Although most of us don’t really concern ourselves with the fact that our car could break down, the fact is that it can. Nobody wants to find themselves on a dark country road when their car breaks down, however, as most people have some sort of breakdown cover, they can call for roadside assistance and the problem is soon dealt with. If you are driving in Europe and you break down, your insurance may not cover you.

You need European breakdown cover if you are a UK driver and you may need further insurance if you are a driver from outside the EU. If you break down in France then you may have to wait several hours for the police to come and give you assistance. It’s much easier if you have had the forethought to get yourself European breakdown cover because you can then get roadside assistance in under an hour.

European breakdown cover does vary between providers. If you are searching for breakdown cover then you should look for the following:
• Fast roadside assistance
• The cost of transporting you and your vehicle to any destination within the EU – if you live outside the EU then you need to consult your insurer to find out whether your vehicle will be transported home.
• The cost of overnight accommodation – this can be for the driver and a stipulated number of passengers
• Replacement hire vehicle costs

Clearly this kind of coverage is essential if you are driving through Europe. Most insurers do not charge a great deal, particularly if you only want the cover for one trip. The majority of drivers travel through Europe without suffering a vehicle breakdown but if you do break down and you don’t have cover, you could find yourself with some hefty debts.