Classic car breakdown cover

If you’re the proud owner of a classic car, you may well have spent a lot of time and money restoring it to its former glory. You might also want to do more to know that it’s protected in case the worst should happen and it breaks down. Read our guide to see how classic car breakdown cover works and if there’s a policy that could offer you peace of mind with your pride and joy.

What is classic car breakdown cover?

Classic cars by nature are often older and may require more maintenance to keep them on the road. Unfortunately, with age, these cars might also be less reliable, leading their owners to seek additional protection to avoid being stuck at the side of the road. Classic car breakdown cover typically lets you insure your older model against the unfortunate event of it breaking down.

How does classic car breakdown cover work?

Although policies will vary between providers offering breakdown cover, you will generally be able to choose between two different types of policy.

A vehicle policy is specific to the insured vehicle, regardless of who the driver is. A personal policy allows you, as the driver or passenger, to be covered when travelling in any vehicle.

Benefits of classic car breakdown cover

The features of the classic car breakdown cover will vary between providers as well as the level of cover you choose. Generally, you can expect to see the following options:

• Local roadside assistance. If your car or a car you’re travelling in breaks down, you’ll get roadside assistance and recovery to a local garage for any repair work that can’t be completed at the roadside.
• National roadside assistance. Regardless of where your car or a car you’re travelling in breaks down, you can choose where you would like the car towed to for repair work if the mechanic is unable to fix your car at the roadside.
• Home breakdown. If you’re close to home when your car or a car you’re travelling in breaks down or the car won’t start outside of your home, you’ll get assistance with repairs.
• Onward travel. This will ensure your journey can continue even if your car or a car you’re travelling in can’t immediately be fixed. You could get a replacement car or tickets for public transport. In some cases, you may be covered for an overnight stay.
• European breakdown cover. This can be taken out for single European trips or as an annual policy offering cover for unlimited trips to Europe within the policy term.

Be sure to read your policy document carefully to ensure you have the right level of cover for your needs.

Exclusions

Make sure to familiarise yourself with any potential exclusions that could invalidate your classic car breakdown cover. The insurer may refuse to offer cover in the following situations:

• The car is not properly maintained. General maintenance of cars, such as oil checks and tyre checks, are important to ensure a vehicle is safe to drive.
• The car breaks down on private land. The recovery vehicle may not be able to access the land that you’re stranded on.
• The car breaks down after a collision. Recovery may be delayed while emergency services tend to the scene of an accident. Some policies may also exclude breakdown recovery following a collision.

What type of policy do I need?

When trying to find the most suitable cover for your needs, it’s important to consider how you use your classic car. Do you drive your classic car every day or just on special occasions? If you own another car that you use most of the time, then a personal policy might suit you as you would be covered to drive other cars.

If your classic car is regularly on the road and driven not only by you, you may wish to take out a vehicle policy as it would cover the car, regardless of who is driving it.

Always be sure to read the policy details to ensure your classic car will be properly insured in the event of it breaking down as some breakdown policies do exclude classic cars.

Pros and cons of classic car breakdown cover

Frequently asked questions

• Is breakdown cover more expensive for classic cars?

  This really depends on the type of car you own and the insurer that is willing to cover it. While some insurers may request a flat fee regardless of the car you drive, others may charge a fee based on how much of a risk your car is to breaking down.

• How old does a car have to be for classic breakdown insurance?

  An insurance provider will have its own set of guidelines regarding the vehicles it is willing to insure; however, most insurers will only consider your car for classic car breakdown cover if it more than 10 years old. Ask the insurer if it has any restrictions around the age of a vehicle.