Mike Powell, Motor Insurance Expert at Defaqto, says: "It is easy to put the wrong fuel in a car, but it can cause terrible damage to the engine, and in the worst cases, result in complete engine failure. Repairing this type of damage can run to thousands of pounds, making it a costly mishap for unlucky motorists. Cover may be provided under the accidental damage section of a policy, but fewer providers are now giving accidental damage cover following a misfuelling incident."
Every year, there are about 150,000 incidents of misfuelling in the UK, with the majority of cases involving putting petrol into a diesel car. More drivers are now at risk of getting caught out by expensive misfuelling costs due to changes in insurance products, says Defaqto, which put together the report.
Only around one in ten (11 per cent) of products now provide a drainage service benefit, where cover is provided towards the costs of draining the incorrect fuel from the car. If you do misfuel, some products will provide cover for someone coming out to recover your car to a garage so that the fuel can be removed.
The Defaqto data shows that nearly a third (32 per cent) of motor breakdown products exclude recovery from misfuelling incidents altogether. The most important thing to do when you have misfuelled is to not start the engine.
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