For new drivers, arranging all the paperwork that goes with a new car can be confusing. Once the car's service log book, registration document, MOT and so on is in order then that's all the legally mandatory stuff out of the way and you know your car should run well.
The next thing to consider is how to stay protected when you are on the road. Getting breakdown cover is vital for making sure you can get help at a low cost should you find your car in trouble while you are on the road. You never know when you might need it either; whether you accidentally put in the wrong fuel or your clutch fails, breakdowns can often come unexpectedly.
However, choosing the right breakdown cover for you can be a confusing business with a number of things to consider. Bear a few things in mind to get the right cover for you.
Budget
Owning a car is an expensive business so you can be forgiven for looking for places to cut costs if it doesn't have a detrimental effect on your driving or your vehicle. Breakdown cover is one area where you can certainly save money and there are low cost breakdown recovery companies out there that still provide an excellent service. To get good breakdown cover on a budget, look to startrescue.co.uk.
However, costs can still rack up if you don't carefully consider the amount of cover and services that are most appropriate for you. Take a look around at the kinds of things that come with each level of cover and have a think about what you realistically need.
Long distance commutes or short journeys?
How often and what sort of distance you travel will make a difference to the type of cover you are after and how much this will cost you.
Even if you only use your car for short trips to the nearest town or city or just to do the shopping, it is still worth getting cover. That way you can avoid the annoyance of breaking down a few streets away from your house with no way of getting your vehicle home.
In this case, you may want the option to get your car covered within a one mile radius of your home address, including on your drive. Should this appeal to you then look for the Home Start option from the choice of cover at startrescue.co.uk.
Additionally, if your car were to break down, the level of cover you select can make a difference to how far a recovery operator can take you from the scene.
Therefore, if you only use your car for short journeys it may be useful to go for startrescue.co.uk's 'recovery up to ten miles' option. This will see you driven to the nearest garage within ten miles of the breakdown. If this happens close to home then it will be much easier for you to get back home.
This option will be less useful for you, however, if you tend to commute long distances. Should you need to drive a long way and then find you break down far from home then you would be better off with the 'nationwide recovery' option. This means that wherever you break down in the UK, you will be able to get a lift home from a recovery operator.
Should you find that you have to drive abroad then you may benefit instead for going for a higher level of recovery, which can see you covered in certain European countries. However, you should bear in mind that startrescue.co.uk also does short term European cover so if you are planning a one-off trip to Europe then you may find it cheaper to get this in addition to your annual cover.
Regular car user
If it turns out, following a breakdown, that you have to leave your car in the garage for a few days then this could prove troublesome if you need to drive while it is being repaired. Therefore, get breakdown cover where alternative transport comes as part of the package. That means you will be provided with a different vehicle and still be able to get around while your car is being repaired. Bear in mind, however, this is only available from startrescue.co.uk if the vehicle is being repaired 20 miles or more from the registered home address.
