Types of car insurance

There are a number of extras you can usually add on to your policy, though each one would cost you (unless the policy bundles any together or includes them as standard).

• Courtesy car cover. Following an accident, this provides you with a car to use while your own is being repaired. It's always worth checking the terms and conditions to see what sort of car you might get, if there's any limit on how long you could keep it, and if it covers you if your car's written off or stolen. 
  
  
• Breakdown cover. This lets you bundle in a breakdown policy to the cost of your car insurance, so you'll be able to call out a professional if your car develops a fault and breaks down. However, always check the level of cover you're getting and if it's cheaper to just buy your own policy direct (see our Cheap car breakdown guide for full help). 
  
  
• Protected no-claims discount. If you have a policy for a year and don't claim, you'll earn a 'no-claims discount', and one more for every year you don't claim after that. The more you have, the larger the discount the insurer will give.
  
  However, make a claim and you've lost it. Protecting your no claims therefore exists to allow you make a claim and not lose your discount next time you renew (if you stay with your existing insurer). However, do note that protecting your no-claims discount does NOT guarantee your premium won't go up, and you'll still need to declare any claims to new insurers if you decide to switch. 
  
  
• Legal costs cover. If you were in an accident that wasn't your fault, this is designed to cover the costs you might incur by taking legal action against the other driver to reclaim losses that are not already covered, such as a loss of earnings.
  
  
• Key cover. If your keys are lost or stolen, this covers the cost of new keys. Though if you have a car breakdown policy, always check if you're already covered for this.