Breakdown Cover Guide

Imagine you are driving down the motorway and one of your tyres blows out. Or maybe you are about to take the children to school but the car won’t start. Or perhaps your car breaks down on holiday in France.

The AA, the UK’s biggest car breakdown service, attended 3.4 million call-outs in 2011 – rescuing about one in ten drivers in the UK. The number of call-outs is particularly high during cold weather. In freezing temperatures in February, for example, the AA responded to 16,000 breakdowns a day, up from the average of about 9,000.

So it could happen to you, which is why car breakdown cover is a wise buy. You can then call out an expert to either fix the car at the roadside or take it to the nearest garage. After all, you don’t want to be the motorist left stranded on the side of the road.

The AA and the RAC are the big names in car breakdown cover. But companies such as Green Flag and EuropAssistance also offer roadside assistance policies. MoneySupermarket compares deals through all of these providers and more in an attempt to find cheap car breakdown cover offers for our customers.

How does car breakdown cover work?

There are broadly two types of car breakdown cover. Most of the well-known firms operate a so-called automatic service. You usually pay an annual membership fee and can then call for assistance if you experience a problem, at no extra cost. However, there will almost certainly be a limit on the number of call outs allowed, typically five a year. So watch out if your car isn’t the most reliable!

Some of the smaller car breakdown cover providers don’t send out their own patrols. Instead, a local firm will respond and in some instances you may have to pay for the call-out and any recovery. You then claim back the cost from the breakdown company. So it’s more like a traditional insurance policy.

The automatic system is obviously more convenient, but if you are prepared to pay up front on call out, it can be cheaper in the long run.

Different levels of car breakdown cover

There are different levels of breakdown cover available. A basic policy costs can cost as little as £20 and covers roadside assistance and recovery. So, if you break down someone will come and either fix the car or tow it to the nearest garage or home. The breakdown must usually occur more than a quarter of a mile from your home – and the nearest garage must usually be within 10 miles. If the car needs towing more than 10 miles, you could be liable for the costs.
Remember that car breakdown cover does not include the cost of repairs to your car in the garage. And if your car can be fixed at the roadside, you might still have to pay for any spare parts.

National or nationwide recovery goes the extra mile – for an extra premium. It will take you, your car and up to a certain number of passengers (usually a maximum of seven) to your chosen destination anywhere in the UK.  In other words, it allows you to reach your destination or travel back home, however far away.

If you are worried that your car won’t start in the morning, or you would like cover in case you break down less than a quarter of a mile from home, most firms offer some sort of home start policy. You then know you are covered even if you break down on your own doorstep. 

You can also upgrade your car breakdown policy to include onward travel. If your car cannot be fixed at the roadside, the policy will then typically include car hire for up to three days, overnight accommodation, or the cost of public transport. The exact terms can vary significantly from one firm to another, so be sure to read the small print carefully.

Some car breakdown cover policies will also add on cover for parts and garage costs. There is, however, usually a limit to the amount you can claim.

There might also be restrictions on the type and age of the vehicle.

European breakdown cover

If you are taking your car abroad it is well worth taking out European car breakdown cover. You can either add European cover to your annual UK policy, which normally allows for up to 90 days cover in Europe, or you can buy single trip European breakdown cover if you are planning on just one journey. If you are a frequent traveler on the Continent, annual cover can work out cheaper, but it depends on your driving habits.

European cover differs from company to company, so you should always study the policy details. It is also important to check which countries that are classed as European to make sure your destination is on the list. This might sound stupid but it can vary – some policies will only cover countries in the European Union, for example.

Most policies should at least offer roadside help and emergency repairs, plus English-speaking assistance. You can also include vehicle recovery to the UK or to your destination, as well as cover for alternative transport and accommodation. But the more extensive the policy, the more it is likely to cost. You can find lots more information in our guide to European Car Breakdown cover.

Personal or car cover

As well as the type of policy, you will also have to decide whether to cover your car or yourself. If you buy personal breakdown cover, you can then call for assistance whether you are the driver or passenger in your own car, or any other vehicle.

Alternatively, you can arrange cover for any driver in a named vehicle. The policy will then cover the car, whoever is in the driving seat. You can also typically cover up to three named vehicles on one policy.

If you regularly drive more than one vehicle, you might be better off with a personal policy. But it makes sense to compare both types of cover to make sure you get the best deal.

However, some car breakdown cover packages may impose age limits on vehicles; meaning that vehicles which are over 10 years old might not be covered. This is something to look out for when you are comparing car breakdown cover deals.

