How to save money on car breakdown cover

Getting the right breakdown cover isn't just about finding the best provider. You'll also want to be sure you get the right level of cover without paying more than you need.

For instance, did you know basic roadside assistance often doesn’t cover you within a quarter of a mile of your home? So if your car refuses to start on a frosty winter morning, you may have to pay extra on top of your regular breakdown policy if it doesn't include 'at home' or 'home start' cover.

Simply want to know which providers are best? We reveal the best car breakdown cover providers

How to buy car breakdown cover

You can get breakdown cover in several forms. Here are the basic types:

Third-party breakdown cover

The AA, RAC and Green Flag are the biggest and best-known third-party providers. They are independent services with their own network of mechanics. You can buy breakdown cover either directly via their websites or through price comparison sites.

Some third-party breakdown providers are effectively white-labelled services provided by other brands. For example, Aviva's service is provided by RAC and Admiral's is provided by The AA. Each provider offers various levels of cover to choose from. 

Car manufacturer breakdown cover

If you buy a new car, most manufacturers will include free breakdown cover for a limited period of time (usually between one and three years).

For instance, if you buy a Honda, you get free three-year breakdown cover from Honda Breakdown Assist; however, the actual service is supplied by a third-party provider (the AA, in the case of Honda).

Packaged breakdown cover

You can get car breakdown cover bundled in with your packaged bank account and in some cases you can get discounts when you bundle it with your car insurance (see our guide on how to find cheap car insurance).

However, in both cases, the breakdown cover can potentially be a more basic policy with fewer features. It's essential to check the level of cover and compare it to what you would get from a specialist.

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Is basic breakdown cover enough?

We all have different driving habits, and third-party car breakdown providers offer several levels of cover to suit your needs. What the companies call these levels varies, but here are the main four:

1. Roadside assistance (the most basic cover)

A breakdown van will come out to you and will either fix your car at your breakdown location or tow you to the nearest garage. Most policies have a recovery limit (the maximum towing distance) of 10-20 miles from the scene of the breakdown.

2. Home assist (extends basic roadside assistance to cover you at home)

While it might be tempting to save money upfront by just getting basic cover, you could have to pay out large sums of money if you break down on your driveway.

If you choose to upgrade your cover from basic to include home assist (also known as 'home start'), it will take 24 hours for any policy to come into effect with most providers. If you've already broken down at home without cover, many providers will still help, but they will likely charge a hefty surcharge on top of your policy fee.

3. National recovery (towed to any destination in the UK)

You and your passengers will get towed to your chosen destination anywhere in the UK (usually including your home if you wish) or the nearest garage to your destination. If you only have roadside assistance, you'll be towed to a local garage. 

4. European cover

If you're travelling on the continent and your car breaks down, you will be covered for most scenarios, as European cover is often very comprehensive. If you don't already have this cover, most UK providers won't be able to offer you any assistance once you're abroad, so make sure you take out European cover before you leave the UK. 

If you don't have European cover and break down abroad, you'll be left to organise assistance yourself from a local recovery service and be stuck with towing and repair charges.

Most providers offer annual and single-trip cover. Most offer around 90 days of travel cover in Europe as part of their annual policies, but be sure to check this and whether the country you're travelling to is listed as a covered destination.

Find your perfect next car – see our expert pick of the best cars we've tested

Ways to save on breakdown cover 

Shop around

As always, it pays to shop around. Use our best breakdown cover results to put together a shortlist of companies. Make sure you carefully consider your needs and choose an appropriate level of service.

We also recommend comparing prices online and calling a few providers. If you’ve found a cheaper quote elsewhere, speak to your preferred provider and see if it will match the quote or beat it (take a look at our haggling tips).

Go beyond the big three

The AA, RAC and Green Flag have the largest market share of all the companies we surveyed, but our results show that others can provide top-quality service – often at a lower price.

Don’t pay monthly

If you can afford it, you can cut your costs by paying annually instead of monthly. Some breakdown provider websites default to showing monthly payments, so you may have to specifically select the annual option to see the price difference.

