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Compare Cheap Breakdown Cover

BreakdownCover.co.uk is the UK’s leading breakdown cover comparison site. We make it easy for you to compare breakdown cover quotes and find the cheapest prices from a wide range of UK providers in seconds.

Here’s what you need to do to start comparing breakdown cover:

  • Click ‘Start a comparison’ to get started.
  • Find a breakdown cover policy that best meets your requirements.
  • Choose the deal that’s best for you and buy online.

What is breakdown cover & why do I need it?

Breakdown cover is a type of insurance policy that provides you with peace of mind should your car fail to start or encounters problems on the road. No one likes to experience car troubles, especially when it happens during an important journey or while you’re out on the road. But unfortunately, vehicle breakdowns are an unpleasant reality that all drivers have to face from time to time. 

Having breakdown cover ensures that you are adequately prepared for those unexpected moments when your vehicle decides to stop working. Some policies will even visit you at home to help get your vehicle started.

What types of breakdown cover are there?

Breakdown cover can vary significantly in terms of what’s offered. Generally, you’ll find options such as:

Vehicle Breakdown Cover

This type of policy is also know as car breakdown cover, provides coverage for any vehicle regardless of who is driving when the breakdown occurs. If any other person uses your vehicle, such as your wife, husband, or another family member, this could prove to be your cheapest option.

Personal Breakdown Cover

The person named in the policy is covered for any eligible vehicle regardless of whether they are the driver or a passenger. This type of policy is usually a little more expensive, however, if you own or drive more than one vehicle, insuring yourself, can work out cheaper. For example, if you own a car and a motorbike you would be covered for both if you had personal cover.

European Breakdown Cover

If you plan on driving in Europe then this type of cover includes all the benefits of vehicle-based or personal cover but extends the assistance to other countries in Europe. This can include roadside assistance, towing to the nearest garage, and sometimes even accommodation or a rental car if your vehicle cannot be fixed on the spot.

What are the different features of breakdown cover?

Each company offers varying levels of breakdown cover from a basic fix at the roadside to the full service that includes onward travel options.

Roadside Assistance

This provides basic coverage and includes, fixing at the roadside (80-85% success rate depending on provider) or, towing to a local garage if your vehicle cannot be fixed in a timely manner. You must be at least 1/4 mile from your home or registered address. All breakdown companies include roadside rescue and breakdown recovery as standard in all their policies, you can then add any of the following options to tailor your policy to your specific needs.

Home Start

This extends your policy to include coverage at your home address and the 1/4 mile surrounding it which is excluded from policies without home start cover.

National Recovery

This includes a long-distance breakdown recovery service that will rescue you from anywhere in the UK and transport you and your passengers to any single location within the UK, including back to your home address if you so wish.

Onward Travel

This gives you a number of options if your vehicle cannot be fixed by the end of the working day. Each company has its own specific terms and conditions, however, the options generally include, a replacement car (hire car typically for a maximum of 3 days) or alternative transport to get you to your intended destination within the UK, overnight accommodation for you and your passengers and, one-way public transport costs for one person to collect the car once it has been repaired.

Breakdown Cover FAQs

We often receive a lot of questions about breakdown cover, so let’s answer some of the most common:

At BreakdownCover.co.uk, we compare breakdown cover prices from a wide range of providers including:

  • The AA
  • RAC
  • Start Rescue
  • Cover My Breakdown
  • Emergency Assist
  • RescueMyCar.com
  • Eversure
  • GEM Motoring Assist
  • Nova Direct

While coverage can vary depending on the provider and level of coverage chosen, most car breakdown cover policies typically include services such as roadside assistance, towing, and emergency repairs. Some may also offer additional benefits such as rental car reimbursement or coverage for alternative transportation.

You should be able to get breakdown cover for most vehicles, although some providers only cover vehicles up to a certain age. If you use your vehicle for business or racing, for example, further restrictions may apply.

The requirement for breakdown cover is not a legal one. However, many drivers purchase it so they won’t be left stranded if their car breaks down.

It depends. When you own only one vehicle, it may make more sense to purchase vehicle-based cover. If you drive more than one vehicle frequently or are a passenger in more than one, personal-based coverage may be more appropriate.

In some cases, breakdown cover comes with an excess. Excess payments are one-off, fixed payments that you make to the breakdown company each time you need their services, to contribute to recovery costs. An excess fee breakdown policy will usually have a cheaper annual or monthly premium than a no-excess fee breakdown policy.

If your car breaks down and you don’t have a breakdown policy, you can purchase instant breakdown cover at the side of the road, and your new provider will send someone to fix it.

A breakdown provider must offer a 14-day “cooling off period” within which you may cancel your policy. In the event that you haven’t claimed on your cover, you won’t face any penalties and will receive a full refund.
You may not be able to cancel after this period or after you’ve made a claim. In addition, claim, or you may be required to pay a fee to receive a partial refund after you’ve canceled. Terms will vary between providers.

Although price is an important factor when selecting a policy, you should only go for the cheapest cover if it meets all your needs. It may be more beneficial and cost-effective to spend more on this extra cover if you think you’ll use the more comprehensive services provided by a more comprehensive policy.

When looking for the best breakdown cover, consider factors such as the coverage included, the reputation and reliability of the provider, and any additional perks or benefits. It’s also important to compare prices before making a decision. Remember to choose a plan that best fits your specific needs and budget.