Breakdown Cover Insurance - What You Need To Know When Applying For Breakdown Cover Insurance

Applying for your breakdown cover insurance

Applying for breakdown cover insurance is very simple whether you're doing it via an insurance broker, face to face or online. Most of the information insurers require for an application is collected at the quotation stage, when you obtain a quotation either in person or online it will have a unique reference number, use this number to access your quote and start your application.

All breakdown insurers require information about you, and anyone else being insured under your policy, for example your:

Name

Date of birth

Address and postcode

Profession And information about the vehicle(s) being insured, such as:

Average annual mileage

Vehicle registration number, age, make, model and engine size

How often it is used

Insurance companies differ slightly in the information they require, some can automatically source the vehicle information they require from it's registration number or year of manufacture, but if not, you should be able to get everything you need from your vehicle registration documents, log book and MOT certificates, so have these handy.

During the application process you will need to confirm who, or which vehicles are being insured and the type of cover you want, for example just roadside assistance, or extended cover or European cover. You will then be advised what your regular or annual premiums will be and when the cover is effective from. Some insurers can accept your application and provide cover immediately, others may take 48 hours or longer to process an application.

Look very closely
at your insurance policy before you accept it!

Depending on who you apply through you will be issued with a breakdown insurance certificate and sometimes a breakdown insurance policy document. When applying online these are often available to be printed immediately, or alternatively are emailed or posted to you.

Check that your insurance document shows:

The policyholder's name

Vehicle registration mark(s)

Cover commencement date

Date of expiry

What you're covered for

What you're not covered for

In all cases make sure that you are adequately insured, if something happens you could end up having to pay a large amount of money for the cost of labour and repairs which are not covered, or worse, personal liability to anyone you may have injured. So you should read the policy details as carefully as you can.

Every company also has a different call-out procedure and you should be clear about what this is before you accept a policy, most insurers have 24 hour phone lines, or iPhone call-out services. Make sure you always have these contact details handy.

Keep your breakdown insurance certificate and policy details in a safe place usually with your motor insurance documents. If you subsequently change your vehicle remember to also update your breakdown insurance!

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