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When you take out car insurance, your insurer may offer you some additional cover options that you can use to supplement your policy for an extra cost.
These add-ons typically cover a range of things, from breakdowns and courtesy cars to lost or stolen keys and flood damage. But with so many extras available, it can be difficult to know which are worth having and which could end up being a waste of money.
In this article, we go through some of the most common car insurance add-ons and extras to help you decide which ones, if any, are worth the money.
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If you’re looking for cover, Saga has been providing car insurance for people over 50 for more than 30 years. All three of its comprehensive cover levels were named Which? Best Buys in January 2026, with Saga Plus and Saga Select at the top of the table. With 99% of claims paid last year, it’s no wonder more than one million drivers trust Saga.
Which car insurance extras are available?
Before you look at car insurance extras make sure you know exactly what your policy covers already. Some extras may be included automatically, particularly if you have comprehensive cover. To learn more about the three main levels of car insurance and what they offer, read our article What are the different types of car insurance?
Here are ten common extras offered by insurers that you might find helpful.
Car insurance you can count on from Saga
Whether you’re buying a new car or looking to get new car insurance, Saga offers three Comprehensive cover levels, which are all Defaqto 5 Star rated. Saga Plus comes with a 2-year fixed price, if nothing changes. 99% of claims paid in 2025. Trusted by over 1 million drivers.
Breakdown cover
Breakdown cover generally covers the cost of carrying out roadside repairs or towing your car to a garage if need be. You can find out more about how it works and how policies can vary in our guide Winter breakdowns: is my car protected?
Some standard breakdown policies will not provide breakdown cover for cars of a certain age, for example, over 10 years old, so check the policy carefully. If your insurer doesn’t offer the option to include breakdown cover, or it makes your premiums too high, you might want to look at buying standalone cover from a specialist breakdown provider.
If your policy doesn’t come with breakdown cover, bear in mind that if you have a packaged bank account, it might be included as one of the benefits, so make sure you’re not paying for cover twice.
Personal accident cover
Personal accident cover provides compensation in the event that you are seriously injured in a car accident, and are unable to work either temporarily or permanently. This is sometimes (but not always) included in a comprehensive policy, so you should check carefully. You should also check what kinds of injuries are covered, whether passengers are covered as well, and if you are covered as a passenger when you’re travelling in other people’s cars.
You will only be able to make a claim on your personal accident cover if you don’t have an existing protection policy, such as income protection cover, which you can claim on.
No claims bonus protection
A no claims bonus, also known as a no claims discount, is a discount you can build up on your car insurance premiums the longer you go without making a claim. If you choose to pay for protection for your no claims bonus, this means you will be able to keep some or all of your discount even if you do end up having to make a claim.
A no claims discount can reach as high as 70% or even 80% after enough years, so it may be well worth paying to protect it.
Hire car cover
Hire car cover simply provides a temporary vehicle for you to use if your usual vehicle has been stolen, is being repaired, or has been written off. This car will tend to be around the same vehicle class as your usual one.
Bear in mind there may be a time limit on how long you can have your replacement car before you have to send it back, such as 21 days, so check your policy carefully.
Legal cover
Legal cover is designed to pay for your legal costs if you decide to make a claim for uninsured losses (that is, costs that your insurance doesn’t cover) against someone for an accident that wasn’t your fault, or if someone else has brought a claim against you.
Car excess insurance
The “excess” on your insurance is an initial amount that you have to pay in order to make a claim on your policy. Paying to insure your excess means that it will be reimbursed to you up to the amount specified in your policy, and may also allow you to voluntarily increase your excess, which can in turn decrease your insurance premiums.
Car key cover
Replacing car keys that you’ve lost can be really expensive, with the average cost of replacing a set of remote keys at £320. Car key cover means you won’t have to pay for a replacement if your keys are misplaced or stolen, and some policies even include car hire if your car is unusable between losing your keys and getting them replaced.
Windscreen cover
A comprehensive policy will normally cover repairs for damage to your windscreen, but if you have opted for a lower level – or if you have comprehensive, but don’t want to make a claim on your main policy and have to pay the full excess – then you could consider getting windscreen cover as an add-on.
Driving abroad
All UK car insurance provides at least third party cover in the EU and other European countries. However, you may wish to take out a policy extra that upgrades your level of cover if you are going to be driving abroad and want the extra protection. This normally lasts for 30 days, but be sure to check.
Contents cover
Most comprehensive policies have some form of cover for the contents of your car if they are stolen. However, if yours does not, or if you have gone for a lower level of insurance but still want your contents insured, then you can usually purchase contents cover as an add-on.
Car insurance you can count on from Saga
Whether you’re buying a new car or looking to get new car insurance, Saga offers three Comprehensive cover levels, which are all Defaqto 5 Star rated. Saga Plus comes with a 2-year fixed price, if nothing changes. 99% of claims paid in 2025. Trusted by over 1 million drivers.
Which car insurance add-ons do I need?
Ultimately, the question of which extras you’ll need comes down to your individual circumstances and which add-ons you think you might find most useful.
For example, if you only use your car to get around your local area you may have less use for breakdown cover, compared to if you regularly drive long distances. Or, if you never leave anything behind in your car then you may wish to forego contents insurance.
On the other hand, if you are forgetful or lose things frequently, then you might consider car key cover. Or, if you really rely on having a car and would be unable to get around without one, then you might want to consider hire or courtesy car cover in case something happens to yours.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but before making any decisions on which add-ons to buy, check what you are already covered for, both by your main car insurance policy and by any other insurance policies you may have, so that you’re not duplicating cover.
Where can I get buy insurance?
If your car insurance is up for renewal or you need a new policy, it’s worth doing plenty of research so you can be certain you’ve found the best possible deal to suit your needs.
Comparison websites such as MoneySuperMarket*, Uswitch and Compare the Market enable you to compare car insurance quotes, whether you’re looking for third party, third party fire and theft, or comprehensive cover.
Or, if you’re looking for ways to keep your car insurance cost down, check out our article 10 practical tips to reduce your car insurance premiums.
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If you’re looking for cover, Saga has been providing car insurance for people over 50 for more than 30 years. All three of its comprehensive cover levels were named Which? Best Buys in January 2026, with Saga Plus and Saga Select at the top of the table. With 99% of claims paid last year, it’s no wonder more than one million drivers trust Saga.
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* Links with an * by them are affiliate links which help Rest Less stay free to use as they can result in a payment or benefit to us. You can read more on how we make money here.
Saga Car Insurance is a Which? Best Buy
Saga Plus and Saga Select cover levels top the Which? Best Buy car insurance comparison table. Saga Standard is up there too, so you know whichever you choose, you’re making a great choice.
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