4 min read
The number one cause for breakdown call outs in the UK is a flat battery. Let’s be honest, it’s happened to all of us at some point and there’s nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere, with no jump cables and no help in sight.
In this article, we’ll take you through what flat battery cover is and why you should make sure it’s included in your policy.
Let’s get into it.
Very simply, flat battery cover is an inclusion in breakdown cover policies that means, should your car suffer a flat battery and cannot be started, a recovery agent will attend your vehicle and test your battery, and recharge it and re-start your vehicle.
Many flat batteries can occur at home and if you have home start included in your policy then you will still be afforded cover if your car’s battery runs out of juice.
For more information about home start cover check out our guide below.
When you find out that you’ve got a flat battery, getting help couldn’t be simpler. As long as your policy includes flat battery cover, you just need to phone up your assistance provider, tell them the situation and where you are and help should be sent on its way to you.
Flat battery cover is included as standard in all CBC breakdown policies. However, that does not mean that every breakdown cover policy offers it.
You need to make sure you check your policy before you purchase (whoever your breakdown provider is) so you know exactly what cover is included and what you can expect should you get a flat battery.
There are three main causes resulting in a flat battery
In all of these situations, the recovery agent will test the battery, its connections, leads and let you know the cause and any parts you require to rectify the fault. If you are not at home or in your local area and the vehicle cannot be re-started, the recovery agent may recover your vehicle to the nearest battery supplier to replace the battery or to a garage to fix the underlying fault or to your home address.
You have a few options if you think your car has a flat battery.
The first thing to do is check that it is definitely a flat battery. Check that there is fuel in the tank. If your key fob won’t open your car, it might be that the battery in your key fob, rather than your car has died.
If you have jump cables in your car you can then try jump starting the car yourself. Jump leads are dangerous and when not used correctly can damage both your car and you so please read your owner’s manual for full details of how to connect these to the other vehicle!
If you have the space and a few people to help you can try a bump start to get your car going. This is also not without its risks. Make sure there is plenty of space around and no other cars or property that you could potentially damage when attempting a bump start. Remember, if you try a bump start and it doesn’t work, the vehicle could be left in a dangerous position at the roadside!!
Do not attempt a bump start your car on a motorway or on a major road.
It’s really important to know that you shouldn’t also attempt this with an automatic car, the bump start will only work with manual cars, you’ve been warned!
Want to learn more about breakdown cover and the different types of policy benefits you could be entitled to? We’ve put together a load of pages to help educate our customers and people looking for great breakdown cover, but who may not understand the ins and outs of insurance, take a look at some of our other “Breakdown Cover Explained” pages:
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