Is breakdown cover really needed?

WellKnownSid

lisyloo said:

Goudy said:

lisyloo said:

Goudy said:

lisyloo said:

user1977 said:

Have only needed two call-outs in my entire driving history, and the first of those was in 1990 (in relation to a Mark 1 Fiesta, so not sure how relevant that has to the present day anyway!). Quite happy to self-insure for once in a blue moon incidents.

Who do you call ? 

I want to write something but I won't! 👻

I just did a quick search on Google for "Breakdown" and used various road numbers and areas.
Seems choice is plentiful.

Same for Mobile Tyre Repair.

So you're fine as long as you have internet access?

Who hasn't a smartphone days?
But really you just need a phone to phone one of the directory enquiry services, and you need one of those to phone the usual breakdown services. Without one you're well and truly stuck no matter what you do or don't pay for.

I meant no coverage !
I'm on vodafone who are pretty good but sometimes find myself with no mobile data.

Or break down in Scotland - Vodafone turned off 3G coverage earlier in the year so much of rural Scotland gets only theoretical 4G which translates to 2G only.

motorguy

Goudy said:

I was recently involved in a conversation regarding breakdown cover, mainly it's expensive and it had us all thinking, is it really needed?

I haven't actually paid for it myself for around 10 years or so as my cars have still been in warranty and had cover through that but how likely is it to breakdown these days.

I can recall, in the dim and distance past calling them because of a flat battery, but not for the battery or jump but the car auto locked once powered up with the keys inside still running after I jumped it myself. (and it wasn't even my car)

All the other "out on the road" issues have always stuck a EML or other warning light on and allowed me to limp home or to the dealers/garage. I can't actually remember breaking down and being stuck at the side of the road.

So I wondered, who in say the past 10 years or so have actually broken down at the side of the road.
Not a flat battery at home or a puncture or ran out of fuel, but a "stopped no longer running/driving" breakdown at the side of the road?

It might be useful to put the rough age of the car and make/model plus what the outcome was, towed or fixed/fixed enough to get you home or to the garage.

i think i pay around £40 a year for each of our cars which i think is pretty cheap for the piece of mind.

"is it worth it"?  One of mine is a 2014 Golf TDI that has otherwise been driving fine.  My son borrowed it for 3 weeks when he was home from Sydney and of course i got the dreaded phone call "Dad, the Golf wont start".  And was he a  mile up the road?  Nope.  100 miles away and i was working.  I always keep the breakdown insurance cover in the glovebox so he just rang the number and they were out in a couple of hours.  Eventually got the car going (though still had a starting fault) and he was able to drive it home (they offered to put it on the breakdown truck and bring him down if he wanted).

Dont know where i'd have started there to go get him otherwise.  It would have been a half day off work, 2 hour drive there, 2 hour drive back, maybe would have had to tow him, plus ££s of fuel.

Cars are complicated these days.  It would only take a key fob to fail and someone could be stuck.

Feels well worth the £40.

lisyloo

WellKnownSid said:

lisyloo said:

Goudy said:

lisyloo said:

Goudy said:

lisyloo said:

user1977 said:

Have only needed two call-outs in my entire driving history, and the first of those was in 1990 (in relation to a Mark 1 Fiesta, so not sure how relevant that has to the present day anyway!). Quite happy to self-insure for once in a blue moon incidents.

Who do you call ? 

I want to write something but I won't! 👻

I just did a quick search on Google for "Breakdown" and used various road numbers and areas.
Seems choice is plentiful.

Same for Mobile Tyre Repair.

So you're fine as long as you have internet access?

Who hasn't a smartphone days?
But really you just need a phone to phone one of the directory enquiry services, and you need one of those to phone the usual breakdown services. Without one you're well and truly stuck no matter what you do or don't pay for.

I meant no coverage !
I'm on vodafone who are pretty good but sometimes find myself with no mobile data.

Or break down in Scotland - Vodafone turned off 3G coverage earlier in the year so much of rural Scotland gets only theoretical 4G which translates to 2G only.

To me this seems it might be ok for a single bloke. Perhaps not if you have a baby, dog, disability, elderly parents or single female. Each to their own.

subjecttocontract

I prefer to have peace of mind for the sake of £100 or so a year.
When I'm 100 miles from home a break down means someone else fixes the car.
Most people probably never claim on their buildings or contents insurance but wouldn't dream of not having cover.

oldagetraveller1

Is a puncture repair outfit really necessary for a bicycle?

I don't think I have never had breakdown cover of some level.

Nebulous2

I've had old cars, mainly used locally, with no cover.

I've had company cars with cover, and needed it. Coil suspension snapped and punctured a tyre in a remote location. Wiper motor failed in torrential rain, again in a remote location. 

However my big fear is a major issue when towing a caravan, possibly halfway down Spain. I once had an oldish van which broke down in France, needing a wheel bearing. ADAC put us up in a hotel for three nights and arranged for a wheel bearing to be shipped from the UK to a local garage. We paid for the bearing and the repair, but their support was invaluable.

Recovering a vehicle from France or Spain to Scotland would make a serious dent in my finances, so I like to be covered.  Equally, being stuck hundreds of miles away in the UK, with a undrivable car and a caravan is a situation I'd prefer to have someone help with. 

user1977

subjecttocontract said:

Most people probably never claim on their buildings or contents insurance but wouldn't dream of not having cover.

Yes, but that covers risks all the way up to your house and all your possessions turning to ash. I think it's a reasonable money-saving approach to reserve insurance for the things you couldn't afford if they happened.

lisyloo

user1977 said:

subjecttocontract said:

Most people probably never claim on their buildings or contents insurance but wouldn't dream of not having cover.

Yes, but that covers risks all the way up to your house and all your possessions turning to ash. I think it's a reasonable money-saving approach to reserve insurance for the things you couldn't afford if they happened.

There's a little bit more to it than that.
There are certain situations (wedding, important job meeting, going to airport etc.) where I wouldn't want to be bothered with taking the time to phone around garages or walking miles to get coverage etc.

I would change it to something like where having the insurance provide a value you can't easily replicate yourself. In many cases this is financial but not always.

mr_stripey

30 years ago when I first started driving I was more than happy to take the risk. It was only me and most of my journeys were non critical. A breakdown wouldn't have been the end of the world

Fast forward to more recent life with family, kids, longer commute, managing connecting flights etc and for me breakdown cover is nice piece of mind.

Being stranded on my own and being late for nothing much in particular was manageable, Breaking down with kids in the car and needing to go places/get home is very much another matter.

To answer the original question - No, breakdown cover is not always needed, but it depends on your appetite for risk and being able to pivot in a crisis.

MEM62

Like any insurance, you choose to have it or not.  And also like any other insurance, you are very glad of it in the event that you need to call on it.  Take the risk yourself or arrange for cover - your choice.