Drivers hit with contaminated fuel problems every three minutes but insurers still won’t pay out
Fuel drainage can set drivers back £180 in wasted petrol or diesel
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One in five drivers have filled up their car with the wrong fuel causing damage to both the vehicle and insurance payouts.
According to new data from the RAC, the mistake of putting the incorrect fuel in a car happens around once every three minutes in the UK.
If a driver refills their vehicle incorrectly, very few insurers will cover the mishap with motorists left footing the bill.
Costs for fuel drainage can vary between £180 to £250, but even if done accidentally, many insurers are unlikely to offer a payout.
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Most insurers don't have accidental fuel as part of the standard cover
PAHowever, if the fuel was contaminated at a petrol station, for example, this may result in a different response from the insurer.
Data from Go.Compare found that men are more likely to top up the tank incorrectly than women, while younger drivers are also at risk. One in four drivers aged between 25 and 34 admitted to making this mistake.
Meanwhile, 14 per cent of 45-54-year-olds admitted they had put in the incorrect fuel into their car.
The data revealed that only 14 per cent of insurance policies coveredputting in the wrong type of fuel.
Tom Banks, Go.Compare car insurance spokesperson, explained that if a driver does accidentally fill up with the wrong fuel, “it’s important to remember not to turn your key in the ignition or try to drive away.”
He said: “If you engage fuel to your car’s engine, you can potentially cause thousands of pounds worth of damage.
“Provided you haven’t started the engine, you may be able to fix the problem by draining and cleaning the tank of the wrong fuel.”
He detailed how some policies offer drivers the option to add misfuelling cover as an extra to help compensate for the high repair bills the incident could lead to.
In May, drivers were left furious after a contaminated fuel incident at a petrol station caused chaos.
Taking to social media, one user said at the time: “My daughter filled up with unleaded and her car wouldn’t start. AA came out and said it was dodgy petrol.
"She had to have the tank emptied and cleaned for £250. She went to the Tesco petrol station, and they said the wrong petrol had been put in the tanks and gave her information for customer service and took her details."
Someone else stated: “I put my fuel in on Friday and it started playing up right away. It’s been in the garage since Saturday. Told the garage the situation today and they tested the fuel and it was indeed diesel."
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Men more likely to add the wrong fuel to their cars than women
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