If you have home start breakdown cover, then you can get a mechanic to come take a look at your car if it breaks down or fails to start in your driveway or just outside your home.
This type of breakdown cover can be taken out as a standalone policy, or as part of a more comprehensive breakdown cover policy that can also include things like roadside assistance, national recovery and onward travel.
What does home start breakdown cover include?
This will vary by provider.
Typically, home start breakdown cover will have the following options:
Cover in case your car breaks down or won’t start directly outside your home.
Some policies might include someone coming out to help you if you break down away from your home but within a certain distance.
Some policies might include having your car towed to a local garage. More comprehensive policies can also include the option to have your car towed to any address of your choice within the UK.
Always check the details of your policy and make sure you know exactly what’s included to avoid being left out of pocket.
Note that certain elements, like how many times in the year you can call someone out to help you and what type of repairs you’re covered for can also vary by provider and level of cover you take out.
When can home start breakdown cover be useful?
Home start breakdown cover is mostly useful in case you get in your car to go somewhere and find that it won’t start, especially if you drive to work.
That said, breakdown policies that include cover away from home and the option to have your car towed to a garage (whether local or further afield) can be extremely helpful under any circumstances, as even new and well maintained cars might sometimes break down at the side of the road. This can be frustrating, costly and even dangerous, so having the option to call a professional for help is a relief.
What doesn’t it cover?
Depending on the provider and policy level you choose, your cover might not include the following:
Cover in case your car breaks down away from your home (some will include this up to a certain distance).
Having your car towed to anywhere other than a local garage.
Cover for alternative modes of transport for you to continue your journey.
Can I get home start breakdown cover without taking out a policy?
If you break down without insurance, one option you have is to call Green Flag, which offers a breakdown service, on 0800 400 600. Another option is to call the AA, which offers instant cover, on 0800 88 77 66. Note that these options will likely involve paying an emergency call-out fee.
If you have a local garage you often use, one of its mechanics might be able to come over to your property and look at the issue. They might charge more for this than regular repairs when the car is brought to them, but it can be a cheaper option than paying emergency call-out fees.
Frequently asked questions
The benefit of having your car break down at home is that you have the option of leaving it and using alternative modes of transport to get to your destination, then having someone come to look at it when you return.
If this is not a possibility and you have home start breakdown cover, call your insurer and request a mechanic to visit. Note that it can take several hours for someone to be sent out to you.
If you don’t have home start cover, you can check if someone from your local garage might be able to come and look at the car, or call Green Flag, which offers a breakdown service, on 0800 400 600. Another option is to call the AA, which offers instant cover, on 0800 88 77 66. These options might incur an emergency call-out fee, which can be pricey.
Usually, no. The most basic type of breakdown cover is roadside assistance, which is what you normally get with standard policies. Other levels of breakdown cover, like home start, national recovery and onward travel can be added to the policy or taken out separately.
That said, policy specifications vary by provider so you should always read your policy details thoroughly to make sure you know what is and isn’t included.
Home start cover can be useful for anyone, but people who use their car more often and for essential reasons (like commuting to work, doing the weekly food shop and driving children to and from school) might find this type of cover more important to have.
If you have mechanical knowledge and can fix your car yourself in case it breaks down, this might not be useful to you. However, bear in mind that if you are unable to fix the issue and have no breakdown cover, you might have to pay over the odds to have your car towed to a garage or have someone come out to look at it.
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Ronny Lavie was a deputy editor at Finder, specialising in insurance content. She has almost a decade of experience writing about financial topics, including five months spent as the interim managing editor for the Fintech Times newspaper. Ronny has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from London Middlesex University. See full bio
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