AA breakdown cover reviews
Discover what you can expect with AA breakdown cover, and the cover options available to you.
The AA, or Automobile Association, was founded in 1905. It’s most famous for providing car breakdown cover to motorists across the UK and helps around 3.5 million people a year. We’ve looked at what level of service you can expect to receive with AA breakdown cover.
What types of policies are on offer?
The AA provides roadside assistance if your car breaks down as standard. It has its own unique recovery fleet and it’ll provide you a hire car or hotel if needed, depending on your level of cover.
You can choose from the following types of cover:
Single personal cover
Personal breakdown cover is just for you as a driver or passenger in any vehicle that you’re travelling in.
Joint personal cover
Breakdown cover for you and someone you live with, as drivers or passengers in any vehicle. This is generally cheaper than purchasing 2 separate policies.
Family personal cover
You can get family cover for you and up to 3 other people you live with, as drivers or passengers in any vehicle. You can add family members, a partner, housemates and children, even if they’re students living away from home during term time.
Vehicle cover
As the name suggests, this is cover for a single vehicle and it doesn’t matter who is driving. If you only have one vehicle and don’t use other vehicles, then this could be the right policy for you.
Add-ons
Once you’ve chosen who the cover is for and the vehicles covered, then you need to choose if you want any extra cover. The options are:
At Home
If you can’t start your vehicle or it breaks down within a quarter of a mile of your home, you’ll get breakdown recovery to a nearby garage. In general, your car is at home for a majority of the time and around a third of all breakdowns happen at home, so this is a no-brainer.
National Recovery
If you break down and your vehicle can’t be fixed at the side of the road, then The AA will take you, your vehicle and up to 7 passengers to any single UK destination. If you’re travelling with a car full of kids and far from home, this add-on could be really handy.
Onward Travel
If you break down and your journey is stopped because of the repairs required, then The AA will help you with overnight accommodation or alternative transport. This could be a replacement hire car or money towards public transport costs.
Parts and Garage Cover
You can get costs covered up to £535 if you need repairs or work done at a garage after calling The AA out for a breakdown.
Tyre Cover
You can get up to £160 per tyre if your tyres need to be repaired or replaced after a breakdown.
Commercial Use
You’ll need this add-on if you have a vehicle being used to carry equipment, people or goods in return for payment.
Key Cover
Don’t get caught out if something happens to your car keys or house keys. If either are lost, stolen, broken or you’re locked out, The AA will arrange a replacement key or locksmith.
Keys can cost upwards of £300 to replace. Key cover with The AA costs £3 a month and offers cover up to £2,500 with no excess.
What does The AA’s breakdown policy cover?
Breakdown cover with The AA will help you get back on the road if your car stops working. The level of cover you have will depend on your policy, but in general you’ll be covered for the following:
Roadside assistance
If you break down at the side of the road (or at home if you have home assist), then a patrol will come to help you. They’ll try to assess the damage and fix it if they can.
Minor mechanical fixes
A lot of breakdowns happen due to common issues that can be fixed relatively easily. These are things such as flat batteries, tyre punctures or electrical faults.
Towing and recovery
If your vehicle is unable to be repaired, you’ll be towed to a safe place, which will likely be a local garage.
Running out of fuel or charge
If you run out of fuel or charge with an electric car, you’ll be given enough to get you to a petrol station or charging point. If not, you’ll be towed there. Either way you’ll be able to get back on the road quickly.
Does The AA offer electric vehicle breakdown cover?
Yes, The AA offers breakdown cover for electric vehicles. This includes help if you run out of charge you’re having battery issues or system warnings.
The AA has High Voltage Awareness trained patrols that will be able to assist you in a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle.
Patrols should include portable chargers and if a repair is not possible, your vehicle will be recovered to a charging point, garage or destination, depending on the level of cover.
98% of The AA’s patrols, which is more than 2,500, are level 2 EV trained. These provide specialised roadside, home and national recovery services.
The AA’s Freewheeling Hub is a clever way for AA patrols to safely tow vehicles, such as electric vehicles and SUVs, which normally cannot be lifted and towed.
What sets The AA apart from other breakdown cover providers?
The AA includes Accident Assist as standard in its policies. Not all providers offer this. This means that if you have an accident, The AA will recover your vehicle, manage the insurance claim on your behalf (regardless of who you are insured with) and provide a hire car even if your own insurance policy doesn’t include one.
Breakdown cover providers don’t always offer unlimited callouts as standard, but The AA does (as long as it’s not a repeat fault). Other providers will cap callouts at 5 per year, so this is a real advantage.
The AA patrols have a unique multi-fit universal wheel. This can be used on almost any car, which allows you to drive somewhere to get your tyres replaced if you have a spare, rather than waiting for a truck to tow you there.
Freewheeling Hubs mean The AA stands out for EV drivers. Because most EVs can’t be towed with two wheels on the ground without causing damage to the motor, The AA has these hubs in their standard vans. They can be fitted to your car and tow you immediately with a normal patrol van.
Claims process
If you need assistance from the AA, you can call 0800 88 77 66 or use the AA app.
Customer reviews
The AA fared brilliantly in our 2026 customer satisfaction survey of breakdown service customers – coming first, with 92% of its customers saying they’d recommend the service to a friend. Most customers praised the “reliable” service and “felt in safe hands”, although not all felt the service had arrived quickly when they’d needed it.
One said: “They helped me quickly knowing I had children in the car.”
Another commented: “Always there – albeit rather slowly – when needed. The people who come out to save you are always amazing!”
The AA has received around 200,000 reviews on Trustpilot and has a score of 4.8 out of 5, which is classed as “Excellent” (last updated: April 2026).
Pros and cons
Pros
- According to recent data, The AA can repair 8 out of 10 cars at the roadside within 30 minutes
- Highly recommended by its members
- 24-hour telephone assistance
- Unlimited, quick call outs
- The AA has the largest fleet of patrols in the UK
- You can get perks including discounts on MOTs, airport parking and car hire
- Get cover for vehicles of any age
- Electric and hybrid vehicles covered as standard
- 5-star Defaqto rated
Cons
- Onward travel only available as a paid add-on
- More expensive than other providers, although this is because it offers a larger fleet enabling quicker response times
- Despite having the most patrols, The AA also has the most members, so response times can vary when it’s busy
- Auto-renewals can be at significantly higher prices, so you need to haggle or find another provider to keep your premiums low
- Repeat call-outs for the same fault within 28 days are not covered
Our verdict
The AA is one of the strongest breakdown providers in the UK for service quality, with the largest patrol fleet, level 2 EV-trained patrols and a claimed roadside fix rate of 8 in 10 cars within 30 minutes.
Its customer support is equally well regarded: it came first in Finder’s 2026 customer satisfaction survey, with 92% of members saying they’d recommend it, it’s rated 4.8 out 5-stars on Trustpilot from over 250,000 reviews, and it includes extras like Accident Assist and unlimited callouts as standard.
It’s not the cheapest option, and response times can slow at busy periods, but if reliability and peace of mind matter more to you than price, it’s hard to beat.
Get started by visiting The AA’s website and sign up for a policy. If you have read this review and decided that The AA breakdown cover is not for you, you can also compare other breakdown cover policies on the market.
Frequently asked questions
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