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cheap breakdown cover

Cheap breakdown cover

Basic cover from £23/year, full cover from £54/year

Tony Forchione
Tony Forchione | Edited by Helen Saxon
Updated 18 January 2022

Breakdown call-outs have been on the rise, now lockdown is eased, giving drivers the freedom to use their cars regularly. Yet many are unaware of the high cost when you need help without cover, or are paying over the odds for breakdown cover as we auto-renew it year after year. This guide reveals the best ways to cut your cover costs, including for AA and RAC policies, plus other tips to really drive the savings.

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Breakdown cover need-to-knows

With the days of mutual motoring clubs long gone, roadside recovery policies are big business. So forget loyalty and focus on getting the top deal. Here are six need-to-knows to read before checking our top picks...

  • 1. Never auto-renew – breakdown firms are easiest to haggle with

    When it comes to haggling, don't think you need to be in backstreet bazaars – haggling successes are high with breakdown cover. In our latest poll conducted in November 2020, the RAC was rated the easiest to haggle with, with the AA a close second. For more, see the top 10 service companies to haggle with.

    Our Breakdown Cover Haggling guide will help prepare you in taking the correct steps to saving big. Here's how MoneySavers fared with the major breakdown firms in our last poll.

    Haggling success with breakdown firms

    PROVIDER NUMBER OF RESPONSES SUCCESS
    RAC 401 83%
    AA  833 82%
    Green Flag 199 67%
    Other 221 47%
    Poll carried out in November 2020.

    We hear of lots of successes of breakdown cover customers successfully getting a better deal with nothing more than a quick call and a bit of charm. Here's inspiration before you begin.

    Thanks for the haggling advice. Just spent five minutes on the phone to the RAC and got my renewal slashed from £252 to £151. Just over £100 for about five minutes' work – that'll do nicely! Graham, by email

    AA renewal came in at almost £200, final cost around £120, same price as new customers. Always haggle! @Violet_Aurella

    Just this morning got twenty quid knocked off my renewal and onward travel added to my RAC policy. Always worth a try. @PSBWon

    Haggled RAC renewal down by 25%. @deefer66

    Read our full Breakdown Cover Haggling guide for tips on how to haggle successfully.

  • 2. If your car's newish and less likely to have problems, basic cover may be sufficient. If older, and less reliable, aim for a full service policy

    If you've recently bought a modern, reliable car, you may already have breakdown cover as part of your package, as many manufacturers offer it for the first year. If that's the case, there's no point shelling out for a new policy, but do check if the policy is what you need.

    If your car's older, or has a history of breakdowns, you should consider a full service policy.

    There are three main UK cover types. If a policy just has the first, we classify it as 'basic'. If it has all three, we call it 'full service':

    • Basic cover. It typically means your car will be fixed at the roadside or towed to a local garage. But it won't usually cover you if you breakdown close to your home.

    • Home start. In addition to basic cover, you will be covered for a problem if your motor won't start at home.

    • Onward travel. If your car's kept in a garage for repairs, this generally means you'll get a hire car for up to three days, plus a night's accommodation. It also covers costs if you need to continue by public transport.

  • 3. Always check whether you're covering a car or a person

    You can either opt for cover for a specific car, or you can take out personal cover which protects you no matter what car you're driving, or if you're travelling as a passenger. Buying personal cover is typically more expensive, so only go for this if you think you'll need it.

    If you never swap motors the pricier policy is pointless, but if you regularly drive other people's cars, it's worth thinking about.

    It's also worth pointing out that, if you're towing a caravan, your policy will usually extend to this as well. Most specialist caravan policies don't include breakdown cover so, as a rule, if your caravan hits a pothole and damages its chassis (so it can't move), then your car breakdown policy will cover you for being towed home or to a garage.

  • 4. A joint policy can be cheaper than two (or three or four) single policies

    Getting a husband and wife/partner policy (or one for the family) usually works out cheaper than buying individual policies for each person in the home. For example, Eversure Gold* and AutoAid* will cover you and your spouse for under £60/yr, the same price as for an individual.

    Alternatively, the AA* offers basic cover for £59 for an individual, or £99 for a couple. The RAC* equivalent is similarly priced at £60 for an individual, £115 for a couple. You can often undercut these costs (whether buying as a single or joint policy) using cashback sites, but these examples show the principle that joint policies often beat two singles.

  • 5. Some fee-paying bank accounts offer breakdown cover so check if you already have a policy there

    Many premium bank accounts, which you have to pay a monthly fee for, come with a host of bundled products which can include breakdown insurance. So check you don't already have it in place before shelling out on a new policy.

