How to choose car breakdown cover

Imagine a day full to brimming, you’ve got to get to work, important meetings or appointments,  get the kids to school and home again via no doubt a club or two and the car won’t start, or even worse you’ve been involved in an accident and your stuck on the hard shoulder somewhere too far from home….alone…

With car breakdown cover you have the reassurance that help is only a phone call away. You are never alone or truly stranded.  There are a variety of packages to choose from, with some companies like the AA and RAC you become a member of a club which then entitles you to certain services, the level of the services being dependent on your membership level. With Green Flag for example you just join on a “per claim” basis.

How to choose the best roadside recover service for you

The key to good car breakdown cover is buy a policy with features that you will get the most benefit from and no more.  There are many breakdown insurance companies, specialists like the AA, the RAC, Green Flag and those offering wider services Tesco, Sainsbury’s for example.  They key for all of them is to follow a few simple steps before joining.  These are as follows:

Step 1 – Decide if you want car breakdown cover for the car or for you

If you choose cover for the car then anyone who drives the named vehicle can use the policy if they breakdown.  With personal cover you are covered personally regardless of the vehicle you are in, so you can use your policy with any vehicle whether you are the driver or even the passenger.
Personal cover can usually be for you, you plus one or you plus up to four other people. You all need to live at the same address though which makes it a good option for families or flatmates.

Personal cover is usually more expensive but may be useful if you travel in many different vehicles. Also, if you want to take out European cover some companies like the RAC insist you have personal breakdown cover.

Step 2 – Decide on the level of car breakdown cover you want

Decide on the level of cover, you will need to balance probability of use with the cost charged for each additional feature.  The three best known providers, AA, RAC and Green Flag all offer a basic package with add-ons so you can create the policy that best suits your needs.

Basic Roadside Rescue Package

The basic breakdown cover packages are each called different names by each of the providers, the idea being to make it as difficult as possible for you to make a comparison.  However, in general each of the packages are very similar and offer near identical cover.  The basic package  is called Roadside assistance by the RAC, Roadside by the AA, Rescue by Green Flag.  The basic cover provides:

• Roadside assistance
• Transfer to local garage if roadside assistance unsuccessful

To this basic package there are then three optional common add ons which are as follows:

(i)   Breakdown cover from your home

This is known as Homestart by the AA,  At Home by the RAC and Rescue Plus by Green Flag and provides assistance within one quarter of a mile of the registered address of the policy holder.

(ii)   UK wide transfer

Known as Relay by the AA, Recovery by the RAC and Recovery by Green Flag.  This add on will transfer a vehicle plus 7 passengers to anywhere in the UK in the event of a breakdown which cannot be fixed at the roadside.

(iii)   Support whilst your vehicle is repaired

Known as Stay Mobile by the AA, Onward Travel by the RAC and Recovery Plus by Green Flag this add on provide a few options, being either

Visit a breakdown cover comparison site, or read Start Rescue Reviews.

The History of the RAC

The RAC (or Royal Automobile Club as it was known then) was founded in 1897 by car enthusiasts Charles Harrington Moore, and Richard Simms. When founded, the RAC were known as 'The Automobile Club of Great Britain". When setting out the clubs regulations, the pair followed the constitution laid out by the Automobile Club de France.
Within 4 years the RAC had started employing their first uniformed patrolmen in the UK. In 1907 they gain royal approval and adopted their current name - the RAC.
In 1926, the RAC began the British Grand Prix, which was held at Brooklands, and within 6 years they had sponsored their first ever Rally. Their first rally covered a geographic distance of more than 1,000 miles. In a unique race, unlike modern day rally's, all drivers started from different locations, and all headed to the same finish line in Torquay, on the south coast of England. 367 drivers from accross the world started the race, while 259 drivers completed the 1,000 miles, with an average speed of less than 25 mph.
In 1960, Blackpool became the starting point of the RAC Rally. The race ended at Brands Hatch and covered more than 2,000 miles. The following year the forestry stages were added to the RAC rally which allowed for greater speeds.
In 1978 the group was incorporated with the name RAC Motoring Services Ltd.
In 1999 the company was sold to Lex Services plc, who sold it on to Aviva in 2005. In 2006 the RAC joined West Surrey Racing to create Team RAC, which competed in the British Touring Car Championships.
Today the RAC has over 2,000 UK patrols, they respond to 2.8 million breakdowns, from a customer base of over 7 million, this is made up of approximately 4.5 million corporate clients and 2.5 million individuals. The RAC operates from several car breakdown call centres which operate 24 hours, 7 days per week. The RAC have won the distinguished  JD Power award for three consecutive years for offering the UK's best roadside patrols.
In an ever increasingly competitive market where the customers needs are complex, the RAC has branched out into various products and services not related to car breakdown cover, some of them don't even relate to cars. The main services which they offer are;
RAC Breakdown - This is the main service that we all know and love the RAC for, attending, then repairing or towing our broken down car from the roadside. Visit a car breakdown cover comparison site such as WhyBreakdown.co.uk to compare the latest deals.
RAC Europe - provides breakdown cover for RAC customers on the continent, which includes 47 countries. They are headquartered in Villeurbanne, France where English speaking staff are available to assist motorists who have broken down 24 hours per day.
RAC Direct Insurance - offers UK consumers a car, can, motorbike, travel, and home insurance service.
RAC Legal Services - provides advice and assistance to members who are involved in a personal injury claim.
RAC Vehicle Checks - checks vehicles to determine if the car has been either written off, stolen, has previous plates, or outstanding finance agreements. This service is primarily used by people looking to buy a car and check that the car is legal. The serice is ran by HBI who also authenticate the car's documents.
RAC Examinations - conduct physical checks on vehicles to ensure the car is sound.
The RAC also provide a variety of smaller services.