Check refund options

If you're thinking of selling your car and not replacing it, it's important to check your chosen provider's refund options. Similarly, if you're planning on buying a brand new car in the next 12 months, you'll likely get breakdown cover included via the car manufacturer, so you'll want to avoid doubling up on cover.

Question your chosen breakdown provider at renewal time (but before you actually renew) to find out its cancellation/refund conditions.

You can sometimes get a pro-rata refund based on how much time you’ve got left on your current agreement. Sometimes the pro-rata refund also comes with an admin charge. If you’ve made a claim in the year your cover applies to, you might not be entitled to a refund, and some companies don't offer a refund regardless.

All new policies have a 14-day cooling-off period. If you choose to cancel within 14 days of setting up or renewing a policy, you should get a full refund.

Save on manufacturer breakdown renewals

Breakdown cover with a car manufacturer is often comprehensive – see our review of the best car manufacturer breakdown services.

As you approach the end of your free breakdown cover period – often coinciding with the end of your warranty – you may want to renew your policy. Some manufacturers will include a year's breakdown cover if you have your car serviced by an approved dealership. This isn't exclusive to new cars – second-hand cars can also benefit from this offer. Other providers may charge you a fee, but it's often at the same cost or lower than what you'd get through a third party.  

How to haggle for breakdown cover

Car breakdown companies expect you to haggle. It's generally cheaper for them to keep existing customers than to acquire new ones, so haggling is built into their pricing structures.

In our latest car breakdown survey, we found that an astounding 76% of respondents who haggled with their provider on renewal received a lower quote.

Most people still haggle over the phone, but you can also try live chat (this also means you get to keep a written record of what was said).

We asked ex-salespeople and successful hagglers for their top haggling tips, which include:

• bringing up any issues you've had with the provider
• pointing out the length of time you've been a customer
• saying how often you've used the service.

Other breakdown cover features and limits

Personal cover vs vehicle cover

If you have several vehicles, personal cover means you can call out a breakdown service for any car you happen to be in. Most, though not all, providers offer personal cover as a choice when you get a quote. It tends to be more expensive than vehicle-level cover, but you can usually add at least one other driver to your policy.

Vehicle cover is the most widely available type of cover and applies to a specific car. Most policies allow you to add between two and five drivers, so it can be a more suitable option if you share a car with a partner or family members.

Call-out limits

While some providers offer unlimited call-outs with their breakdown cover, others will limit the number of times they will assist you if your car breaks down.

We've found basic roadside assistance policies that allow for as few as two or three call-outs per year, while even some comprehensive policies will only provide assistance five times.

Onward travel

Generally included with more comprehensive policies, this covers you for a hire car, overnight accommodation or costs towards taxis and public transport if a breakdown provider can't fix your vehicle straight away. Some providers include this as standard; with others, it's an optional extra. 

Misfuelling

Putting the wrong type of fuel in your car can cause serious damage to your engine. The system then needs to be drained and flushed, which can cost between £150 and £300. Less than a quarter of the policies we looked at will cover you for this, and even then, you could be charged as much as £225.

Transporting pets

If your dog is a frequent passenger in your car, check the breakdown policy's small print before you buy. While most providers say they will still cover you if you break down with a pet on board, transporting the animal will generally be at the discretion of the patrol mechanic who attends. 

If the patrol mechanic is unwilling to let your pet into the cab, or there simply isn't enough room, your pet will either need to be secured in your towed vehicle or you may have to organise alternative transport yourself.

Is breakdown cover worth having?

If you’ve got a fairly new car that’s so far provided trouble-free motoring, you may decide to forgo breakdown cover altogether. You can find out if your car is fault-prone in our guide to the most reliable cars.

In the event that you do need emergency assistance but don't have breakdown cover, all is not lost, as you can call for assistance through a pay-on-use service, but it will cost you. The most basic level of assistance will set you back at least £100, and costs can quickly rack up if you need extra services such as towing. 

Providers that offer this service include LV Britannia Rescue, Start Rescue and GEM among others. Some providers offer a lower call-out fee for pay-on-use services to existing policyholders.

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