Van and motorcycle breakdown cover

MoneySupermarket doesn’t just aim to find cheap car breakdown cover packages for our customers, as we realise that there are other types of vehicle on the road.

It could be that you are a bike owner in search of an appropriate policy. If this is the case, the MoneySupermarket motorcycle breakdown cover comparison could come in handy.

There are also a number of van owners who might quite possibly rely on their vehicle to undertake their business operations for instance. In this situation, not having your van on the road would be hugely inconvenient and a van breakdown cover would prove invaluable in getting your vehicle back on the road faster.

Car maintenance

Don’t neglect your car just because you have breakdown cover in place. The breakdown service can legitimately refuse to assist if your car is not legal and roadworthy, so make sure your MOT is up to date and there is a spare tyre in the boot.

Car maintenance can also help to prevent a breakdown. Battery related problems are the most common cause of call-outs. So always remember to turn off any lights when the engine is not running.  Try too to take your car for a good run out every now and again. If you use the vehicle only for short local journeys, the battery does not get the opportunity to fully charge. Punctures or torn tyres are another common problem, so check the tyre pressure regularly and avoid hitting the kerb! There are lots more driving tips on our summer and winter car maintenance pages.

Which is the best policy?

It’s tempting to choose the cheapest car breakdown cover, but remember that a low-cost policy might not necessarily be the best. For example, if the thought of trying to jump start your car in the morning fills you with horror, then a home start policy will be a priority. But if you have a brand new car, then you might decide to take the risk. Motorists who regularly travel abroad would be wise to pay an extra premium for European breakdown cover. But if you never take your car onto the Continent, there is no point in paying for cover you will never need. There are more ways to cut the cost of breakdown cover on our breakdown cover money saving tips page.

It’s a good idea also to find out the typical waiting times for roadside rescue – and whether the company gives any priority to vulnerable motorists.

Don’t forget that you can compare the cost of car breakdown cover for cars, vans and motorbikes using our free independent comparison service. We search the details of more than 10 breakdown companies to find you the best deal at the lowest price.

Visit a breakdown cover comparison wesbite for all the latest deal or read Start Rescue Reviews.

The History of the AA

The History of the AA
29th June 1905. A group of car enthusiasts met in a restaurant called Trocadero which was located in the West End of London. The meeting created the Automobile Association (or AA for short), boasting a meager 100 members. The original intent for the group was to provide support and guidance to car drivers throughout the UK. Bigger, faster, and nosier cars were rapidly appearing on the UK roads which would often upset other drivers.

The motoring act 1903 introduced speeding fines to UK car drivers for the first time. When caught speeding motorists would receive (as well as a fine) an endorsement which would appear on their driving license. One of the first priorities for the AA was to help motorists to avoid police speed traps and the subsequent sine and endorsement that would follow.

In 1906 the AA members created thousands of road signs, warning motorists of any dangers that existed. These were the UK's first roadside signs. The AA took responsibility for producing and erecting roadside signs un the UK until the 1930's when legislation made local council authorities responsible for roadside signs in their area. The AA continued erecting their own roadside signs which can still be seen today and are easily recognisable as they are yellow and often direct car drivers to major events and tourist attractions.

In 1907 AA members on bicycles became their first ever car breakdown patrols - it would have been too expensive for them to use cars so they had to make do with bikes. They were aptly named "cycle scouts", patrolling town and city streets, and would often warn motorists about approaching speed traps. They would assist drivers who's car had broken down by completing minor roadside repairs or cycling for further assistance if they could not repair the car themselves. Within two years there were over 1,000 'cycle scouts' on the UK streets, all wearing a standard AA uniform.

1908 saw the first publication of the AA Members Handbook. Traveling by car was becoming increasingly popular (although nothing compared to today's standards). The AA appoint 'recommended' local vehicle repairers throughout the UK, and publish their details within the handbook.

In 1909 the AA launched it's free legal assistance which would offer legal support to car drivers who were being prosecuted for incidents that had occurred while they were behind the wheel of their car.
In 1910 an AA patrolman was prosecuted for obstruction a policeman after he flagged down an approaching motorist and warned him of a police speed trap further down the road. The historic 'Betts v Stevens' case was quite famous and the police hoped the outcome would deter the AA from warning drivers about speed traps, but it didn't. Instead the AA introduced a signaling system where by AA patrols would wave at any approaching vehicle which displayed the prominent yellow AA badge. If there was a speed trap ahead the AA patrol man would not acknowledge the driver, which would act as notification of the impending speed trap. Because the AA were technically not warning the driver of the speed trap, they could then not be prosecuted for it. This system continued until the late 60's.