View the latest RAC breakdown reviews or read Start Rescue Reviews.

The History of GEM

The story has it that on his way to meet friends at the Warnes Hotel in Worthing in 1932, our founder was involved in a 'near miss' with a young man in a sports car. In response, that group of friends formed a club to encourage Care, Courtesy and Concentration on the roads to reduce the growing accident toll...and so the Company of Veteran Motorists was born.

Pioneers of the Road

There have been many motoring changes in our 80 years and we have played our part. We have also moved with the times, but our aim is still the same: to give our members good service, sound advice and keep them safe on the road. In 1983 we reflected these ambitions by changing our name to the Guild of Experienced Motorists... or GEM, for short. We launched our breakdown recovery service in 1978 and have been a trusted provider ever since.

Keeping you Moving

We are a UK based organisation that holds true to our society-of-friends origins. We provide a friendly, reliable and responsive service just when you need us the most. One phone call to our 24 hour GEM Rescue Control Centre, and a trained operator quickly arranges assistance from one of our nationwide network of 6,000 recovery vehicles. We look after you.
We've been one of Auto Express's top three providers for the last three years.

Keeping you Safe

While most people know us for personal breakdown cover, we do so much more. GEM has championed a wide variety of Road Safety activities, including conferences, award schemes and research. We support national and local Road Safety campaigns; donate equipment for training, assessment and vision screening; and produce free motoring advice and road safety leaflets. Today, GEM Motoring Assist has around 75,000 members.
Our president is dedicated Road Safety campaigner, Viscount Simon. He's also a Trustee of the GEM Road Safety Charity.
GEM is a member of:

• The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS)
• The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

GEM Motoring Assist Annual Reports

A summary of the major activities and performance of GEM during recent years are provided in the Chairman’s Annual reports which are approved at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting held in May of each year.

GEM Membership

You're not just a Customer: you're a Member!

GEM started in 1932 as a motorists' safety association. Association membership is included when you take out our breakdown cover. Membership is also open to motorists who do not want breakdown cover, but want the member benefits.

So what are the benefits of membership?

All members enjoy the support and advice that comes from GEM's 80 years of experience.

• You can access the exclusive My GEM area of our website, which has a wealth of useful motoring information and includes our Route Planner
• You can claim discounts on other services such as insurance, vehicle inspections, airport parking... and lots more.
• You'll receive our lively quarterly magazine 'Good Motoring' and regular e-mail newsletters
• You also benefit from a free Accident Management Service, which helps you deal with any claims or legal process following a traffic accident. Even if you never have to use it, being covered by us means you can decline the expensive legal-cover options offered with your motor insurance policy. So it saves you money.
• There are regular special-offers and promotions for members... keep an eye on the website!

 Read the latest GEM Breakdown Reviews or read Start Rescue Reviews.

