Winter Roads: Is Your Car Ready?

Finding cheap car insurance is easy. You can compare breakdown and recovery quotes when renewing your insurance policy. This will give you peace of mind, especially as winter is fast approaching. While roadside assistance will help you get back on the road, these winter car tips can reduce the chances of you breaking down.

Essential winter car checks before you travel.

No matter if you are running errands or planning to travel for a long time, you should check the following:

• Windscreen: Fill in any small cracks or chips before they can get bigger. Check your insurance policy to see if simple repairs are covered.
• Lights: check that all of your lights, including fog light, are working. You should also check for cracks in the headlight casings, which can lead to broken bulbs or further damage.
• Brakes: Any strange noises, such as squeaking and grinding, should be investigated sooner rather than later. It could indicate brake discs or pad wear. The handbook for your car should tell you how to check brake fluid levels.
• Tires: Your tires should have a minimum of 1.6mm tread depth around the circumference. Wearing down the tread can cause less grip and longer stopping distances. Put a 20p coin into the groove on your tire to do a quick tread check. If you can see any of the edges of the 20p piece, your tread may be too low. It’s worth taking a closer look.
• Windscreen cleaner fluid: Double-check that you have enough to keep your windscreen free of dirt and debris.
• Battery: Car batteries typically last between three to five years. If yours is older or older, you should have it checked by a mechanic. It could be that your battery is on its last legs if you have trouble starting, holding a charge, or if it starts and then stops.

Prepare an emergency car kit.

Experts in road safety recommend that you always keep a car emergency kit in case of a breakdown. The following are essentials that you should always keep in your vehicle:

• Warning triangle
• Wear a hi-vis vest, jacket, or coat
• De-icer (or ice scraper)
• First aid kit
• Torch
• Batteries spare
• Jump leads
• Shovel
• Charger or battery pack for your phone
• Map
• Water and snacks
• Warm blankets or extra clothing to keep warm

Should I include breakdown and recovery services in my car insurance policy?

For a small premium increase, breakdown and recovery services are usually offered. It’s not compulsory to include it, but knowing that assistance is available in the event of a breakdown can be reassuring.

As a general rule, your breakdown service will be offered in three different types:

• Roadside assistance: A mechanic will attempt to fix your car on the roadside, and if that is not possible, the car will be taken to a garage near you.
• National recovery: If your car cannot be repaired on the spot, your provider will arrange to have it towed to any garage of your choosing.
• Continue your journey: If your car is not repaired immediately, your provider can arrange an alternative means of transport to continue your trip. It could be a rental car, cab, or public transportation. You may be offered overnight accommodation in some cases.

In general, car breakdown recovery services in Essex prices are very competitive and offer good value. The policies are also convenient, especially when you compare the cost of making and paying for your own arrangements.