    It's worth weighing up getting a current account with benefits instead of buying cover separately. But do the maths and ONLY buy cover via your bank or building society if you'll use all the features (which often include mobile phone and travel insurance too) and if it works out cheaper than buying separately.

    One of the better accounts is Nationwide FlexPlus, which costs £156/yr and includes personal European breakdown cover with home start and onward travel, as well as mobile phone insurance and worldwide travel cover.

    For a list of other premium bank accounts that include breakdown cover, see our Packaged Bank Accounts guide. In the past, sometimes this type of account was mis-sold, so to check if you've got a claim, see our Packaged Accounts Mis-selling guide.

  • 6. Driving in Europe? Make sure your policy covers breakdowns there too

    While it's not a concern at the moment due to lockdowns and travel bans, it may be an issue in future. If you're planning to travel to Europe regularly, consider taking out an annual breakdown policy with European cover.

    Yet if you'll only need cover for a few days or a couple of weeks each year, a cheap UK policy that you can upgrade to cover Europe when you need it may be better. Always check the option is available before taking out the policy and ask how long it takes to add before it comes into effect – some impose exclusions against claims in the first 15 days from the start of the extension, so planning is key.

    See our Cheap European Cover section for the best deals for annual and single cover.

    Finally, don't forget to arrange travel insurance and notify your car insurer to get that extra protection while you're abroad.

Top-pick breakdown cover

We've split the deals into full service and basic policies, plus we've a section that covers you for European travel, with options for each level of cover. Use our best buys below to find the policy for you.

Important – please read first: Cashback and these policies. You can usually get a decent saving on breakdown cover if you go via a cashback site, so where it's available, we include the best cashback offer for each of these policies (or at least the closest comparable policy).

Where we quote a cashback price, this is the equivalent price assuming the cashback's paid. However, you should budget to pay slightly more upfront, as cashback can take a few weeks or months to be paid out. Always treat cashback as a POTENTIAL saving rather than an actual saving until the money's in your account, as things can go wrong. 

illustration

Top-pick deals with full service cover

We're classifying policies as 'full service' if they cover breakdowns at your home, plus have roadside assistance and onward travel (which usually includes a hire car, overnight accommodation or public transport costs). 

Always diarise a month ahead of your renewal so you've time to benchmark the cheapest price and switch, or use the benchmarked prices to haggle with your existing provider. 

Let us know your experiences with these providers in the forum discussion.

Full service cover

PROVIDER HOW GOOD IS IT? + COVER COSTS (i)
AutoAid BreakdownAutoAid*


 Get full service cover for £53.99/yr (after £6 guaranteed cashback) with AutoAid*. Via our link, newbies pay £59.99/yr (or £74.99/yr if your car's 16+ years old) but then get £6 back from AutoAid, automatically paid within 60 days. The policy covers you and your partner in any car you drive, with mis-fuelling cover and help if you're stuck, eg, in snow/mud. But AutoAid doesn't have its own recovery fleet – it notifies local recovery operators.
Eversure* Full service cover for any car up to 16 years old for £57.50/yr, via this Eversure Gold* link. This policy gives full service cover in any car you or your partner drive, or are passengers in. It also gives mis-fuelling cover. But Eversure doesn't have its own recovery fleet – it notifies local recovery operators. As Eversure is a new addition to MSE, please tell us your experiences.

 

AA (via Topcashback)*

 Ends 31 January. Full service AA breakdown recovery, for you & your partner, is £146/yr direct, or £74 via cashback site. The prices is for vehicle cover, giving comparable cover to the cheaper picks above, for you and your partner. You can get it cheaper if you only need cover for yourself, and the option to select personal cover (covering you in any car). The AA also has its own recovery fleet.
Buy it direct from the AA for £146/yr* Buy it via Topcashback for £74/yr* (i)
RACRAC (via Topcashback)* (i) Big brand breakdown recovery – 'vehicle' cover £218/yr direct with RAC or 'personal' cover for £130/yr via a cashback site, though this sort of cashback's never guaranteed. The direct price below is for vehicle cover - and your partner included. You can get it cheaper to cover just an individual, and the option to select personal cover (covering you in any car). Cashback sites pay big here, though bear in mind cashback is never 100%. RAC has its own recovery fleet.
Buy 'vehicle' cover direct from RAC for £218/yr* Buy 'vehicle' cover via Topcashback for £130/yr* (i)

(i) The equivalent cashback price assumes you get the cashback, and is based on the rate for basic members. Though always remember cashback is never guaranteed, see our Top Cashback Sites guide for full info.

