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Best breakdown cover companies in 2021
We've compiled a list of some of the best breakdown cover providers in the UK and some top tips on how to get the best deal on your policy.
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Some of the best breakdown cover companies in the UK
RAC breakdown cover
RAC is a large and well-established insurance company in the UK. It began in 1897 as the Royal Automobile Club, providing roadside help for its customers, and has since expanded to offer car, home and travel insurance policies, as well as comprehensive breakdown cover. The RAC offers a range of breakdown products, including family and multi-car policies, European cover, business cover, cover for motorcycles and a specialist policy for blue badge holders.
- Key cover available.
- 4 out of 5 cars are successfully fixed at the roadside.
- 24/7 roadside assistance all year.
- Your renewal price may increase if you make a claim.
- Policy information is not easily accessible.
Start Rescue breakdown cover
Start Rescue is an insurance provider specialising in emergency and breakdown cover. The company offers car breakdown policies as well as home emergency cover and boiler breakdown cover. There are five levels of cover on offer from Start Rescue, with the most comprehensive policy offering all aspects of car breakdown cover as standard, as well as cover in case your journey is interrupted by theft, vandalism or illness.
- Up to five levels of cover to choose from.
- 24/7 helpline available.
- No excess for any claims.
- Limited to just 6 callouts per year.
- Cannot be used for the same problem more than once within 28 days.
GEM breakdown cover
GEM Motoring Assist is a members organisation specialising in breakdown cover, including for classic cars and EU travel. The company received a bronze award in the Auto Express Best Breakdown Cover 2020 awards, and has 5-star ratings from both Defaqto and Reviews.io.
- Fully comprehensive cover.
- Policy allows you to be covered in any vehicle.
- 24/7 emergency helpline.
- You have to submit a claim through a form.
- Onward travel and accommodation cover limit is quite low.
ASDA breakdown cover
Asda is a household name as a high street supermarket. However, the company also provides financial services, including breakdown cover and a range of other insurance. Breakdown cover from Asda is offered in partnership with LV= and offers different types of cover, including roadside, UK breakdown and European cover. Asda Money says the average response time for its breakdown service is 42 minutes.
- 4 out of 5 cars are successfully fixed at the roadside.
- 24/7 roadside assistance all year.
- 42-minute average response time.
- No option to customise policies.
- Policy information is not easily accessible.
Rescuemycar.com breakdown cover
Rescuemycar.com is a specialist breakdown cover provider that was established in 2000. It offers breakdown and recovery services for cars, vans and motorbikes in the UK and while you’re travelling in Europe. There are four levels of cover to choose from and a range of optional extras you can add to your policy, including key cover, personal breakdown cover and single-trip EU cover.
- European cover included as standard.
- Key cover available.
- 24/7 roadside assistance.
- 5 Star Defaqto Rating.
- No option for multi-car breakdown cover.
QDOS breakdown cover
QDOS has been operating in the insurance industry since 2007. It offers four levels of breakdown insurance in the UK and the EU. You can choose from a number of different cover combinations, including Roadside, Local & Home and Roadside & National policies. There is also a fully comprehensive policy available, which offers all aspects of breakdown cover, plus theft cover and a message relay service.
- Four levels of cover to choose from.
- QDOS Breakdown lines are open 24/7.
- Bed and breakfast cover included.
- EU cover is a separate policy.
- Some customers found it difficult to get a quick response.
How to find the best breakdown cover
- Whenever you’re looking for insurance cover, your first step should be to compare policies. Our table below will help.
- When comparing policies, don’t just look at the price. Cheapest doesn’t mean best, so make sure the policy you go with has all the elements you require. For example, if you want a breakdown policy that reimburses you for an overnight stay at a hotel if your car breaks down away from home and can’t be fixed the same day, make sure the policy you take out includes “onward travel” cover.
- When you’ve chosen your provider, go through the application process. You’ll need to be completely honest when taking out your insurance, as any inaccuracies can invalidate your whole policy.
- When you’ve taken out the cover, download your policy documents and keep them in a safe place (whether that’s on your desktop or as hard copies in your home or office). Keep them somewhere you can access in case you need to make a query or a claim.
- Make a note of the claim line number for your provider in your phone or on a piece of paper in your car (preferably both), for use in case your car breaks down on the roadside and you need to call the company to send assistance.
Compare breakdown cover providers
Bottom line
The best breakdown policy for you will depend on your needs – you might want home start, multi-car or European cover, for example – so shop around to get a policy that covers everything you want.
Don’t just look at the price when shopping for breakdown cover, as the cheaper policies are likely to offer less comprehensive cover, so cutting costs could come down to priorities. In which case, look for a policy with flexibility so you can add on extras if you think you might need to.
Frequently asked questions
The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you.
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