Vehicle Breakdown Cover and Roadside Assistance

Breakdown cover, do you need it? If you are a driver, then you know that at some point your vehicle may break down. That sinking feeling as the car is by the side of the road with the hazard warning lights on. You have no idea how to fix the car or how to get to the nearest garage.

If this happens to you, do you have a plan in place for getting help?                   

One of the easiest ways to protect yourself, and your loved ones, in this situation, is to take out roadside assistance and car breakdown cover.

With the likes of the AA, RAC and Green flag breakdown companies in the marketplace, roadside recovery is one of the better known protection products for drivers. However, there are reasons why you might want to consider a different provider than the better known names. As you will see, buying roadside assistance from our new Aequitas Protect brand can offer you fantastic value for money.

Additionally, we will discuss the different types of breakdown recovery services available to drivers. So whether you are new to driving or just need a refresher on roadside assistance, keep reading for more information.

New Breakdown Cover, Home start and Roadside Recovery Assistance from Aequitas Protect

Our annual Vehicle Breakdown Insurance from Aequitas Protect is designed to offer our customers a quality breakdown policy with value for money in mind. We understand that customers looking for roadside recovery products will look to the household names such as AA, RAC and GreenFlag.

However, over the last few years, we have seen several new breakdown providers offering similar roadside assistance products, without the 'household name' price tag.

Aequitas Protect is a brand that will provide a range of value, additional insurance and service products to our customers. All will be backed by an experienced breakdown provider to ensure the service you receive is not diminished because you have paid a lower premium. We understand the desire for cheap breakdown cover, but the policy needs to work for you too.

Definitions of cover features:

Roadside Assistance: a breakdown within the territorial limits (UK), more than 1 mile radius from your home, a recovery operator will spend up to 60 minutes to try and repair your vehicle.   

10 mile recovery (local recovery): if, in the opinion of the recovery operator, the vehicle cannot be repaired within 60 minutes the policy will either:

• Arrange and pay for the recovery of the vehicle and passengers to a suitable nearby garage within 10 miles of the breakdown.
• If the first option is not possible, or a repair is not possible on the same day, the policy will allow for a recovery vehicle to recover you to a chosen destination within 10 miles.

Home Assist: A recovery operator will attend your registered home, or up to a 1 mile radius of it, and will spend up to 60 minutes trying to repair the vehicle.

If in the opinion of the recovery operator, a repair is not possible within 60 minutes then recovery to a suitable local garage can be provided within up to a 10 mile radius.

Nationwide Recovery: If your vehicle cannot be repaired at a suitable garage within the same working day, the policy will provide a recovery to your home address, or if you prefer and it is closer, another destination within the territorial limits (UK).

Standard features and benefits on all levels or cover

Mis-fuel Insurance - We will arrange and pay up to £250 for a fuel drain and flush at the roadside or the recovery operator’s base. If you are immobile because you have the wrong fuel in your car then this addition is ideal.

Key Assist - If you lose, break or lock your keys in your vehicle then our Vehicle Breakdown Cover can cover the recovery costs of the vehicle to the operator's base, or your preferred destination if closer.  

Alternative transport - Within the territorial limits (UK), up to £250 towards the cost of alternative transport or a hire car (up to 1600cc) to allow you to complete your journey.

Plus

Up to £150 towards the cost of alternative transport for one person to return and collection of the repaired vehicle.

Emergency overnight accommodation - within the territorial limits (UK) up to £150 for a single traveller, or up to £75 per person in a party, towards overnight accommodation, including breakfast, whilst the vehicle is being repaired. Maximum payment is limited to £500 per incident.

Cover if you are towing a caravan or a trailer - caravans or trailers fitted with the standard 50mm tow ball coupling hitch and not exceeding 7m (23ft) in length (not including your A-frame or hitch) will be recovered at no extra cost to you.

Message service - If requested, we can pass on two messages to your home or place of work, to alter them to your situation.

Who provides our Roadside Assistance and Breakdown Recovery service?

The new Vehicle Breakdown Insurance from Aequitas Protect is provided through Call Assist Ltd. Call Assist Ltd was first established in 1998, and a year later started its first Roadside Assistance Service.

The policy is underwritten by DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited. DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited also carry a current 'A' credit rating with the major credit reference agencies.

Not all breakdown assistance products are underwritten by an insurer. Having this with the Aequitas Protect product means the policy is underwritten by a company authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.

What is breakdown recovery insurance?

Roadside Assistance and Breakdown Recovery aka Vehicle Breakdown cover for short, is an insurance policy which can provide protection when the vehicle breaks down. Depending on the level of cover, roadside assistance and breakdown cover are what the insurance policy protects.   

Vehicles are complex. If your car breaks down there are several reasons why you may find yourself in a situation where you are immobile.

From getting a flat battery to a punctured tyre, there are several reasons why you can be stuck at the side of a road in need of some help. By taking a car breakdown cover policy you can gain access to services aimed at getting you out of a sticky spot.

What happens if you break down and you do not have breakdown cover?

Breaking down can be a stressful experience, especially if you don't have breakdown cover. If you find yourself in this situation, the first thing you should do is call a tow truck or the police.

If you have breakdown cover, your insurance company will likely pay for the tow truck. If you don't have breakdown cover, you'll be responsible for the tow truck fees, which can be quite expensive.

Once your vehicle is at the tow truck company, they will give you a quote for the repairs.

If you have breakdown cover, your insurance can pay for the repairs.

If you don't have breakdown cover, you'll be responsible for paying for the repairs.

The cost of repairs can vary depending on the severity of the problem. In extreme cases, it may be cheaper to just buy a new vehicle than to pay for expensive repairs.

