I signed up for Tesco Car Breakdown Offer around a month ago. At the time they were doing a special offer, so I got the lowest level of cover for around £23.00. This didn't include home breakdown cover, but I figured that was fine. After all, if something went wrong at home then it would probably need a mechanic anyway. The only thing that sort of cover helps is if you've killed your battery by leaving the headlights on, and what sort of idiot does that?

Well, I'm sure you can guess what happened less than a week later. At around 10PM at night I realise I've had my headlights on since 5PM. The battery is dead, my nearest relatives are an hour away, and I don't know anyone living close enough and owning a car to help me out. And I need to get to work next morning.

I flail and call Tesco, because I don't know what else to do. 'Tesco' in this case turns out to be Green Flag, who run the scheme for them. I explain what has happened, admit to being stupid, offer to pay to up my cover, pay a call-out charge, pay whatever they want if they can help me out.

The nice lady on the phone listens, and then offers a complimentary call-out, even though my cover doesn't include it, to help me out. The truck arrives in about twenty minutes. Problem fixed.

Needless to say, my cover has now been upped - I called back the next day to do so - as I clearly can't trust myself not to be an idiot. Tesco Car Breakdown Cover however has earnt itself a loyal customer just by helping me out when they weren't obliged to. Well done, Tesco!