For many of us, life is busy with a never-ending to do list. With various Direct Debits and regular payments going out of our bank accounts, it is easy to lose track of our finances and policies that we do or do not have in place.

You may even find yourself looking into personal finances on behalf of a loved one and need to establish exactly what all their regular Direct Debits are for.

If you need to find out if you have breakdown cover or not, we have some helpful hints for you.

What is breakdown cover?

Having breakdown cover in place means that, should your vehicle break down, you can be repaired or recovered as safely and quickly as possible.

There are various types of cover available and, depending on the problem and the level of cover you have, your vehicle could be repaired at the roadside, taken to a nearby garage, taken home or to your onward destination.

Why breakdown cover is important

It might be tempting to travel without a breakdown cover policy, but the truth is, we never really know when we might break down and find ourselves unable to get from A to B. No matter where you break down, it can be stressful and is almost always inconvenient.

Having breakdown cover in place provides you with peace of mind on the road, as you can call for assistance if you need it. However, not all drivers will choose to protect themselves with a breakdown cover policy.

How to check if your car has breakdown cover

Perhaps you have considered breakdown cover at some point but cannot remember if you took out a policy or not. You may be unsure if you renewed a previous breakdown cover policy, or if it was included as part of another purchase.

If you already have breakdown cover, it was likely purchased directly from a breakdown cover provider (such as GEM Motoring Assist) or it may have been included free with a new car, car insurance or bank account.

Finding your breakdown cover policy details

If you have breakdown cover directly from a breakdown cover provider, you will likely have received an email at the time of purchase or when your renewal has been due, so a good place to start is by searching within your emails.

Look for any breakdown cover providers you think you may have used in the past, or simply search for the term ‘breakdown’ to see if any relevant emails come up in the search results.

If you think you may have paid for breakdown cover, check your bank or credit card statements for breakdown cover provider names, or have a look in your list of Direct Debits and regular payees.

Getting breakdown cover with another service or purchase

Also consider what additional benefits are included with your bank account, with your car insurance or with a new car purchase. If you have bought a new car, check the relevant paperwork, or contact the retailer where you bought your vehicle to ask them what was included at the time.

Not sure what level of breakdown cover you have?

If you have established that you do have breakdown cover protection, that’s a great start. But not all breakdown cover is equal.

With GEM, our simple and straightforward personal breakdown cover automatically includes home and roadside assistance, nationwide recovery and onward travel. With other providers, you may have chosen your breakdown cover from several different levels of cover.

If you are not sure exactly what you are covered for, check your Policy Schedule, which will specify the level of cover you have. You should also have a copy of the Policy Wording or an IPID document that outlines the main cover and exclusions. This information can be found on the provider’s website or by contacting them.

What breakdown cover do I need?

If you have been unable to find any evidence of having a breakdown policy in place, you might now be wondering what breakdown cover should I get?

Choosing the right breakdown cover policy to suit your needs can take a bit of research. Breakdown cover providers tend to offer a range of policies from a basic policy to more comprehensive policies with additional benefits.

Will my policy cover my breakdown?

When looking to buy breakdown cover, your choice of policy will depend on your needs and if you want to cover the vehicle itself or yourself as a driver and passenger.

With personal breakdown cover, you are covered as a driver or passenger, which means you take your breakdown cover, and peace of mind, with you wherever you go.

If you want to be covered for a breakdown at home and on the road, and you need onward travel and nationwide recovery, you are better off getting a comprehensive policy that covers all of these.

At GEM, our simple and straightforward personal breakdown cover automatically includes home and roadside assistance, nationwide recovery and onward travel.

With other providers, however, you may need to choose from several different levels of cover, or build your cover by adding on what you need.

Need breakdown cover?

If you are not currently covered by a breakdown cover policy, it doesn’t take long to get cover in place. At GEM you can buy breakdown cover quickly and easily online or over the phone. You can be covered in 24 hours and can even buy your policy up to three months in advance, if you think you might not need it for a while.

JOIN GEM FOR SIMPLE & STRAIGHTFORWARD BREAKDOWN COVER

Did you know? 

When you buy GEM breakdown cover, you get GEM membership included. 

One of the benefits of GEM membership is our exclusive quarterly motoring magazine, Good Motoring, which is delivered directly to our members' doors four times a year.

Request a free sample copy of Good Motoring magazine by emailing us at memberservices@motoringassist.com, providing your full postal address.

By requesting a free copy of Good Motoring, you consent to us using your postal address for this purpose. Your details will not be kept on file thereafter.

Keep up to date with GEM Motoring Assist at:

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