It can be a real minefield trying to choose which car insurance policy you need and you want to be careful as the cheapest option doesn’t always give you the right protection that you want and need.
Searching for car insurance online should help you to find a deal that ticks all the right boxes and then all that is left to do is decide which add-ons to the basic insurance package you should consider so that you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that you have got everything covered.
Should you go comprehensive?
The starting point for cover is Third Party insurance and this will give you basic protection as the insurance policy will only offer cover for damage caused to a third party by your vehicle.
If you are driving any car of reasonable value the first and most obvious add-on, would be an upgrade to comprehensive cover as this will also include damage to your vehicle, and pay if your vehicle is lost or stolen in addition to the third party cover.
The value of your car will definitely be an influential factor as to whether you take out comprehensive car insurance or not, but if keeping costs to a minimum is the main aim then third party will give you very basic insurance protection.
Zero depreciation cover
Zero depreciation cover offers complete coverage without factoring in depreciation. In case of an accident, the complete cost will be covered by the insurance company without considering the depreciation cost of parts.
To protect the value of your car which depreciates over time, you will need to have a Zero Depreciation Cover. This protects you from incurring additional financial expenses because of depreciation. It enables you to claim without deducting any depreciation on certain materials.
A zero-depreciation add-on cover can be availed for brand new vehicles and also can be opted for at the time of policy renewal.
This add-on feature is highly recommended to everyone considering the fact that it eliminates the possibility of any out-of-pocket expense from the owner.
Car breakdown cover
If your car breaks down while you are traveling it could be very costly to have it repaired at the roadside or towed back to a repair center.
If you take out breakdown cover as an add-on it will mean that you can get the assistance you need without worrying about a hefty bill to get the car towed away.
There are different levels of car breakdown cover so choose the option that you think will be most useful in an emergency.
Don’t want to be penalized for making a claim?
If you do have to make a claim on your car insurance it could mean that you lose any bonus discount that you may have built up over a few years.
If you choose No-Claims Bonus Protection (NCB) this is an add-on that is designed to protect the bonus you have built up.
It may not be that expensive to add No-Claims Bonus Protection to your insurance policy and it could save you money if you have an accident.
Get your windshield fixed without worrying about your NCB
One of the most common repairs to a car is windscreen replacement and it can be frustrating to have to pay for this yourself because you don’t want to claim on your insurance.
However, you could solve the problem by adding windshield glass cover as an add-on.
If you add this as extra cover on your policy you should be able to have the repair done through your insurer without it affecting your no-claims bonus for the following year, as it won’t be treated as own damage.
Don’t be left without a car
Losing the use of your car is a major inconvenience on top of the stress of waiting for it to be repaired.
You could take out an add-on known as a Spare Car Clause to address that problem. This will then give you a daily cash benefit to cover your expenses and normally allowing you to cover the cost of renting a car while you wait for yours to come back.
These car insurance add-on covers highlighted might just be what you are looking for if you want the comfort of knowing that your car insurance does everything you want it to do in the event that you need to make a claim.