Breakdown cover misses fuel

Researcher Defaqto says 23% of 288 motor breakdown policies exclude filling a car with the wrong fuel and 14% don't provide cover for those who run out of fuel.

Mike Powell, Insight Analyst for General Insurance at Defaqto said: "Drivers putting the wrong fuel into a vehicle not only face a huge repair bill but may also find that their breakdown policy doesn't provide cover for their vehicle to be towed to a garage.

“Even those motor breakdown policies that do cover such an eventuality will tend to find that the extent of the coverage is limited to towing the car to a garage or to their destination.

Additional charges

“Our analysis found that 23% of motor breakdown policies don't cover breakdown following misfuelling and, in such cases, if the breakdown company appears, the motorist will most likely face an additional charge for having the vehicle towed to a garage."

"Fuel related problems are not uncommon and the AA has stated that every year more than 100,000 motorists put the wrong fuel in their car and also that fuel problems are one of the ten most common problems dealt with by their motor breakdown patrols".