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What is Roadside Assistance, and do I really need it?
Roadside assistance is often referred to as breakdown cover. Roadside Assistance is a service that covers you for when your vehicle breaks down. There are a wide range of unforeseen reasons as to why you might breakdown. It is good to know that you are covered rather than left stranded
Although having breakdown cover isn’t a legal requirement it can help put your mind at ease if you frequently drive. However, if you do not have it and you do breakdown on the motorway or elsewhere and you need an emergency call out it can be very expensive, and you may be left stranded until help arrives. With Bettersafe’s Roadside assistance we will be there to help you in the event of a breakdown and also help get you going again on your journey.
Get a QuoteWhat is included in Breakdown cover?
A breakdown is defined as an electrical or mechanical failure, lack of fuel, misfuel, flat battery, accident, or puncture to the vehicle, which immediately renders the vehicle immobilised.
Alternative Travel: We will pay up to £250 towards the reasonable cost of alternative transport or a hire vehicle up to 1600cc to allow you to complete your original journey. We will also pay up to £150 towards the reasonable cost of alternative transport for one person to return and collect the repaired vehicle.
Tyres: Damaged tyres can mean that you cannot drive. It is always worth knowing where your spare wheel, jack and wheel nuts are kept in your car. Tyres can be damaged from wear and tear but also from punctures. To prevent your wheels from damage from wear and tear it is worth keeping an eye on the tread of your tyres. If there is an unseen pothole or debris in the road this can cause a puncture to your tyre. Unfortunately, punctures are not something you can necessarily prevent but with Bettersafe’s Roadside Assistance we will help you put that spare tyre on or take you to a suitable garage within 10 miles of your breakdown to get it fixed.
Misfuelling: In the event your vehicle’s fuel tank is filled with the incorrect type of fuel, we will arrange and pay up to £250 (inclusive of VAT) for a recovery operator to either recover your vehicle and the passengers to the recovery operator’s base where a drain and flush to your vehicle’s fuel tank can be conducted or, to conduct the fuel drain and flush at the roadside. Subject to the £250 claim limit, we will also provide 10 litres of correct fuel.
Keys: If you lose, break, or lock your vehicle keys within your vehicle, we will pay the callout and mileage charges back to the recovery operator’s base or your preferred destination if closer. All other costs incurred, including any specialist equipment needed to move the vehicle, will be at your expense.
Home Assist: We have cover options where home assist is covered. This is going to cover you if you are at home and your vehicle will not start or if you have another issue like a flat tyre. Home Assist will also cover you if you are within a 1 Mile radius of your house.
Emergency Accommodation: We will pay up to £150 for a lone traveller or £75 per person towards the reasonable cost of overnight accommodation including breakfast for the passengers whilst your vehicle is being repaired. The maximum Emergency Overnight Accommodation payment per incident is £500.
Driver Illness: If you are unable to continue your journey within the territorial limits (UK) or territorial limits (Europe) due to illness or injury to the only qualified driver, provided none of your passengers can drive, we will provide an alternative driver to return the vehicle to your nominated destination within the territorial limits (UK). A medical certificate will be required for us to validate your claim and we will only accept claims which occur and are made within the period of insurance.
Please refer to the Policy Documentation for full Terms and Conditions
What type of cover do I need?
Economy | Economy Plus | Nationwide | Nationwide Plus | European | European Plus | |
Local Recovery | ||||||
Nationwide recovery | ||||||
Alternative Travel | ||||||
Emergency accommodation | ||||||
Misfuelling | ||||||
Keys | ||||||
Driver Illness | ||||||
Home-Assist | ||||||
European Cover |
What are the top reasons people breakdown?
Here are the 10 reasons why people break down and with Bettersafe’s Roadside Assistance policy you will be covered for them:
- Flat or Faulty Battery: The battery will automatically charge whilst driving, however if you only do very short journeys this may not give your battery enough time to properly charge. A flat battery will mean your vehicle will not be able to start.
- Alternator Trouble: A faulty Alternator may mean that your battery is not being charged properly, this can cause the fuel line to misfire and the engine to not start.
- Electrical problems: As with any machine, things break over time. Most electrical problems occur due to the wear and tear of driving your vehicle over time. A common electrical problem can be things like connectors, plugs and fuses.
- Keys and Alarms: Getting locked out of your car is a nightmare. With newer cars having very sophisticated alarm systems people are having to call someone out when they lock their keys in the car to help them regain access to the vehicle.
- Misfuelling: It happens to the best of us, we get to the petrol station, and we put the wrong type of fuel in the car. Putting the wrong type of fuel in the car can be damaging to the engine. If you notice you have put the wrong type in before you start the engine, you may just be able to get it pumped out, however if you have started the engine and started to drive it may cause more damage to the engine.
- Damages tyres: Tyres can be damaged from wear and tear but also from punctures. To prevent your wheels from damage from wear and tear it is worth keeping an eye on the tread of your tyres. If there is an unseen pothole or debris in the road this can cause a puncture to your tyre. Unfortunately, punctures are not something you can necessarily prevent but with Bettersafe’s Roadside Assistance we will help you put that spare tyre on or take you to a suitable garage within 10 miles of your breakdown to get it fixed.
- Clutch cables: With manual cars, the clutch will wear down slowly over time every time you change gears, especially with a large amount of hill starts. If your clutch cable breaks whilst driving pull over immediately as your car will become immobile.
- Diesel Particulate Filter: All diesel cars are fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to help filter out dirt, soot, and exhaust emissions. If you are only doing short journeys consistently, the filter can become blocked over time. If it does become blocked it can stop your vehicle from being as efficient as it should be.
- Starter Motor: The starter motor is the engine that allows your car to start when you turn on your engine.
- Overheating: Cars can have a range of engine issues that may occur unexpectedly including overheating. These issues can cause your vehicle to become immobile.
Who do I need to call if I break down?
Call the 24-hour control Centre.
UK: 0800 206 2631
Europe: 0044 1206714356
- Please have key information at hand to provide the rescue coordinator: Telephone number, Policy number, vehicle registration, precise location of your vehicle.
- Please stay with your vehicle while you wait for the recovery operator unless this is unsafe to do so.