Breakdown Cover Survives Halifax “Ultimate Rewards” Cull

July 10th, 2011

The “free” AA breakdown cover which comes as a perk of holding a Halifax Ultimate Rewards account has survived the cut which has seen other benefits removed for customers.

As of September, purchase protection cover and travel accident cover will no longer be a free benefit of holding the Ultimate Rewards current account. The discount card scheme and price promise will also be axed at the same time.

Not only are these rewards being removed, the fee for holding the account is being increased from the current £12.50 to £15 a month. That means that customers will be paying an extra £30 a year for fewer benefits.

Halifax says, however, that the products they are removing were not the most popular attractions of the account anyway.

A spokesperson for Halifax said: “We found that there was very low awareness about these other benefits and minimal claims were made. This is the first time we have raised the prices on this account for three years, and have taken the opportunity to simplify it so it reflects the benefits that people want and use.”

The AA breakdown cover will actually be supplemented to offer home start assistance in addition to the regular car rescue cover.

Other benefits of the Halifax Ultimate Rewards account include mobile phone cover, home emergency cover and worldwide family travel cover. A fee-free overdraft of £300 is also standard on the account.

In addition, if you pay £1,000 or more into the Ultimate Rewards each month then a £5 bonus is added to your account. The spokesperson for Halifax pointed out that this could make the net cost of holding the account just £10 a month.

Are you looking for cheap rescue cover or annual breakdown provision? If so then use our comparison tables to the latest and best deals. Head there with a simple click to our Breakdown Cover Comparison page.

Tags: , ,
Posted in UK Motoring | No Comments »

A Classic Mistake – Driving Without Breakdown Cover

May 25th, 2011

Owners of classic cars have been warned not to risk taking the motor out for a spin without buying some breakdown cover first.

A recent survey of over 5,000 people by Footman James, a classic car and motorcycle insurance specialist, has revealed that just 1 in 14 classic car owners consider breakdown cover to be a top priority.

Compare that to almost one in three classic car drivers who said they wouldn’t go out in the motor without their mobile phone. At least some of the drivers canvassed took safety into mind though since 18 per cent of them said they would always pack a tool kit.

1 in 6 classic car owners admitted that they had no breakdown cover for their vehicle and 3 per cent couldn’t remember if they were covered or not.

Managing director of Footman James, Paul Matthews, said: “As many classic vehicles will have been in hibernation prior to the touring season, it becomes increasingly important that owners have the right levels of breakdown cover in place should the unthinkable happen. While it might be tempting for owners to fix minor problems themselves, breakdowns often require expert assistance to get the vehicle safely back on the road.”

“Every year between May and September, we see a high increase in calls from touring customers who find themselves relying on breakdown cover to get them back on track,” said Mr Matthews.

No matter which sort of car you own and drive, don’t take the risk of driving without suitable annual breakdown cover. It could be much cheaper than you think and will give you peace of mind. Shop around for the best deals on breakdown cover from a range of breakdown providers on our Breakdown Cover homepage.

Tags: , ,
Posted in News, UK Motoring | No Comments »

GEM Assist Driving tips & Advice

February 9th, 2011

Road safety and breakdown cover organisation GEM Motoring Assist is issuing important advice to ensure drivers are prepared for any adverse weather conditions that hit the UK this February.

GEM, voted the UK’s Number One for roadside assistance, is committed to helping drivers make their car journeys run as smoothly as possible and the first rule is….be prepared! David Williams from GEM Motoring Assist comments, “Last year, thousands of drivers were unprepared for the season’s first snowfall in December. With the threat happening so early, even more are likely to be caught out!”

“It is imperative that motorists are properly prepared for the weather at its coldest and most challenging. Poor weather, decreased visibility and bad road conditions during winter not only increase the risk of accidents but also contribute to a rise in breakdown situations, which in turn are more hazardous in dark and wintry conditions”.