What are the Important Considerations while Purchasing Cheap Breakdown Cover

Nobody wants to be left stranded in an unfamiliar secluded area or in the middle of a busy highway due to a broken down vehicle which is why getting a backup plan through cheap breakdown cover for your car comes extremely handy in such emergency situations. Apart from saving you from the hassles and extreme inconvenience of handling a breakdown by yourself, having a roadside assistance policy beforehand is also a cost efficient alternative in the long run.
With a large number of automobile clubs offering repair and support services, there are some good bargain deals that can be found in the market at highly competitive prices.   Therefore with a certain degree of research and patience one can find a cheap breakdown cover policy offering services that meet their personal travel needs.
Listed below are some important considerations that need to be kept in mind while purchasing cheap breakdown cover:
•    Understand your travel requirements – In order to select the most suitable and cheap breakdown cover available in the market have a clear idea about your travelling needs such as your frequency of travelling long distances and the number of drivers as well as vehicles present in your family.
•    Familiarize yourself with the coverage market – Getting to know about the various kinds of coverage available in the market such as basic repair services including tire, towing and lockout assistance as well as options for making a customized plan  is very crucial in identifying a suitable and cheap breakdown cover policy successfully.
•    Research the internet – Logging onto a search engine and visiting websites of nationalized auto clubs such as the RAC and AA is one of the most efficient mediums to search for some of the best bargain deals on roadside assistance plans.
•    Compare benefits and features – Narrowing down on suitable deals and comparing their various benefits along with their annual membership charges can be very helpful in zeroing in on the most cost efficient and cheap breakdown cover.
•    Select the most suitable plan – Apart from finding the best bargain deal in the coverage market looking for benefits that meet your personal requirements is also very important.
•    Ensure that your basic needs are covered – Before finalizing upon a cheap breakdown cover read all the terms and services closely in order to ensure that the plan covers all the basic needs and there are no hidden costs involved.
Purchasing a cheap breakdown cover is one of the wisest ways of saving additional repair costs in the long. So go ahead and choose the most suitable coverage plan and ensure a stress free drive for you and your family at an economical price.
Summary –Having a cheap breakdown cover for your vehicle is one of the most cost effective ways of ensuring a risk free driving experience. Some important considerations while choosing the most suitable and best bargain deal on roadside assistance services include understanding ones travel requirements, familiarizing with the coverage market, researching the internet, comparing various features and benefits, selecting the most suitable plan and ensuring that your basic needs are covered.

Visit a breakdown cover comparison website or read Start Rescue Reviews.

How to get the best value car breakdown insurance

Anyone who has been stranded at the side of the road because their car has broken down or they have had blow-out will appreciate the importance of breakdown cover.
And of course, there are the highly efficient who would never even take the risk and always ensure they have cover in place.
But what is the best way to buy breakdown insurance?
The most well-known providers are probably the AA and RAC. However, breakdown cover is a market that has developed and expanded significantly over recent years.
The number of standalone providers has increased but car insurers are getting in on the act too, either offering their own or a third party’s cover. 
Breakdown cover is also a common benefit that is provided as part of packaged current accounts – these are the bank accounts that charge a monthly fee.
Here we look at the best value way of getting the protection you need.

Adding breakdown cover to your car insurance

On the face of it, you might think extending your car insurance policy to include breakdown cover would be the best-value option.
However, research we carried out at MoneySupermarket revealed some startling results and we discovered this is not necessarily the case.
We ran some insurance quotes for a 40-year old male teacher, living in M20, with a 2006 Ford Focus 1.8, who drives 10,000 miles a year and has five years’ no claims discount.

Kwik Fit would charge him £95.99 to add Kwik Assist Recovery to his car insurance policy.
Yet, he could buy exactly the same breakdown cover as a separate, standalone product for £58.70 - £37.29 less.
With esure, the teacher could add Green Flag Roadside Assistance to his policy at a cost of £36 but the same breakdown cover bought separately from Green would cost him £25.44 a year.
The level of cover also varies and may be lower than you would ideally want.
Esure, Endsleigh , LV= and Tesco offer roadside assistance as a standard bolt on to their car insurance policies but as the name suggests, this type of breakdown protection only covers you if you breakdown away from home.
It includes taking your vehicle to a destination within a certain radius from where you have broken down but that may not be ideal if you are stranded miles from home.
Therefore a more comprehensive, standalone breakdown policy could be a better option.

Comprehensive cover won’t necessarily break the bank

The AA and RAC may be the most well-known providers of breakdown cover, but they also tend to be among the most expensive.
Using the same details as those for the car insurance quotes above, an annual breakdown policy from the RAC would cost £131, while the AA charges £130.
This is for the most comprehensive level of cover available (excluding European cover): it includes roadside assistance, nationwide recovery and home start.
As well as covering your vehicle it also offers you and your passengers protection covering your onward journey, accommodation in a hotel if needed, as well as car hire and caravan and trailer cover.
An equivalent policy from the lesser known Rescuemycar.com would cost £24.90. It can therefore really pay to shop around and compare prices from other providers.
An easy way to do this is to use a comparison service.