1910 also saw the AA produce it's first car road map. It was initially handwritten, with routes and points of interest often added. By the late 1920's there were over 7,000 maps in circulation including maps of European countries.

In 1912 the AA started to inspect hotels and restaurants, and giving them a start rating based on the quality. These were later added the AA Members Handbook.

By 1914 the AA had over 83,000 members. In addition to the traditional bicycle patrols the AA introduced motorbike patrols, allowing it to respond to breakdowns more quickly and in areas that were previously not accessible. Addition of motorbike sidecars, the AA were able to equip their patrols with more tools, allowing them to repair more cars at the roadside.

1920 saw the AA begin the introduction of the roadside phone. This would allow car drivers to call for help in the event of a breakdown.

The road traffic act of 1930 abolished the 20mph speed limit which had been in force in the UK since 1896. The road traffic act 1934 then introduced a 30mph speed limit for urban areas, although speedometers were not a legal requirement in vehicles until 1937. The AA continued it's fight to help motorists avoid police speed traps, and assisted those who had been caught in them.

By 1938 the AA had almost fully replaced the bicycle patrols with the motorbike side car patrols, with up to 1,500 of them on patrol at any one time. The AA's breakdown recovery patrolmen would start their day in a central location, and then set out on a pre determined route looking for broken down and stranded motorists.
By the end of 1939 the AA had 725,000 members, which equated to approximately 35% of the cars on the UK roads. After world war 2 had ended, petrol rationing continued, and as the AA had done previously, they led the protests against this. Eventually they proved successful when in 1950 the rationing was lifted. As soon as the war ended the number of cars on the UK roads continued to increase, and so did the number of AA members.

1949 saw the introduction of four wheel patrols following the purchase of a fleet of Land Rover cars. These 4x4 cars were perfect for the job, as they offered the AA patrolmen the ability to carry significantly more equipment than the motorbikes could, they could also attend breakdowns in hard to reach places (including off-road), in all weathers. The next 20 years saw the AA gradually replace their fleet of patrol motorbikes with 4 x 4 cars and vans.

The AA also introduced their fleet to a revolutionary technology which was very new at the time; the two way radio. This revolutionised the service that the AA could offer. Thanks to this technology, the AA were able to offer their first night time patrols throughout London from 1949, a service that quickly expanded to the rest of the UK.

In the 1970's commercial radio stations were really taking off, so in 1973 the AA launched "AA Roadwatch" which is a traffic update broadcast via radio stations. AA Roadwatch is now Europe's biggest broadcaster of traffic updates. In this same year the AA launched a new car breakdown product known as 'AA relay', where they would transport a members broken down car, and contents to any UK mainland destination, innovation which competitors soon followed.

In 1967 the AA launched it's insurance brokerage arm which has expanded steadily ever since, selling not only car insurance, but home, and travel insurance too. Services are offered to the whole market and not just to AA members.

In 1973 the AA moved home, from it's historic former head office location in London's Leicester Square which had been home since 1908, to Basingstoke in Hampshire. The AA continued it's tradition of campaigning about motoring issues, when in 1983 legislation was passed making it mandatory to wear a seatbelt while in a moving car. They also campaigned heavily for the introduction of lead free petrol.
In 1992 the AA launched it's driving school franchise, which has expanded to have around 1,800 instructors today. The AA also rapidly expanded it's list of publications of maps and travel guides covering locations across the UK and through out the world. The AA are now a world leader in the field of travel publications, with titles in 29 languages.

By 1994 AA membership was just over 8 million and in 1999 their members voted the de-mutualise, so the company was sold to Centrica for £1.1 billion. Following this deal the AA moved it's home once more, relocating it's head office to Farnborough, Hampshire.

In 2002 the AA Motoring Trust was founded in order to continue the non commercial activities of the group. 2003 saw the introduction of the AA mobility service, which won the insurance times innovation of the year award. Any customer with comprehensive cover now receives a free courtesy car after a breakdown that cannot be repaired at the roadside.

2004 saw the introduction of the AA online route planner, one of the UK's most popular free online route planning services. By entering your start location and your destination, the service will provide you with step by step instructions, map, distances and approximate timescales for each leg of the journey.
Also in 2004, the AA launched the AA buyers guide, a guide to help car drivers when they are purchasing either a new or used car. The travel books under the brand "Key Guide" were released, as well as the AA Telephone Savings Account.

In 2005 the AA was sold once more in a deal worth £1.75 billion in a joint deal with European private equity firms CVC and Permira. This deal represented a significant profit on the sum paid by Centrica a short 6 years earlier. This deal resulted in the AA moving it's head office back to Basingstoke once more.
2006 saw the AA continue it's fight against speed traps, by including the locations of speed cameras on it's maps and road atlases.