David continues, “Always fully service your car before the winter draws in and don’t forget to keep your boot filled with emergency supplies. Essentials for winter journeys include warm clothing, a blanket, a small shovel, a torch, a triangle, a reflective or fluorescent jacket or tabard, a bottle of water and some cash. Remember to check the weather at your destination, give yourself plenty of time to get there, clear your car of all ice, snow and debris before setting off and don’t take the journey if it is not necessary and may be dangerous. And of course make sure you have your breakdown membership details handy in case of any trouble”.

GEM has developed a detailed Winter Driving leaflet that can be downloaded for free from the GEM website. Visit GEM at http://www.breakdown-cover-finder.co.uk/gem-breakdown-cover.html

A few top tips in case of a winter breakdown:

1. Consider you own safety first – if possible get your vehicle off the road and ensure all passengers are safe and be careful of ice

2. Do not stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic and wear a fluorescent tabard or jacket as visibility may be reduced

3. If you are on a motorway, get out of the car and wait for help to arrive – this is why you will need your blankets and gloves. On smaller roads remain in the vehicle

4. Warn other road users – switch on your hazard warning lights if you are causing an obstruction and put a warning triangle behind you, but never use a triangle on a motorway

5. Call for help using your mobile phone and give clear details of your location, number of passengers and cause of breakdown

Posted in UK Motoring | No Comments »

Annual Breakdown Cover Could Become Compulsory

January 24th, 2011

Proposals have been put forward by the coalition government which could see Annual Breakdown Cover become compulsory in the UK.

As you well know, it is already compulsory for all motorists to have car insurance on a vehicle and, if the new proposals are accepted, then the same sort of rules will apply to breakdown cover also.

At the present moment there is no legal requirement to take out annual breakdown cover or joint breakdown cover on a motor vehicle so the British Insurance Brokers Association have come out in favour of the proposals.

The British Insurance Brokers Association says that compulsory breakdown cover on cars will level the playing field for all motorists and create a fairer system.

The same legislation will also hope to tighten up on the existing laws on car insurance too. At present, drivers can only be penalised for being without insurance if they are caught behind the wheel. Ministers hope to extend the laws so that car insurance will be compulsory even if the car is never taken out of the drive.

Ministers say that the new legislation on car insurance and breakdown cover will lead to lower premiums for motorists who stay within the law.

Don’t wait for breakdown cover to become a legal requirement as it makes sense to be covered anyway. Compare prices from various breakdown cover providers now on our UK Breakdown Cover Comparison page.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Legislation, News, UK Motoring | No Comments »

Does Your Annual Breakdown Policy Cover Misfuelling?

October 20th, 2010

Do you know if your annual breakdown cover policy will pay out if you breakdown after filling up with the wrong fuel? Or will you breakdown providers stump up the money if you breakdown because you forgot to fill up?

Well, it might well be worth taking a look at the small print of your annual breakdown or joint breakdown cover when you get a moment because, according to the AA, over 100,000 motorists put the wrong fuel in their car every year and a significant proportion of them will not receive a penny if a breakdown results.

Almost a quarter of policies researched by the financial research firm Defaqto were found to include misfuelling as part of their exclusion policy. Furthermore, around 1 in 7 annual breakdown cover policies were found not to pay out if you breakdown after running out of fuel.

Defaqto examined close to 300 annual breakdown cover policies and found that many motorists would have to pay additional charges for car rescue after a breakdown due to misfuelling or running out of juice.

Mike Powell of Defaqto said: “Drivers putting the wrong fuel into a vehicle not only face a huge repair bill but may also find that their breakdown policy doesn’t provide cover for their vehicle to be towed to a garage. Even those motor breakdown policies that do cover such an eventuality will tend to find that the extent of the coverage is limited to towing the car to a garage or to their destination.”

So make sure you look into all of the subtle nuances of annual breakdown cover so that you are not caught out with a bill for something you didn’t expect. Find out which breakdown providers offer the best deals now using our Compare Breakdown Cover search facility.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Smallprint, UK Motoring | No Comments »

AutoSure Assist Launch Cheap European Breakdown Cover

August 16th, 2010

AutoSure Assist, a European breakdown cover provider and insurance company which is part of the AutoLaw group, has recently launched cheap rescue cover for motorists in Europe.

