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Tips to get cheaper breakdown cover

Tips to get cheaper breakdown cover

Emma Lunn
Written by  Emma Lunn
5 min read
Updated: 20 Dec 2022

Shop around and compare premiums and policy details to make sure you get the best cover for your needs at the best price.

Key takeaways

  • Car breakdown cover provides you with emergency assistance if your car breaks down during a journey or at your home.

  • A breakdown cover policy can save you from paying emergency callout or towing charges.

  • The most basic breakdown policies just cover emergency roadside assistance; more comprehensive policies include home start, onward travel options, and cover while driving in Europe.

Woman standing by broken down car

Why do I need breakdown cover?

Breakdown cover can give drivers peace of mind. Whether you have a flat battery, punctured tyre, or significant engine issues, you can make a single phone call and a mechanic will drive to where you are to help.

Basic repairs can often be carried out at the roadside. Alternatively, you might be towed to a nearby garage, home, or your intended destination.

If you don’t have breakdown cover you can still call local breakdown services. But these could be expensive and you might need to call several local garages before you find someone who is available to help.

Explore cover levels

Breakdown policies come with varying levels of cover. Your driving habits and budget will influence the right level of cover for you.

Here’s a breakdown of the key options:

Pay-as-you-go breakdown cover

With this type of policy you pay a nominal fee (about £10 a year), and then pay for each call-out. This can be a good cheap option if you have a reliable car or don’t drive much.

Roadside assistance

This is the basic level of cover. If your vehicle breaks down more than a quarter mile from your home, a mechanic will come and either fix it on the spot or tow you to a local garage.

National recovery

National cover means that if your vehicle cannot be repaired by the roadside or within the same day at a nearby garage, your vehicle can be transported back home or to your original destination. This type of cover can be useful if you regularly drive a long way from home.

Home Start

These policies cover breakdowns that happen at your home or close by. Policies without Home Start usually exclude breakdowns that occur within a mile of the policyholder’s home address. Home Start can be useful for dead batteries on cold mornings or if you haven’t driven your car for a while.

Onward travel

If you break down during a long journey and your car can’t be repaired immediately, onward travel can help you and your passengers get to your intended destination. This might involve using a courtesy car, public transport, or overnight accommodation if needed. This is the most expensive type of cover.

Optional add-ons

You can often add the following cover options to policies:

  • European cover: This covers you if you drive your car in Europe

  • Mis-fuelling cover: If you put petrol in diesel car, or vice versa

  • Lost keys: Replacement keys if yours are lost or stolen

  • Cover for trailers and caravans: Additional cover if you are towing another vehicle

Personal or multi-car cover?

When you buy breakdown cover, the policy will cover either:

  1. A particular vehicle

  2. You (the person), whatever vehicle you are driving or a passenger in

  3. Multiple vehicles

The cheapest option is to cover the car rather than a specific person. This means anyone legally driving it can call for roadside assistance if they break down. Vehicle-specific cover can be a good option if you have one car driven by several family members.

A personal policy will cover you in any vehicle as a driver or passenger. This is particularly useful if you frequently drive different cars, or travel as a passenger with friends or family. This will usually be more expensive than covering a specific vehicle.

Multi-car cover extends vehicle-specific cover to several vehicles registered at the same address. It simplifies policy management by having all cars insured under one policy and often works out cheaper compared to buying individual policies.

The best type of cover for your needs will depend on your personal circumstances, living situation, which cars you drive and if anyone else drives your car.

Don't pay twice!

Before buying breakdown cover, check if you have it already.

Some car insurance policies offer breakdown cover as an add-on. This can be convenient but check cover levels before you buy.

Breakdown cover is often included as a perk with packaged bank accounts (where you pay a monthly fee for your bank account and get various benefits in return). This cover is usually provided by one of the big breakdown companies such as the AA, Green Flag or RAC.

If you bought your car new, most manufacturers include free breakdown cover for between one and three years, typically for the same amount of time the warranty is in place.

Compare quotes

Comparing breakdown cover quotes can help you find the best policy for your needs at the best price. Here’s how it’s done:

  • Use MoneySuperMarket to quickly and easily compare quotes. You can tailor your quote to your needs, and include any optional extras you think might be useful.

  • Read customer reviews of providers on sites such as Feefo, Google or TrustPilot.

  • Check if the policy has a call-out limit (e.g. a maximum number of times you can use it per year).

  • If you have an older car, check it is covered by the policy. Some policies have a maximum age for vehicles.

Tips to get cheaper breakdown cover

Don’t let cover auto-renew

Some car breakdown policies are set up to auto-renew by default unless you opt-out. But this won’t necessarily be at the same price – you could be charged more.

Haggle

If your car breakdown provider tries to charge you more at renewal time, give it a call and try to negotiate.

Choose local or national recovery wisely

If you only drive locally, not long journeys, then national recovery won’t be worth it.

Consider smaller providers

The AA, RAC and Green Flag are the big names in car breakdown, but there are plenty of smaller providers too, and these are often cheaper.

Pay upfront

Paying by annual lump sum upfront will be cheaper than monthly payments.

Cover the vehicle

Vehicle-specific cover is usually cheaper than paying to cover any car you are travelling in.

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