“Would You Like the Deluxe Version?”
You’ve finally found a decent car insurance quote, hallelujah!; and you’re halfway through the checkout when the little boxes start popping up. Breakdown cover? Sure, maybe. Legal protection? Sounds responsible. Windscreen cover? Why not? Next thing you know, you’ve added £80 to your premium without even blinking. It’s death by tick-box, and the insurers know exactly what they’re doing. They dangle words like “peace of mind” and “complete protection,” and suddenly you’re convinced you probably need a safety net for your safety net.
I once watched my dad renew his policy and add “key cover” for a car with keyless entry. He didn’t even have a key to lose. “Just in case,” he said. Classic dad logic.
The Birth of the Add-On Economy
Car insurance used to be simple: third-party, third-party fire and theft, or fully comp. Then came the bolt-ons. Insurers realised they could make tidy profits by turning every conceivable risk into a mini-product. A cracked windscreen? That’ll be £20 extra. Lost keys? £25. Courtesy car? £30 more. It’s like ordering a budget airline ticket, then realising you’re paying extra for your seat, your bag, and the privilege of breathing on board.
And because it’s bundled in with the insurance, people don’t compare prices. They just click “Add.” Job done. Except it’s not. You’re basically buying things you probably already have elsewhere - like breakdown cover through your bank, or legal assistance on your home policy. It’s duplication disguised as “value.”
The Maths of “Peace of Mind”
Let’s break it down. Most add-ons cost between £15 and £60 a year. Doesn’t sound awful, right? But multiply that by four or five extras, and suddenly your “£400 policy” is pushing £600. Over five years, that’s a cool grand gone; money that could’ve covered a holiday, a new set of tyres, or roughly three weeks of UK petrol (give or take, depending on the Chancellor’s mood). The irony? Many people never even use them. They pay for “windscreen cover,” then inquire into it’s already included in their comprehensive policy. It’s like paying for ketchup at a restaurant that already put it on the table.
Drivers Who’ve Learned the Hard Way
Jess, 34, from Manchester, told me she once added every option offered because “it seemed safer.” She didn’t realise she already had breakdown cover through her bank account. “I basically paid for the same service twice,” she said. “The guy on the phone didn’t mention that, funnily enough.” Meanwhilst , a friend of mine paid for legal protection, assuming it meant “I’ll never have to pay legal fees.” It didn’t. The fine print said it only covered disputes over personal injury, not parking fines or insurance wrangles. She called it “the most expensive lesson I’ve ever learned in optimism.”
Why We Keep Saying Yes
It’s psychology. The checkout stage of insurance renewal is designed to make you vulnerable. You’ve just spent half an hour filling in forms about accidents, thefts, and worst-case scenarios. By the time you hit “Buy,” your brain’s marinated in anxiety. “Do you want to be protected if your car breaks down?” feels like a test of responsibility. Of course you do! You’re a sensible adult! Except sometimes being sensible means saying no. The truth is, insurers rely on your fear. They don’t want you thinking logically, they want you thinking, “What if?”
What’s Actually Worth Having
- Breakdown cover: Yes, if you don’t already have it through another provider. Compare prices first.
- Windscreen protection: Sometimes included in comprehensive policies; check before paying twice.
- Legal expenses: Useful if you drive a lot or commute, but often limited in scope.
- Courtesy car: Can be worth it if you rely heavily on your vehicle.
- Key cover: Probably unnecessary unless your keys are worth more than your weekly shop.
Basically, don’t buy out of fear, buy out of need. And always double-check whether you already have the cover elsewhere. Redundancy might be great for airbags, but not for bank accounts.
The Cost of Convenience
The saddest part? Add-ons aren’t even sneaky anymore. They’re right there, grinning at you from the screen, and we still click “yes.” Because we’re tired, or distracted, or just want to get the whole thing over with. But that click is how insurers make their margins. The base premium barely makes them money, the extras do. It’s like popcorn at the cinema: cheap to make, expensive to ignore.
Closing the Chapter:
Buying unnecessary add-ons isn’t a crime. It’s a habit. One we’ve all fallen for at least once. But next time you renew, take five extra minutes to actually read what you’re agreeing to. You might find that your “complete protection” plan is just a collection of overpriced what-ifs. And honestly? The best kind of peace of mind is the one that doesn’t cost an extra £150 a year.