Compare breakdown coverAsk Our Expert
Am I too old for breakdown cover?
Dear Chris,
I started to shop around for car breakdown cover and started with Green Flag as they advertise attractively. However they do not tell you on their web page (until you apply) or in their adverts that if you are over 80 they will not quote at all.
Do other breakdown companies have the same restrictions?
I passed my test in 1947, worked in the motor trade all my life, drove commercial vehicles for a living, held an unblemished HGV (ALL GROUPS) to beyond retirement and a blemish free private car licence to date and yet I can't even hire a van to move a piece of furniture!
K. Horton, via email 12 March, 2012
Our breakdown expert says�
Hello there,
Contrary to your website experience with Green Flag, they will quote over 80s for breakdown cover. However, because of what they say are �some historical IT system issues which incorporate an age restriction� they can�t do this online. This is a technical glitch on Green Flag�s website at the moment which they �are trying to resolve�.
However, Green Flag did say that over 80s should be directed to a phone number - 0845 835 3805 - where this can all be resolved and they can quote you and, if you like the quote, can sign you up there and then.
Although regular motor insurance raises premiums as people get older (because the actuarial tables insist that older the driver the more likely they are to have an accident), breakdown insurance tends not to discriminate on grounds of age, although you may pay a slightly increases premium. But that�s if you�re covering the driver. If you cover the vehicle (Green Flag, the RAC and the AA give you the choice), the newer your vehicle, the cheaper the premiums should be.
In fact, the number of older drivers on the road is increasing. A request submitted by the Institute for Advanced Motorists (IAM) to the DVLA returned statistics that showed Britain has 1,012,399 drivers aged 80 years old or more. The freedom of information request also revealed that there are 122 drivers over the age of 100, including one 106 year old woman.
Also, despite many insurers refusing to cover the over 80s, statistics prove they are safe drivers. According to the latest research from The AA, drivers over 70 are as safe as drivers of 25. Drivers over 80 are less safe, but still safer than drivers in their teens. The rate of deaths and injuries in crashes with motorists aged between 17 to 19 year olds is three times higher than the rate for drivers in their 80s.
Popular Breakdown Deals
| Company | Package Name | From | Roadside repair | Online Discount | Tow to nearest garage |
|---|
Ask us a question
If you have a general switching or provider query please email us at OurExpert@broadbandchoices.co.uk
Does this affect you? Want to add a comment?
Tell us about it.