Comparing breakdown cover can save you money

It has been revealed that drivers who take the time to compare breakdown cover with different insurance companies are able to save more money in the long run than those that just automatically take the cover offered to them by their car insurance provider or simply go for the first breakdown cover plan they come across.

Over recent years an increasing number of people have started to take on vehicle breakdown cover plans, with more and more of them realising just how valuable this cover can be in the event of a breakdown either at home or whilst out and about. There are different levels of cover available, including plan that include home start, where someone will come out to you even if you break down in your own home.

There are now more vehicle breakdown providers than ever, as demand for these services has resulted in a surge in the number of companies that are offering cover. This means that drivers now have far greater choice, and can find a breakdown cover plan that offers them the level of cover that they need for a price that is highly competitive.

A study was recently carried out, and the results showed that people that took the time to compare different breakdown cover plans and providers were far more likely to get affordable breakdown cover than those that did not compare the different options available.

One industry official said: “The cost of breakdown cover plans can vary quite widely between different providers, and you may end up paying far more for your cover with one company than you would for exactly the same level of cover with another provider. This is why it is so important to browse and compare a number of plans and providers before you commit.”

Tags: time, vehicle breakdown cover, affordable breakdown cover, car insurance, official, insurance provider

Consumer group warns on insurance for music downloads

A consumer group has issued a warning relating to insurance cover for music downloads. Downloading music has become a hugely popular way for younger generations in their teens, twenties, and thirties to enjoy listening to their favourite music.

However, Which? has carried out a survey into insurance cover for music downloads and is urging consumers to be aware of exclusions relating to these policies.

According to the result of the survey carried out by Which? music downloads will not be covered by insurance if they are lost as a result of a computer virus – these music collections are often worth hundreds of pounds in total, and therefore can cause considerable financial loss to consumers. Many insurance firms also did not cover music downloads if they were lost as a result of hard drive failure.

As part of the survey 46 insurance firms were reviewed by the consumer group, and out of these only 22 actually offered insurance cover for music and digital downloads. The cover is offered when the downloads are lost as the result of fire, weather conditions, or theft. However, out of the insurance companies surveyed none of the policies offered provided protection against loss of music through virus or computer failure.

One spokesperson from Which? stated: ‘Downloading music online is widely accepted now as being the easiest and most convenient way to buy music. Music lovers know it, the music companies know it – but it seems insurance companies are determined to stay behind the times.” Consumers that do take out this type of cover for their music and digital downloads should ensure that they know what is excluded from the policy, and therefore consider whether the cover is actually worth the cost.

Tom Smith
31st July 2007

Tags: music, virus, downloading, failure, sites, pc, Insurance, online