Starting out at just £58 a year, the AutoSure Assist European annual breakdown cover will pay out for roadside repair, accident management and home start 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. AutoSure pledge to be with you in around 40 minutes and will even pick up the bill for any necessary accommodation costs.

The annual breakdown cover doesn’t just apply to motorists on the continent though – this cover is also applicable in Great Britain so you can feel safe at home as well as abroad. You know that we always have an eye out for the latest breakdown cover options and this is one of the best value ones we have seen recently. Indeed, it is half price or less than some other annual premiums for European breakdown cover that we have seen.

As long as your vehicle is no more than 15 years old you will be eligible for this European breakdown cover from AutoSure Assist.

If you are heading off to Europe and want to have peace of mind without breaking the bank then compare cheap European breakdown cover now with Breakdown Cover Finder. If, however, you are not the type to go careering off to other countries in your car, check out our options for UK Breakdown Cover.

Tags: , ,
Posted in European Motoring, UK Motoring | No Comments »

Sort Out Your Breakdown Cover Before Heading Off To Festivals

July 28th, 2010

M & S Car Insurance has been warning that people should sort out their annual breakdown cover before heading off to festivals this summer. The warning comes after a survey by the insurance company shows the intentions of your typical festival-goer.

Over half of all adults in the UK are expecting to go to one of over 350 festivals that will be hosted over the coming months and they are being warned to make sure they have adequate breakdown cover before setting off.

Four in five people who expect to attend the music festivals, literary events and foodie get-togethers this summer intend to use their wheels to get there. Over half will use their own car and one in five will bum a lift from someone else.

Andrew Ferguson, Head of General Insurance at M&S said: “British festival-goers need to make sure this is a summer to remember for the right reasons. Heavy festival traffic can lead to a higher level of accidents and breakdowns.”

That heavy traffic is indeed a perennial feature of festival attendance and is also one of the main contributors to cars overheating in the hotter summer months.

According to the AA, up to half of all breakdowns could be avoided simply by carrying out basic checks and regular servicing. However, even if you have taken all precautions, it still gives you peace of mind to know that should the worst happen, you have sufficient breakdown cover to call on.

With many festivals now taking place outside of the UK it can also pay to take out European breakdown cover so that you are covered wherever you travel - from Berlin to Burgas. If you are more the stay-at-home festival type though then use our finder to compare UK Breakdown Cover now.

Tags: ,
Posted in European Motoring, UK Motoring | No Comments »

Free Annual Breakdown Cover From The AA And The Sunday Mirror

June 29th, 2010

Who says that you never get anything for free? Well, sometimes - just sometimes – you do. And we are here to tell you about it when it happens.

We have spotted an absolutely amazing deal on annual breakdown cover in The Sunday Mirror that we thought you might like to know about.

If you want to learn how to drive and are looking for annual breakdown cover then this is simply the deal for you. In conjunction with The Sunday Mirror, the AA is offering two driving lessons for the price of one for your first two lessons. But, if you take them up on that offer, they will also give you breakdown cover for a full year ABSOLUTELY FREE!!

That means the cost of your first two driving lessons will be just £10.50 – but your annual breakdown cover comes at no cost whatsoever.

In addition to that, there’s even better news if you are under 30 years old because then you can also get Start-Up Membership with the AA free for a year too! And even in your second year the AA will continue your membership for half price.

This offer is only available until 31st July 2010 and is for new AA Driving School customers only. The original offer of free annual breakdown cover in The Sunday Mirror along with details of how to apply can be found here.

If you were unlucky enough to miss out on this deal on annual breakdown cover or you would prefer to use different breakdown providers then you will be glad to know that we can still help you out. We have no closing dates and are always here to help you compare the best deals on annual breakdown cover.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Offers, UK Motoring | 3 Comments »