Top-pick deals with basic cover

Basic policies are typically a lot cheaper, but do have exclusions. You usually won't be covered if you break down at home or close by, and your provider has no obligation to get you to where you were going. However, you are covered for roadside assistance, or if it can't be fixed there, you'll usually be towed to a garage near to where you broke down.

Always diarise a month ahead of your renewal so you've time to benchmark the cheapest price and switch, or use the benchmarked prices to haggle with your existing provider. 

Let us know your experiences with these providers in the forum discussion.

Basic cover

PROVIDER HOW GOOD IS IT? + COVER COSTS (i)
AAAA (via Topcashback)*
 The cheapest AA policy for £59 direct, or £23 via a cashback site (again the cashback is never guaranteed). The AA's most basic 'vehicle-only' policy costs £59/yr (£79/yr for personal cover) and covers breakdowns more than 1/4 of a mile from your home. Cashback can reduce this to £23/yr (£33/yr for personal cover).
Buy it direct from the AA for £59/yr* Buy it via Topcashback for £23/yr (or £33/yr for 'personal' cover)*
RACRAC (via Topcashback)* (ii) Cheapest RAC cover for £49/yr after cashback (though remember cashback's never guaranteed). The RAC most basic cover will automatically include home rescue, which includes a 10-tow to the garage, and a taxi journey to get you home from the garage.  Vehicle-only cover costs £49/yr through Topcashback*, once the cashback's factored in. Personal cover's £60/yr (after cashback). The policy allows a max of three call-outs/yr.
Buy it direct from the RAC for £95/yr* Buy it via Topcashback for £49/yr*

(i) The equivalent cashback price assumes you get the cashback, and is based on the rate for basic members. Though always remember cashback is never guaranteed, see our Top Cashback Sites guide for full info. (ii) You can also get basic cover (including home rescue) for £20 worth of Tesco Clubcard points. 

Top-pick deals with European cover

Here, if your vehicle breaks down when you're driving on the Continent, it'll be repaired at the roadside, or perhaps at a local garage. The prices below are based on a three-week trip to France in a two-year-old Hyundai Tucson, to give an idea of how providers compare. If you're going for longer, to more countries and/or have an older car, prices tend to be higher. 

If you're planning two or more trips or regularly drive to Europe (eg, you live in Northern Ireland and regularly visit the Republic) then it's worth getting an annual European breakdown policy (or checking if cover via a packaged bank account is worth it). 

Always diarise a month ahead of your renewal so you've time to benchmark the cheapest price and switch, or use the benchmarked prices to haggle with your existing provider. 

Let us know your experiences in the forum discussion.

European cover

PROVIDER HOW GOOD IS IT? + COVER COSTS
Compare Breakdown Cover* (i) Compare multiple breakdown providers, plus a 15% discount via our link. This site zips your car's details off to a few providers to help you find the best price. Cover starts from £22.75* for three weeks in France, after the 15% discount. However, as we don't vet the companies it features, we don't know what their service will be like. Let us know how it went if you try it. 
RAC RAC* (ii)
 Big brand roadside assistance that includes a hire car or hotel if your vehicle can't be fixed there. The RAC* charged £75.81 for our example of three weeks in France. The policy gives you 24/7 access to an English-speaking helpline, and a contribution towards costs if it needs to be fixed at a garage (the amount depends on which level of cover you go for).
 AA*
 AA roadside assistance that again pays for a hire car or hotel if needed. The AA* quoted £81.78 to cover our example three weeks in France. This policy gives you 24/7 access to an English-speaking helpline, plus you can pay extra to get a contribution towards the costs of getting the car fixed at a garage.

(i) We have little feedback to share on Compare Breakdown Cover. Discount available until 11.59pm on 30 April 2022. (ii) You can also get RAC Europe cover using Tesco Clubcard vouchers worth £55+, depending on the level of cover you want.

Looking for one-off or specialist policies?

If you're looking to cover a one-off journey, or need something more specialist, MoneySupermarket* allows you to compare roadside recovery tariffs.

It misses some of the best deals, so it doesn't always get the very cheapest, yet if you've specific needs it can quickly find a competitive quote.

Check special deals

A few companies have special deals and some car insurers bundle free breakdown with their car insurance cover (see our Car Insurance guide). These currently include:

Rescuemycar.com – 20% discount code*

Newbies who use this MSE Blagged Rescuemycar.com* link and enter code MSE20 get 20% off their annual premium in the first year. The cover is competitive for modern vehicles, as it's calculated on the car's age.

