Should you get optional extras for your car insurance?

So, what sort of optional extras are you likely to be offered? Are they worth it? Are there instances where they're included in my policy as standard?

We'll explain everything in this guide!

What are car insurance optional extras?

When you buy car insurance, you should have some form of cover for your car and third-party vehicles depending on what policy you buy. As the name would suggest, optional extras can enhance your cover further but aren't compulsory.

These car insurance extras can help tailor your policy to meet your needs and provide you with additional protection. Some of these features, such as breakdown and windscreen cover, for example, may only ever be used if and when you need them. But it's also reassuring to have this type of cover in place.

Before you go ahead and buy a car insurance add-on, check your policy details first. You may already have a number of benefits already included in your car insurance policy as standard, depending on your insurer.

Do you really need car insurance add-ons?

This entirely depends on what you need out of your car insurance policy.

With many of these optional extras, it's worth asking yourself the question – 'Do I need extra cover?'.

Legal protection, for example, can cover legal costs to help claim compensation or if someone takes action against you. But if you already have some form of insurance to help protect you against legal costs, do you need this type of cover?

If you're considering any optional extras, think about the following:

• Is it cover you require or want to have in place?

• Does it offer you protection for what you need?

• Can you afford the additional cost?

If the answer for all of the above is yes, then it might be worth assessing your options. Although it's useful having your insurance and optional extras under one policy, it doesn't hurt to shop around!

For instance, if you need breakdown cover, it might be worth comparing the cost of having a standalone policy. By comparing the cost and features of what your insurer can offer against other policies, you might find affordable cover tailored specifically to your needs.

What is personal accident cover?

Personal accident cover is one of many optional extras you can add to your policy. It can pay out for serious injury or death if a car accident is your fault or if there isn't a third party to claim from.

This type of cover is designed to help with the financial impact of an accident that leaves you unable to work or care for yourself.

If you already have a comprehensive car insurance policy, it's worth checking whether you already have some form of personal accident cover as standard. However, you might find that you need to enhance the cover you already have in place.

To put this in perspective:

Personal accident cover included in your comprehensive car insurance policy may only offer up to £10,000 protection. If you require broader cover, you could increase this amount to over £100,000 for a fee.

Exactly what you're covered for is likely to vary between insurers and policies, but generally, personal accident cover should offer you protection for:

• Death
  

• Loss of sight

• Loss of hearing

• Permanent loss of limb

• Total disablement

In some cases you may benefit from further cover as standard for various injuries such as burns and fractures.

As with most insurance policies, you'll also find cover exclusions. Exclusions can also vary, but personal accident cover typically does not pay out if:

• The accident that caused injury occurred while the driver of the vehicle was driving recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• Injuries were as a result of a suicide attempt

• If the occupant(s) were not wearing seat belts

• Any disease or illness was pre-existing and not a result of the accident

Is motor legal protection worth it?

Motor legal cover, sometimes known as legal expenses cover, can help you recover uninsured losses if you're involved in a car accident that wasn't your fault.

This bridges the gap between what is and isn't covered by your car insurance policy in terms of potential losses as a result of a car accident.

So, what could uninsured losses look like? It could be:

• Loss of work-related earning losses

• Personal injuries and medical costs

• Travel costs if you don't have use of your vehicle

• The excess amount towards a claim

While having legal protection in place isn't compulsory, ask yourself if you could afford legal fees if you're involved in a case that goes to court. On one hand, this type of benefit is likely to slightly bump up your car insurance premium, on the other, it ensures you're protected from expensive legal fees.

Something worth bearing in mind is that any potential claim may only be pursued by an insurer or provider if it has a ‘reasonable prospect of success’. The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) regards this as a 51% or greater chance of winning.

What other optional extras are available?

There are a host of optional extras that can be added to a car insurance policy. You might find that different insurers and providers only offer certain benefits.

If you have an existing car insurance policy, and your insurer doesn't offer the additional cover you're looking for, it could be worth searching for standalone policies.

Before you begin looking, you should check your policy documents for any benefits already included in your car insurance as standard. Common optional extras include:

Breakdown cover

Can provide you with roadside assistance if your vehicle breaks down. This could help you get back on the road if you have a flat tyre, for example. If the mechanic can't get you back on the road, they can tow you to a garage.

There are varying levels of breakdown cover available. Roadside assistance is the basic form of cover, national recovery offers you the ability to be towed to any location in the UK.

Courtesy car cover

Keeps you on the road by providing you with a temporary vehicle while your own car is out of action, this can be due to repairs, for example.

A comprehensive car insurance policy may include this benefit as standard. However, you'll typically be provided with a smaller hatchback car unless you upgrade your courtesy car cover to 'like for like'.

Windscreen cover

Another type of cover that might be included with a comprehensive car insurance policy. Having windscreen cover in place can help ensure you're covered for any chips, cracks, or even a windscreen replacement. This means you only have to pay the excess amount stated in your policy.

Protected no claims bonus

No claims bonus (NCB), or no claims discount (NCD), refers to a discount that can be applied to your car insurance premium. Essentially, for every year that you go without claiming on your car insurance policy, you gain a year of NCB or NCD.

If you make a claim, you lose the years of discount you have built. Some insurers and providers offer you the ability to pay an additional amount to protect this bonus. Conditions may vary, but generally this means you won't lose your discount unless you make more than two claims in three years.

It's worth noting that you may require between 3 and 5 years of claim-free driving to access this benefit.

Key cover

Can cover the cost of replacing or reprogramming your car keys if they're stolen, lost or damaged. Complex electronic keys are fairly common among newer cars and can be expensive to replace or repair. Key cover can protect you from these costs.

There are a few exclusions, such as general wear and tear, locks damaged before loss or theft and stolen keys without a crime reference number.

Misfuelling cover

It's a gut-wrenching experience, but filling your car with the wrong type of fuel can happen. This tends to happen more frequently with diesel cars being filled with petrol.

The cost of draining the vehicle of fuel and undertaking repairs can be costly, so having misfuelling cover in place can be useful. It's an optional extra worth considering, that's because it's not normally included as standard with a comprehensive car insurance policy.