When deciding whether or not to get a breakdown cover, weigh the cost of the cover against the cost of towing and repairing your vehicle without it.

Breakdown cover can give you peace of mind knowing that you won't be stranded if your vehicle breaks down.

Which breakdown cover is best in the UK?              

When you consider your options for any of the types of insurance, usually, you will search the market for options. It is no different when you want to compare breakdown cover. Of course, there are the household names of the AA, RAC and Green flag long established in the marketplace. However, several alternatives can offer you far better value, in our humble opinion.

When choosing your breakdown cover provider you must consider exactly what you need from your policy. Do you only do short runs in your local area? Then roadside assistance and perhaps a tow to your local garage will be most important. If you drive further a field then nationwide recovery may be important to you.

Breakdown cover providers will offer you different types of cover so you can find something to suit your needs. You need to make sure that the breakdown service you choose gives you all the options you need.

You can look at getting a personal breakdown cover, where you are covered in whichever vehicle you are travelling. You can look at specific vehicle cover so whoever is driving a particular vehicle named is covered. As well as options for vehicle and personal cover you can also find multi car breakdown cover and if you travel abroad, european cover. There are many types of policy available and the level of cover is important to consider.

Aequitas Protect Breakdown cover FAQs

How many claims can I make on my Aequitas Protect Roadside Assistance policy?

You can make a maximum of 6 claims for breakdown call outs during your annual policy with Aequitas Protect Roadside Assistance.

Is there an excess to pay on any claim on Aequitas Protect Roadside Assistance?

No, there is no excess to pay on any claim on cover.

I've already broken down, can I buy a Roadside Assistance policy from Aequitas Protect and claim right away?

No, you do not get instant cover. You cannot claim within the first 24 hours of the policy purchase. Breakdown cover starts the next day from purchase.

Who is Aequitas Protect?

Aequitas Protect is a trading brand of Aequitas Automotive Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. Our Firm Reference Number is 821163.

What is the difference between RAC, AA and Green flag cover and the cover offered by Aequitas Protect?

The Roadside assistance and breakdown recovery market do have some of the most famous and well-known brands available for you to choose from. However, there are many independent providers of Breakdown cover that can offer equal levels of vehicle cover, and better value in many cases.

Aequitas Protect uses Call Assist for our Breakdown cover provider. There is a range of cover available and you should always compare what you looking to protect yourself from when selecting the right level of cover for you.

With roadside, nationwide recovery, homestart and more available to choose from, we are confident you can select an Aequitas Protect Roadside Assistance policy that will suit your needs.

Does Aequitas Protect Breakdown Insurance Cover provide coverage in Europe?       

Currently, the Aequitas Protect Breakdown Insurance only provides cover in the UK. We plan to offer a European Breakdown Cover in the not too distant future.

Why is Aequitas Protect a cheaper breakdown cover than some others?

As we have mentioned earlier, some very famous brands offer different types of breakdown cover in the market today. We would like to think the premiums that Aequitas Protect offer equate to some of the cheapest breakdown cover costs you will find.

How can we do this? Well, we use breakdown providers who do not carry the same sort of marketing budgets as other names in the market. We would like to think we can offer equally as good a breakdown policy, just at a much more reasonable price.

How do I get breakdown cover quotes from Aequitas Protect?

Simply press the quote for Roadside assistance and follow the questionnaire. You can select which of the types of breakdown policies you require and you can set up cover within 5 minutes.

Is it worth getting breakdown cover?

When your car breaks down, it can be a stressful and inconvenient experience. If you're on your way to work or picking up the kids from school, a breakdown can throw a major spanner in your plans. breakdown cover can give you peace of mind by knowing that help is just a phone call away.

Most breakdown cover providers will send a tow truck to your location and either fix your car on the spot or take it to a local garage. In some cases, they may even be able to arrange for recovery if your car is not driveable.

While breakdown cover is not required, it can be worth the investment for the peace of mind it provides.

What type of vehicles does Aequitas Protect offer Breakdown Insurance cover for?

We can offer cover for the following vehicles:

• cars up to 6 years old
• cars between 6 and 11 years old
• cars over 12 years old with no upper age limit
• classic cars over 20 years old with no upper age limit
• motorbikes up to 6 years old
• motorbikes between 6 and 11 years old
• motorbikes over 12 years old with no upper age limit
• classic motorbikes over 20 years old with no upper age limit
• vans up to 3.5t up to 10 years old
• vans up to 7.5t up to 10 years old
• motorhomes up to 39 feet with no upper age limit
• minibuses up to 16 seats and 15 years old

What vehicle uses do you permit?                               

We can provide cover breakdowns for vehicles being used for:

• Social, Domestic and Pleasure
• Business use
• Taxi / Private Hire
• Driving School / Tuition

Do you cover Classic Cars or Motorbikes?

Yes, we can provide cover if your Classic Motorbike or Classic Car breaks down.

My car insurance offers breakdown cover, is it better than yours?

Some motor insurance providers may offer you a standalone breakdown cover, in conjunction with your annual fully comprehensive car insurance. It may be convenient to simply add breakdown cover in this way but before you arrange cover please ensure you are getting 'like for like' cover, and the policy suits your needs.

How long does it take to get a breakdown assistance policy quote?

A breakdown cover quote takes just a few minutes with our policy, and we hope you agree it offers great value for money.

Do you offer business breakdown cover?

Yes, our car, minibus and van breakdown cover does allow for business use.

Do you provide a courtesy car?

Our core, standard breakdown cover does provide an allowance for a hire car, or another method of onward travel. Please see the policy terms and conditions for more details.