather this Bank Holiday, it’s vital drivers make sure they have bought the right breakdown cover, says leading provider Start Rescue.

Drivers cannot rely on taking out cover after they have had a breakdown – it is fraudulent to buy insurance to cover an event that has already occurred.

In June 2024, where Start Rescue was unable to provide assistance, nearly half (45%) of these incidents were due to customers not having purchased a breakdown policy, so no cover was in place.

A further 15% were because customers did not buy the correct cover to include Home Assist, while 11.5% were not covered for recovery miles above the 10-mile local tow limit. A further 16% were down to the car not having a valid MoT or road tax, both a legal requirement.

“Customers buy a 10-mile local tow recovery policy because they don’t normally venture very far, but they will receive a huge shock if they travel a longer distance this Bank Holiday and can’t get the vehicle repaired local to the breakdown,” says Lee Puffett, Managing Director of Start Rescue.

He adds: “With many breakdown providers, once the mileage limit has been exceeded on a local tow policy, any extra miles plus additional call-outs for a relay if it’s a long distance will be payable by the customer.

“At Start Rescue, we always try to find the most cost-effective solution for customers when service is limited or not covered by the policy that has been purchased, but sometimes these options become limited and expensive later in the day and into the evening.”

It is essential to check your breakdown cover is still valid and upgrade if necessary before setting out this Bank Holiday. It can take 24 to 72 hours with some breakdown providers before new breakdown cover or a mid-term upgrade is active – potentially leaving drivers facing a big bill in the event of a breakdown.

Always ensure you check the timings with your breakdown provider so cover is in place when you need it. Start Rescue requires just a 24-hour waiting period for a policy to be active or for any mid-term adjustment to become valid.

Start Rescue has a 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot, a five-star Defaqto* rating and has achieved Which? Recommended Provider status for five years running. Start Rescue has also been awarded best Breakdown Cover provider in the Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards 2024 (www.finder.com), scoring 4.9 out of 5 for overall satisfaction with a 94% recommendation rate.

In the What Car? Survey of Best Breakdown Cover, Start Rescue came top for best response time, reaching 77% of call-outs in 30 minutes to an hour and didn’t leave anyone waiting for more than two hours. Start Rescue also won best in the survey for performing temporary repairs that let people continue with their journeys.

Launched in 2009, Start Rescue is an integral part of the nation’s fourth largest breakdown and recovery service, Call Assist, which now has more than two million UK customers.

For further breakdown advice, please visit startrescue.co.uk.