In 2007 CVC and Permira merged with Saga. During the deal the AA was valued at £3.35 billion. In 2008 the AA had over 15 million members, and attended 3.6 million breakdowns.

See the latest AA breakdown cover reviews or read Start Rescue Reviews.

Nearly 40% go abroad without European Breakdown Cover

While we often report on the fact that nearly one in 10 people go abroad with out any travel insurance we don’t often report on the numbers who go to Europe with their car but don’t take out appropriate breakdown cover.
Research by Britannia Rescue, according to the ITIJ, found that nearly 2 in 5 of the 4 million people who take their car to the continent each year were not considering taking out a European Breakdown policy.
Nearly a quarter of those surveyed hadn’t even considered that breaking down in Europe was a possibility and 7% wrongly assumed that their UK breakdown cover would cover them while they are abroad. Our own research show that many people also do not understand that they need to buy a policy that covers their entire trip, not just the outbound or inbound journeys.
Each year half a million drivers a year experience a breakdown of some sort while on holiday in Europe and while any breakdown is stressful, breaking down in another country where you may not speak the language could be even more so if you don’t have the appropriate cover.
Depending on where a vehicle is in Europe, just the repatriation of your car or motorbike to the UK could cost in excess of £3,000 which is a very good reason why you should consider taking out a European Breakdown Cover policy for your trip abroad.
Voyager European Breakdown Cover can provide protection for vehicles up to 10 years old on an Annual multi-trip basis and up to 15 years old on a single trip basis. We are able to cover private vehicles up to 8 meters in length, 3 meters in height and 2.3 meters in width; if you are towing a caravan or trailer this can be covered with the payment of an additional premium. We are also able to cover motorbikes under this policy.

Cutting costs

And in your quest for the best European breakdown cover, don’t forget there are measures you can take yourself to keep the annual costs down.

Some insurance providers for example, will offer cheaper renewal deals to existing customers who have not made a call out during the previous 12 months that they purchased breakdown cover from the provider.

This is not the case with all breakdown cover companies, but it is something that is worth investigating with your existing provider. However, even if it does offer the perk, shop around and compare European breakdown cover deals before signing up again as you could still get a cheaper and more comprehensive deal elsewhere.

If you are not a frequent traveller to the continent and you are taking you vehicle over on just one occasion, it might work out cheaper to opt for a European breakdown cover single trip policy. This will obviously guarantee you roadside assistance in the event of a breakdown over the duration of just one venture abroad and will therefore more often than not work out cheaper than opting for an annual policy to cover multiple journeys.

Why not save money by visiting a car breakdown cover comparison site or read Start Rescue Reviews.

Car breakdown cover comparison

Anyone who regularly travels by car, particularly those who own older vehicles, those who drive at night or in remote areas, as well as families, business travellers and commuters, should invest in the protection provided by breakdown cover.

Getting the best from breakdown cover:

Breaking down is stressful and inconvenient but breakdown cover can come to your rescue, ensuring you receive the assistance you require at any time.
There are two types of car breakdown cover available, ‘standard breakdown’ and ‘pay and claim’ cover. Both offer the same level of cover and call out times. The differences lie in how the assistance is paid for.
‘Standard breakdown’ cover is the most readily available and convenient option for most road users. This type of cover can be vehicle based (specifically for one registered car) or person based (assistance provided for the policyholder for any car they are travelling in, as a driver or passenger). The annual upfront fee covers call outs for that year (which can be limited to a specified number of call outs) at no additional cost.
‘Pay and claim’ cover is potentially the cheapest breakdown option. As with ‘Standard Breakdown’, an annual fee is paid upfront but the cover differs in that the breakdown company do not operate their own patrols but contract out their recovery services to local providers. As a result, upon recovery you will be required to pay the local recovery service provider and retain the receipts in order the reclaim the expense from the breakdown company. This is less convenient than ‘standard’ cover but if cutting cost is a priority then this little hassle may be worthwhile.
Both ‘standard’ and ‘pay and claim’ cover options offer various policies with different features. The level of cover you require will of course depend on your circumstances, in particular the age of your vehicle, your annual mileage and what you use the vehicle for.

The main options to choose between are:

Home assistance

Vehicle assistance in the event of a no-start when parked at home or in close proximity (approx. quarter of a mile).