Don’t pay twice

An increasing number of people have packaged current accounts. These are the bank accounts for which you pay a monthly fee, but in return receive additional benefits such as breakdown cover and travel insurance.
Packaged accounts are often maligned for offering poor value but many of those who have them think they are great. It all depends on what benefits you get and whether you use them. Much of this is down to how suitable the product is for your needs.
Barclays has recently overhauled its current account offerings. It has withdrawn its packaged accounts from the market and replaced them with ‘packs’ that can be added to its standard or premier account. Customers can then tailor their benefits to their needs.
If breakdown cover is one of the things you would find useful, the basic Travel Pack, costs £8.50 a month (£102 a year) and includes RAC roadside and home assistance as well as European family travel insurance.
If you would prefer a more comprehensive breakdown policy, the Travel Plus Pack, which costs £13.50 a month (£162 a year) gives you comprehensive breakdown cover from the RAC as well as worldwide family travel insurance and access to airport lounges.
Other current accounts that offer additional benefits don’t give the same choice however. With Halifax’s Ultimate Reward Account, which has a monthly fee of £10, assuming you pay in £1,000 or more each month, includes AA Breakdown cover with Home Start.
This may not be as comprehensive as you would like though. That said, you do also get worldwide family travel insurance, mobile phone insurance and home emergency cover so you need to weigh up whether a less comprehensive level of breakdown cover is acceptable for you.
Compare the benefits offered by different packaged account providers.

Visit a car breakdown cover comparison site for all the latest deals or read Start Rescue Reviews.

Car Breakdown Cover

The reason for purchasing car breakdown cover is obvious: If you’re having problems with your car, wherever you are in the UK, car breakdown cover will guarantee that a qualified mechanic is just one call away to come and help you out. Your insurance company will either arrange a specialist team of mechanics to assist you, or the nearest approved garage.
As with most insurance policies, with car breakdown cover, there are various levels of cover available. The cheapest cover is basic roadside assistance. More comprehensive cover is more expensive and includes features such as emergency accommodation and car hire. The particular requirements of the individual customer determine which level of cover should be purchased.
Most car breakdown cover providers offer the choice to either cover the individual or the vehicle: Vehicle breakdown cover is the cheaper of the two options, and will cover a specified vehicle, regardless of who is driving. Personal breakdown insurance provides cover for the individual, irrespective of what vehicle they are driving. Personal membership also insures the individual if they are a passenger.
One thing to bear in mind when purchasing car breakdown cover is if there are any limitations of the policy. For example, some breakdown cover providers put restrictions on the number of callouts allowed, and also on the cost of parts and/or labour.
Be sure to shop around for the right policy for you. Compare different policies, and find one which you’re confident will be on call to help should you need assistance. Most insurance providers aim to have a mechanic with you to help in well under an hour. Again, this is something you can look at when comparing the particulars of various different policies.

How to Find the Best Car Breakdown Cover

Car breakdown insurance is often a cost-effective way to cover several drivers who share more than one car while living at the same address.
Finding cheap car breakdown cover is no harder than looking for standard breakdown cover.
The same rules apply to the levels of cover - like basic car breakdown cover roadside recovery covers the cost of repairs while you're mid-journey, and home start policies help start your car if it breaks down on the drive - but instead of covering just one driver or a single car, the policies can protect up to four drivers living at the same house who share a small pool of cars.
Many also include a free text or call to let someone know a driver has broken down and help is on the way, which gives peace of mind for families with teenagers out late.
Most car breakdown cover providers also offer a priority call out service to vulnerable drivers, like single women or mums travelling with children.
However, car breakdown car cover does not extend to anyone living away from the family home, so a student can have cover while staying with mum and dad, but not when they are living elsewhere.
Some insurers cap their cover, so cars listed as a car breakdown cover vehicle may have a limit of five or six call-outs a year, so this is something worth checking.
When making a car breakdown cover comparison, check out the details of the cover - points to watch are how close to home roadside assistance starts; what happens to your car if a technician can’t get it started while you are away from home, and how the insurer will help you get back to your house or continue your journey.
Once you have picked the packages that offer the cover you want, start comparing the prices.
The best family breakdown cover is not necessarily the cheapest, but the package that offers the cover you need at the most reasonable price.

Why not visit a breakdown cover comparison site for the lowest prices or read Start Rescue Reviews.

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.