How far does breakdown cover stretch?

[d4w50n]

I know I posted the other day about cambelts in another section, but now my mums car is having some trouble too...

She says she heard a flapping noise under the bonnet when driving, and when she got home, the belt attached to the engine is pretty frayed on one side, which, from her description, sounds like the cambelt.

She doesn't want to drive it in case it snaps, and she doesn't want to pay the £160 her local garage quoted her to come out and replace it, even though she has a spare one I got her a while ago in her shed.

She was wondering, and I genuinely don't know the answer to this; does the breakdown cover on her insurance policy cover the replacement of a cambelt, as without a fully functional one, surely she's essentially "broken down"?

Thanks

[Deano2711]

Who's she with Mate??   Green Flag are pretty understanding and if you explain to them the situation that if she drives the car and it snaps the engine will be scrap they will usually come out to move it. Try to get a mechanic to verify that the car is undrivable.     Cheers     Deano

[d4w50n]

The car itself isn't undriveable as she got back from shopping in town yesterday, and the only problem was the noise, so the car still goes AFAIK.

She's with Swinton...

[Deano2711]

Think Swinton use Green Flag. As for drivable tell them that it's still drivable but the belt could snap at any point and thus scrap the engine. They will usually then come out and move it. As I said if a mechanic can back you up this will help. I used to work for Green Flag and have moved drivable cars to prevent serious damage.     Cheers     Deano

[d4w50n]

How long does it usually take before it'll be returned back good as new?

She's picking some tyres up for me on Tuesday, and so needs the car then...

[Deano2711]

Changing the cam belt usually takes a garage a couple of hours although depends on what car it is.

[d4w50n]

I just phoned her, told her to get onto her insurance about it, she calls me back 5 mins later...

Apparently, as the car is still drivable to some extent, they won't send anyone out until TOMORROW, which she will have to phone back tomorrow morning to request... and all they're willing to do is move the car to a garage for her, and then it will be repaired AT HER EXPENSE!

What's the point of having insurance if they just make you pay for your own repairs anyway?! I thought insurance was a small amount of money you pay very often to prevent the need to pay massive expenses when things go wrong once in a while?!

[Deano2711]

No Mate     Insurance is for paying for repairs if and when you have an accident. No one will ever pay for the repairs on your car as it's your resposibility. The breakdown people are right in saying they will not come out now as there are no garages open on a Sunday evening and they will come out Monday morning to take it to a garage. As for the bill you're on your own!!!!!!!

[d4w50n]

Well, she don't have an excess, so she's probably better off driving the car until it breaks then making the insurance pay the repairs as it would be classed as an accident?!

[MrBounce]

Well, she don't have an excess, so she's probably better off driving the car until it breaks then making the insurance pay the repairs as it would be classed as an accident?!

It doesn't work like that. Some warranties might cover breakdown and belts etc but insurance does not take into account anything that would be classified as standard wear and tear, which is exactly what this is. And breakdown cover is there specifically to get you to a garage if the vehicle cannot be repaired at the roadside. No breakdown cover will pay for your garage repairs.