Roadside assistance

All car breakdown cover policies offer roadside assistance when away from home. The car breakdown cover company will send assistance to fix the problem at the roadside. And if the vehicle can’t be fixed on location, it will be towed to a garage close to home so that the problem can be addressed. Most policies include 60 minutes of free labour, but replacement parts are not included.

Vehicle recovery

This offers roadside assistance and, if the vehicle cannot be fixed on the roadside, transport of the vehicle and passengers to the desired destination.

Onward travel

Onward travel cover helps you on your way to your desired destination whilst your car is being repaired. The level of convenience will depend on the policy. For example, some policies will offer public transport assistance whilst others will provide a hire car and overnight accommodation.

European cover

Most breakdown companies offer European cover, either as a stand-alone policy or an add-on to another breakdown policy. It acts as protection against the complexity and cost of breaking down abroad. With European breakdown cover, English-speaking representatives are on hand to help and the recovery process is likely to be quicker and less stressful.

Save money on breakdown cover

You’re already a long way to saving money on your car breakdown cover by comparing. By inputting your vehicle’s age and the level of cover required, you can compare quotes from multiple breakdown companies in seconds.
Look out for discounts and special offers when shopping around too.
If you have more than one vehicle in your household, it may be worth looking into multi-car policies, a potentially cheaper option than multiple individual policies.
Compare the cost of ‘pay and claim’ cover against ‘standard’ cover, the former is often cheaper.

Car Breakdown cover

Compare breakdown quotes for cars, motorbikes and vans with online car breakdown cover comparison websites. All policies include roadside assistance and local recovery as standard.
Quotes are calculated based on the age of your vehicle and the level of cover you require. We’ll bring you quotes from across our panel of breakdown companies.
Remember that the cheapest policy isn’t always the best policy. Take time to compare policy features to find the best breakdown cover for you.

Why not visit a breakdown cover comparison website and find a great deal or read Start Rescue Reviews.

Orange broadband review

Orange are the biggest provider of broadband services within Europe. They have over 10 million customers across the UK, France, Poland, Equatorial Guinea, Spain, Senegal, Slovakia and Switzerland. In the UK Orange offer two different types of broadband services; ADSL broadband, and 3G mobile broadband.

The 3G broadband uses the Orange mobile 3G network, one of the most robust mobile networks in the UK. If you’ve had an Orange mobile phone you can expect a similar sort of coverage with the mobile 3G broadband. You can achieve theoretical speeds of up to 7Mpbs, although actual speeds may vary depending on network coverage, and with most broadband connections this speed can diminish during peak periods.

Orange broadband offer broadband through the telephone network, offering speeds of up to 20Mbps. This service is offered as stand along broadband or as part of a landline talk package. Orange broadband’s fixed line broadband is not reputed for quality, having struggled to deal with network issues since they bought broadband provider Wanadoo in 2000. As part of their tie up with T-Mobile, and a renewed focus on improving their service levels, Orange Broadband announced in that in early 2010 they were handing over the management their fixed line broadband to BT. This has proven to be a shrewd move as service levels have continued to improve significantly, although they are yet to catch up with those of their rivals.

Orange often provides discounted broadband (both fixed line ADSL and mobile broadband) to customers who already have a mobile phone contract with them. These discounts can be quite significant so it may be worth switching your mobile phone contract as well.

To read orange broadband uk reviews visit broadband comparison website WhyBroadband.co.uk.

XLN broadband review

XLN telecom are one of the UK’s fastest growing broadband providers, specialising in business broadband and telephony services. They offer a variety of services at lower than competitive prices to business across the UK. Founded in 2002, XLN telecom broadband now have over 120,000 customes (and counting), claiming to save their customers over £1 million per month.

XLN believe that good customer service is the key to keeping their customers happy. To promote this, they multi train their staff in all aspects of the business so that you don’t get passed from department to department when you have multiple queries. Their customer services team are UK based.

XLN broadband offer’s realistic option for any business wanting broadband and telephony services at a price lower than the “big boys”. They are well worth a look, and I suspect that if you look then you will buy too!

Compare XLN products with a broadband comparison website like WhyBroadband.co.uk

ZEN broadband review

Zen Internet, the company behind Zen Broadband was one of the founding providers of internet services in the UK. The company was founded in 1995 providing dial up internet services to schools and businesses in and around the founding city of Rochdale. The story behind the founding of Zen, following a chance conversation in a pub is now widely known.

Zen has a customer base of around 80,000, with over 200 employees, and an annual turnover of in excess of £15 million. The company has a whole host of industry and business awards including “best business ISP”, “best heavy business broadband”, and “best uncontended service”.

To read ZEN broadband reviews visit broadband comparison website WhyBroadband.co.uk.