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Breakdown cover

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What is breakdown cover?

Breakdown cover is a type of insurance that provides assistance if your vehicle breaks down on the road, or even at home. Breakdown cover can also help to cover the costs of recovering your car, van, or motorbike if it cannot be fixed at the roadside.

Breakdown cover means help is only a call away if you’re in a pickle. If you have a flat battery, a puncture, or something worse, you'll be able to get back on the road safely and quickly!

The service offers different levels of cover depending on your needs:

  • Roadside assistance
  • Local recovery
  • National recovery
  • Home start
  • Onward journey
  • European cover

If you rely on your car for commuting, road trips, or day-to-day activities, breakdown cover gives you the reassurance you need, knowing that you won’t be left stranded.

Why compare breakdown cover with us?

Our breakdown cover comparison gives you real-value quotes, tailored to you. We compare deals from top UK providers side-by-side like AXA, RAC & Greenflag, so you can instantly see what you are getting for your money.

We help you filter, compare, and choose the best cover for you, without having to pay for the extras you don’t need. It's fast, free, and most importantly, it’s tailored to your driving needs.

Compare cheap breakdown cover quotes to find out how much you can save.

What breakdown cover do I need?

With breakdown cover, you get the option to cover yourself or your vehicle. There are two types of policies:

Personal breakdown cover

Personal breakdown cover protects the person rather than the vehicle, so you are protected if you break down in any vehicle that meets the requirements of your policy. You can extend this policy to cover up to 4 people who live at the same address. This type of cover can be useful if you use different cars in your household.

Vehicle breakdown cover

This type of breakdown policy covers a specific vehicle(s). If you want to cover more than 1 vehicle, they have to be registered at the same address. This cover is useful if you or your family share 1 vehicle.

Then you have the level of covers to choose from:

Roadside assistance

This provides cover to help get you back on the road if you ever need a restart at the roadside.

Local recovery

This means that your breakdown company can tow your vehicle to a local garage if they cannot fix it at the roadside.

National recovery

This means if your breakdown company cannot fix your car on the roadside, they will tow your vehicle to any location in the UK.

Extended levels of breakdown cover

While roadside assistance is a great starting point, extended levels of breakdown cover can offer greater protection and convenience, especially if you drive frequently. Here are some examples of the extended features of breakdown cover:

Home start

This covers you if your car wont start at or near your home within a set number of miles. Your breakdown company comes to your vehicle and tries to repair it. If they cannot repair it, they can arrange to have it towed to a local garage. If you break down outside your home start radius, you may have to pay extra fees.

Onward journey

This covers the cost of a replacement vehicle or public transport to your destination. This usually occurs if your vehicle cannot be repaired at the roadside.

European cover

This provides cover for your breakdown while driving your vehicle in Europe. The number of countries covered and the length of the cover varies depending on the provider.

Can I get breakdown cover with car insurance?

Breakdown cover doesn't usually come as standard with car insurance, however, you can buy breakdown cover as an optional extra. You can buy this at an extra cost, just make sure it provides you with the cover you need!

Its always best to check what you get for your money when adding breakdown cover through another policy in comparison to standalone breakdown cover to see if it is worth switching. This may help you find a cheaper deal, while also providing you with a policy that covers more than standard.

What extras can I add to my breakdown cover?

There are plenty of optional extras that you may be able to add onto your breakdown cover at an additional cost. These can differ between each breakdown provider, but here are some examples:

Tyre replacement - Punctures are the bane of every driver's life! So, tyre replacement cover is useful if you damage a tyre or get a puncture. Having this type of cover can ensure you’re back on the road as quickly as possible!

Battery replacement - This ensures that you get a new battery if your existing battery is low and can't be recharged.

Special vehicles - If you are towing a caravan or a trailer, this may require you to have an added level of cover.

Fuel cover - If you have ran out of fuel on your journey or have mistakenly filled your tank up with the wrong fuel, your breakdown provider will help you, but you will need to purchase the fuel yourself.

What do I do if I break down?

Here's what to do if you break down:

  • Pull over safely before doing anything else.
  • Turn your hazard warning lights on. If it’s dark, turn on your sidelights too.
  • Get out of the vehicle. Use the passenger doors rather than the driver door to reduce the risk to you and your passengers from traffic passing on the right.
  • Keep a safe distance. Keep yourself and your passengers away from the carriageway and hard shoulder. Use the bank or get behind the barriers if possible. If you have animals, it’s best to leave them in the car, but in an emergency keep them under control and away from the road.
  • Call your breakdown cover provider to let them know where you are. