Whether you usually drive a petrol but have switched to a diesel for the day, or you’re in a rush, it’s easy to put the wrong fuel in a vehicle accidentally. It’s estimated that it happens once less than every two minutes in the UK and costs motorists £150 million. You may be surprised to discover that nearly half of car insurance and breakdown policies won’t cover you if you do make this mistake. Luckily, misfuel insurance is available to help cover the costs. Read our quick guide to find out everything you need to know.

What is misfuelling?

Misfuelling is the name given when you put the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle.

What happens if you put diesel in a petrol car?

It’s quite hard to put diesel into a petrol vehicle. That’s because car and pump manufacturers have got together to make the hole at the top of the fuel tank of petrol cars smaller than the pump nozzle for diesel. If it does happen, the diesel will coat the spark plugs, and your vehicle could start to misfire or even fail to start at all.

What happens if you put petrol in a diesel car?

Unfortunately, the petrol pump nozzle does fit in the hole at the top of diesel fuel tanks. If you put petrol in a diesel vehicle, it can damage the engine. Depending on how far you drive with the wrong fuel, the damage can vary from requiring expensive repairs to a complete engine replacement. That’s because introducing petrol into a diesel tank reduces the lubrication, which means metal parts can rub and become damaged.

What should you do if you put the wrong fuel in your car?

Stop driving as soon as you realise your mistake. The further you drive the more damage you will do. If you realise before you start the engine, don’t turn the ignition. As soon as you start the car, the patrol will start to contaminate the engine.

You’ll need to contact a local garage or someone who can drain the tank for you or tow your car away for repairs. If you have misfuel insurance, you’ll be given a 24/7 contact number. This will mean you’ll get help quickly so you can get back on your way.

Does breakdown cover include misfuel cover?

Probably not. In most cases, breakdown cover will not include the cost of a fuel drain or for any repairs or replacement parts.

Can I claim on my main car insurance?

Don’t automatically assume that your car insurance will cover you if you misfuel. Defaqto checked over 200 car insurance policies and found that misfuelling was excluded from cover in 42% of policies.

If you’re not sure if you’re covered already, check the small print or speak to your broker. Even if it is included, bear in mind the cost of any excess you’ll need to pay and factor in the increased costs in future insurance cover as you’ll lose your no claims discount.

What about my warranty?

If you drive a new car, you won’t be covered under warranty for any repairs or replacement parts needed as a result of misfuelling.

What is misfuel insurance cover?

The average cost of fixing problems as a result of putting in the wrong fuel is £3,000. When you hold misfuel insurance, you have the peace of mind that these costs are covered. If you do put the wrong fuel in the tank, call the number you’ve been given and relax. Assuming you haven’t started the engine, someone will be on their way to drain your tank. Then  they’ll give you the right fuel so that you can get back on your way again. If you’ve started the engine, they’ll drain take your car to the nearest garage. Any caravans or trailers attached to the misfuelled car will also be taken, so you don’t need to worry about those being left at the roadside.

How much does misfuel insurance cover cost?

Misfuel insurance can be an inexpensive add-on to your car insurance or stand-alone policy. The exact figure will depend on the type of vehicle you drive but could be as low as the cost of a takeaway for two.

Do I need misfuel insurance?

If you only ever drive a petrol vehicle, you’re less likely to need to misfuel insurance as it’s harder to fill up with diesel accidentally. It’s estimated that only around 5% of misfuelling is diesel put into a petrol vehicle. However, if you drive a diesel, it’s an easy mistake to make, especially if you sometimes drive a petrol car.

Where can I buy misfuel insurance?

If your car insurance does not include misfuel insurance, ask if it can be added on. If that’s not an option, you can buy a standalone policy. Speak to our friendly team at Easy2Insure for more advice. We’re independent, so we’ll shop around on your behalf to find you misfuel insurance at the best price. Call us on 0800 917 9522 or get in touch.

Car and fuel pump manufacturers are kind to us. They’ve made the diesel nozzle larger than the hole at the top of your car’s petrol tank to make it harder to put in the wrong fuel. But sadly, they can’t save us from the mistake of putting petrol in a diesel car. If you’ve ever done this, you’re not alone. Estimates suggest that it happens every one minute and 45 seconds. This simple mistake can cost you up to £3,000 to put right. But don’t panic. Find out what happens when you put petrol in a diesel engine and how to limit the impact on your wallet with misfuel insurance.

What happens when you put petrol in a diesel car?

Putting the wrong fuel in your car causes damage to the engine, which can result in costly repairs or even a complete engine replacement.

Diesel contains a lubricant, but the addition of petrol reduces this lubrication and means metal parts can rub and become damaged. If you put a very small amount of petrol into a tank that already contains plenty of diesel, the damage will be more limited. But you still need to take action to put things right as soon as possible. If you don’t, you risk various parts of your car’s engine and fuel system being damaged, and that can cost a lot to put right.

What should I do if I put petrol in a diesel car?

If you realise your mistake in time, don’t start your car. As soon as you turn the ignition, the petrol will circulate around the engine, and start to do its damage.

Instead, you’ll need to call for someone who can drain the tank to remove the wrong fuel. If you have misfuel insurance, you’ll be given a 24/7 contact number to get help to you quickly so you can get back on your way. If not, you could call your usual garage or look online for a specialist fuel drain service.

Does my breakdown cover already include fuel draining?

Probably not. Most breakdown cover does not include the cost of a fuel drain or for any repairs or replacement parts.

Is it worth claiming on your insurance?

If you’ve made this mistake you’ll need to carefully weigh up whether it’s worth you claiming the costs back from your insurance company. If you can’t get hold of that amount of cash to put the problem right, you may have no option. But bear in mind that this claim will impact on your no claims bonus, and could see your car insurance prices rise next time you renew.

An alternative, that allows you to claim back the money to fix your car without affecting your no claims bonus is to take out misfuel insurance. This can be a relatively low-cost add-on option to your car insurance. And it will give you the peace of mind you can fix your car without claiming on your normal car insurance.

Do I need misfuel insurance?

Around 300,000 of us put the wrong fuel in our car every year. We can all have momentary lapses in concentration when we’re at the pumps. So really, misfuel insurance is something for everyone to consider.

Cheap misfuel insurance

Call our friendly team at Easy2Insure on 0800 917 9522 or get in touch to find out just how little you’ll need to pay for misfuel insurance. We’re an independent insurance brokerage, so we’ll shop around to find you the best price out there, giving you peace of mind for less.