Aviva breakdown cover review

Aviva is the UK’s most popular insurer and it’s teamed up with the RAC to offer breakdown cover. You can get the breakdown policy as an add-on to Aviva car insurance, or as a standalone product. We trawled through the policy small print, and asked customers what they think of the service, for our review.

What types of policy are on offer?

There are four types of policy available:

• Rescue. With this policy, you’re eligible for roadside assistance. If the RAC can’t repair your car on the road, you’ll be towed to a nearby garage.
• Rescue & Recovery. With this policy, you’re eligible for roadside assistance. If the RAC can’t repair your car, you’ll be taken to any destination you need to reach in the UK.
• Rescue, Recovery & At Home. All the benefits of the Rescue & Recovery policy, plus protection within a quarter of a mile of your home.
• Rescue, Recovery, At Home & Onward Travel. All the benefits of the above policies, plus a hire car, overnight accommodation or onward travel via taxi, train or plane.

For any of these policies, you can choose vehicle cover or personal cover. With personal cover, you’ll be covered in any vehicle, even as a passenger, whereas vehicle is specific to one car.

If you need to, you can add European cover to any of these policies.

Claims process

If your car’s broken down, call 0800 0155 755 and someone will come out to help you.

Managing your policy online

You can manage your policy online by clicking the “Log In” button at the top of the Aviva website.

Aviva breakdown service customer reviews

Aviva’s breakdown service fared well in Finder’s 2024 customer satisfaction survey. Of the Aviva breakdown customers in the survey, 85% said they’d recommend the brand to a friend.

Customers described the service as “friendly” and “seamless”.

Aviva has attracted thousands of reviews on Trustpilot for the company as a whole, across all its products. Its rating is 4 out of 5 – classed as “great” – based on more than 32,000 reviews (last updated: February 2024).

Pros and cons

Our verdict

Aviva offers a comprehensive breakdown service with the RAC. There are four policies to choose from, so you can easily pick the most suitable cover for your needs. Might be worth haggling at renewal time.

Get started by visiting Aviva’s website and sign up for a policy. If you have read this review and decided that Aviva breakdown cover is not for you, you can also compare other breakdown cover policies on the market.

Frequently asked questions

• Do I need Aviva car insurance to buy Aviva breakdown cover?

  No, you can buy it as a standalone product if you prefer.

• Will I be covered in a different car to my own?

  If you choose personal cover, you’ll be covered in any vehicle, even as a passenger.

• How quickly will someone come to help me if I break down?

  According to RAC data, 4 out of 5 vehicles will be seen to within 30 minutes.

Written by

Danny Butler

Publisher

Danny was a publisher at Finder specialising in insurance and investing. He previously worked at the global insurer Aon and has appeared in national media giving advice on insurance. Danny holds a BA in International Business from the University of Plymouth and has undying loyalty to his average-poor football team, Portsmouth FC. See full bio

Danny's expertise

Danny has written 292 Finder guides across topics including:

• Car, home and business insurance
• Helping people save money on their insurance
• Project management
• Giving valuable insights to website visitors