Will your breakdown cover help if you run out of fuel?

Some 89% of UK breakdown policies analysed by financial information business Defaqto will cover customers who run out of fuel.

Brian Brown, consumer finance expert at Defaqto, said: "With the current panic buying of fuel around the country, it is much more difficult to top up your vehicle.

"Inevitably, we are likely to see more people running out of fuel while driving. If this happens to you, and you have breakdown cover, your provider will most likely be able to help you out by towing you to a petrol station.

"Just because they will tow you to a petrol station, or give you enough fuel to get you to one, there's no guarantee that the filling station will have fuel."

The AA confirmed that patrols will aid those who have broken down due to a lack of fuel, but its current advice is to plan your route carefully.

A spokesperson said: "If you do run out of fuel, we will of course try to help if we are able to.

"If the attending patrol has sufficient fuel in stock, this will be added to your fuel tank to get you moving again."

Fuel shortages have forced a number of petrol stations to close this morning (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Simon Williams, fuel spokesperson for the RAC, said that fuel breakdowns are considered driver-induced faults and are also attended to by the RAC.

He said: "While fuel deliveries to forecourts have yet to return to normal, our latest breakdown data points to an improving picture with fewer drivers running out of fuel at the roadside.

"After huge increases in these breakdowns between Saturday and Monday, on Tuesday we saw a 40% drop in ‘out of fuels’ compared to the day before.

"While the numbers are still higher than we’d normally expect to see, it’s definitely a positive sign.

“Our patrols continue to work hard to keep drivers moving.”