DRIVE FOR LESS
Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert reveals how drivers could save £100s when hunting for breakdown cover
It's not the only trick that could help save you dosh while battling the cost-of-living crisis
Martin Lewis' MSE has shared a clever tip to help cash-strapped Brits save a pretty penny on their motor costs.
The tip was posted on their site last week and if overlooked could cost Brits hundreds of pounds.
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The money help site warned drivers to never renew their breakdown cover automatically - after it was discovered that motorists can save hundreds with an old school haggle-off while talking to their provider.
A poll was conducted by the site which asked drivers if they had success when trying to haggle their price down - and who the company was that they managed to swipe a deal with.
And the results could force you to switch providers today.
On the site, money analyst Gavin Shepherd, said: "When it comes to haggling, don’t think you need to be in backstreet bazaars – haggling successes are high with breakdown cover.
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"In our latest poll, conducted in December 2023, the RAC was rated the easiest to haggle with, with the AA a very close second.”
The full results showed that out of 141 attempts, 85 per cent of hagglers got a cheaper rate when they decided to continue with the RAC.
And, out of 309 hagglers, 84 per cent were successful in getting a tidier deal with the AA.
Third was Green flag, which showed that 71 per cent of hagglers found success.
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And to put a figure on the savings, the money experts said that a collection of drivers were able to pocket upwards of £100 simply by asking their provider for a better deal.
He also said that driver's should be wary of the cover they need, a new-car owner for example could make do with just Basic cover which typically means your car will be fixed at the roadside or towed to a local garage.
Whereas a driver with an older or less reliable motor should opt for "full service" which includes Basic, Home start and Onward travel cover.
The UK's three main cover types
According to the money experts, the UK has three main types of cover and when finding a policy with all three types they class it as a "full- service
- Basic cover: This type of cover typically means your car will be fixed at the roadside or towed to a local garage, however it will not usually cover you if you breakdown close to your residence, which is why it's best for brand new car owners.
- Home start: Home start adds a little extra whereby In addition to basic cover, you will be covered for a problem if your car fails to start while at home.
- Onward travel: Drivers who opt for this level of cover will generally receive a hire car for a select amount of days if needed, accomodation for an overnight stay and the costs of public transport for the driver.
Gavin, said: “If you’ve recently bought a modern, reliable car, you may already have breakdown cover as part of your package, as many manufacturers offer it for the first year.
"If that’s the case, there’s no point shelling out for a new policy, but do check if the policy is what you need.
“If your car’s older, or has a history of breakdowns, you should consider a full-service policy. There are three main UK cover types.
"If a policy just has the first, we classify it as ‘basic’. If it has all three, we call it a ‘full service."
Along with the clever tip, it was also reccomened to check whether your policy is covering the whip or a person as that can change the orice substantially.
Opting for a joint policies rather than a mixture of individual ones when there are multiple drivers in the home can also work out cheaper.
Drivers should check if their bank provides free breakdown cover because some premium accounts - ones that usually have to be paid monthly for - can come with a bag of bundled products, including car cover.
And finally, motorists that often travel overseas should check their policy covers travel across Europe - and not just the UK.
The main thing to remember is to keep an eye on your policy dates, and when the time comes to make sure to phone up and discuss a new deal before automatically deciding to continue with the same one.
And it's not the only way Brits are saving money on their motors.
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