What counts as home
Standard roadside cover excludes breakdowns within a radius of your home address — a quarter of a mile is the usual figure, though some wordings use one mile. Home start removes that exclusion. The mechanic will attend at your house, on your street or anywhere inside the radius, attempt a repair, and if necessary tow the vehicle to a local garage.
Home start does not normally include long-distance recovery from home; if you need the car taken to a specialist 60 miles away you still need national recovery.
Why it is the most-used add-on
Breakdown statistics from the major providers put flat and faulty batteries at the top of the call-out list every year, and a battery most often fails first thing in the morning after the car has sat overnight — at home. Starter motors, alternators and the keys-locked-in-the-car scenario follow the same pattern. If you only buy one upgrade to roadside cover and you do not travel far, home start is usually the right one.
Conditions to check
- Some policies apply a longer waiting period to home start than to roadside cover, to stop people buying it the morning their car fails to start.
- The vehicle must be accessible: in a locked garage or a private car park with no access, the operator may be unable to help.
- Home start normally applies to the address on the policy, not to a relative's house or a holiday let.
- Battery replacement is a repair, not cover. Some providers can fit a new battery on the spot but will charge for the part.
Home start for older cars and EVs
Older cars benefit most from home start because battery and electrical faults are more frequent. For an EV, a 12-volt auxiliary battery failure is the most common home-start call-out; the main drive battery is rarely the issue. Confirm the provider will attend an EV at home with the right equipment.