You can choose vehicle cover (where it covers you in any eligible vehicles that you own, and have specified on the policy), or personal cover (covering you in any eligible vehicles you drive or are a passenger in). You'll be covered for breakdowns at home and recovery anywhere in the UK. There's a £40 excess per claim, though you can pay extra to get this down to £0.

Bear in mind that Rescuemycar.com is a new addition to this guide, so we have little feedback on it. Let us know your experiences and how you get on in the forum discussion.

Startrescue.co.uk – 17% discount code*

Buy a new policy via this MSE Blagged Startrescue.co.uk* link and you'll get a 17% discount in the first year (the discount will be displayed before you check out).

The cover available can be competitive for modern vehicles, as it's calculated on the car's age. You can choose vehicle cover (where it covers you in any eligible vehicles that you own, and have specified on the policy) or personal cover (covering you in any eligible vehicles you drive or are a passenger in).

If you want your policy to cover breakdowns at home, make sure you select the policy that includes 'Home Assist', as without this, breakdown assistance will only be provided if the car's more than a quarter of a mile away from your home.

Finally, Startrescue.co.uk is a new addition to this guide, so we have little feedback on it. Let us know your experiences and how you get on in the forum discussion.

Compare Breakdown Cover – 15% discount*

Buy a new policy via our MSE Blagged Compare Breakdown Cover* link by 30 April 2022 and you'll get 15% off in the first year.

It allows you to choose a variety of levels of cover for UK-only and Europe. Or use these prices as a benchmark to haggle with the AA or RAC.

Compare Breakdown Cover is a broker, and offers a range of policies with different assistance providers. Let us know your experiences and how you get on with it in the forum discussion.

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How to complain about your insurance provider

The insurance industry doesn't have the best customer-service reputation and while a provider may be good for some, it can be hell for others.

Common problems include claims either not being paid out on time or at all, unfair charges, or exclusions being hidden in small print. It's always worth trying to call your provider first, but, if not, then…

Free tool to help you complain

This tool helps you draft and manage your complaint. It's totally free to use, and it's offered by Resolver, a firm we work with to help people get complaints justice.

RESOLVER – FREE COMPLAINTS TOOL*

If the company won't help, Resolver also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.

Car breakdown Q&A

  • How safe are these policies?

    Nobody can predict the future – even the most reliable companies can fall into bad times. As with any purchase, you should consider if you've any protection should the company you buy the cover from go bust.

    We've checked with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and, sadly, you wouldn't be protected on breakdown cover if the worst happened.

  • What happens if the breakdown company damages my car?

    breakdown repair guy

    While this is unlikely, it's still worth knowing the score. If your car's taken away, you'll usually be given a document to sign when it's returned to you.

    If you think the car's been damaged by the recovery company, refuse to sign the document and report the issue to the recovery company. It's crucial to do this as soon as you can, even if you're still at the roadside.

    • Get as much evidence of the damage as possible. Take photos – even a decent camera phone can be handy for this if there's no alternative – and write a report of what happened ASAP.

      Take notes as fully as you can, including the name of the recovery firm, times and dates. Then contact the firm to find out how it plans to rectify it.

    • What if it doesn't repair the damage? If you aren't happy with the way it's dealt with the incident, it's time to submit a written complaint. The formal procedure for this will be set out in your policy terms and conditions – these will have been sent to you but if you can't find them, just ask for another copy.

    • If it still doesn't resolve it... Even though you can't claim money back from the FSCS, if these companies are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) you can make a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). All companies we include are FCA-regulated.

      The independent free ombudsman service settles disputes between consumers and businesses, without costing you a penny. You need to leave eight weeks between registering your complaint with the firm and going to the FOS. See the Financial Rights guide for full info.

  • What if I need assistance and my pets are in the vehicle with me?

    If you're unlucky enough to break down while your pets are with you, you'll still be able to receive roadside assistance. But transporting Fido and Tiddles is at the discretion of your insurer.

    RAC says it'll always attend vehicles carrying pets, but will decide on a case-by-case basis whether it's safe for the pets to travel in the recovery vehicle, or your vehicle if it's being towed.

    The recovery driver has discretion over whether the pet can travel in the vehicle. However, pets are usually allowed to travel with the recovery driver unless they are distressed or vicious, or the driver has allergies. Unless there's a safety risk, guide dogs will always travel with their owners.

    The AA says it'll transport any animal with its owner, unless it's not possible for health and safety reasons, at the risk of the pet owner. However, it does not offer transport for livestock and horses (for obvious reasons).

    If you have pets in the vehicle with you when you break down, let your insurer know when you contact it for assistance.

    For more information, check page 16 of the AA's policy booklet and the RAC website.

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