Going Easy on Your Breakdown Insurance

It is much better to have breakdown insurance when a roadside emergency occurs than to not have it. With that said, a little commonsense and looking ahead can ease the pressure on your breakdown insurance. In the long run, this can save you money because, like most insurance types, the more you use it the more it is likely to cost. On the other hand, breaking down in the middle of nowhere without it could be more expensive than the biggest insurance fees.

The Most Common Breakdown Calls

Many of the most common breakdown calls can be completely avoided with just a little forethought and commonsense. Battery problems are by far and away the most common call out. The preventative measure for batteries begins with installing a good battery that is the right size for your vehicle and activities. The next is to make sure that the alternator or other charging mechanism is working correctly.

The next most common call out is for tires. This can range from an unexpected puncture to an extremely worn tire that just gives up before you get around to having it changed out. The former is often just one of those things, but sometimes caution about where you drive will prevent the problem. As for the latter, when your tire resembles the old Hank Williams song lyric, “they are doing fine, but the air is showing through” it just might be time to get new ones. It isn’t wrong to call for help with a tire change, however, because sometimes getting a professional to do it is the safest and most efficient method.

Next Most Common

Fuel issues are the next most common. Simply running out of gas isn’t a difficult problem to solve. But make sure that you let the on-call person know the type of gas that should go in your vehicle’s tank. Regular or premium mix ups aren’t too difficult to sort, but if diesel goes in a standard vehicle you can have a serious mess, and vice versa. If the vehicle hasn’t been run, it is a simple matter of draining the tank, but if you’ve tried to run the car with that type of fuel, it is likely to be in serious trouble.

The Third Runner Up

Electrical, charging or starting a car are the third most common. There can be a lot of causes for the call out, ranging from human error to an alternator that isn’t working right or a short in the system. With today’s modern vehicles it could even be a computer chip that has burned out. But the mechanic won’t know until he or she looks at your car and runs some tests.

Clutch Problems

People who drive cars with standard transmissions are usually aware of when their clutch is starting to fail, but those with automatic trannies might not be quite as aware. When a clutch fails, even with automatic transmissions, the vehicle will not be able to change gears correctly. It might become stuck in first or even in reverse, or not be able to move at all. When this happens, it is likely that your vehicle will need to be towed.

Preventing Roadside Calls

Your breakdown cover is a good friend in need, but it is not intended to be a replacement for good maintenance. While not all mechanical failures can be prevented, many can. Since in most cases you still have to pay garage costs for emergency calls, it is usually less expensive to attend mechanical issues in a proactive manner, rather than waiting until you need your Breakdown cover.

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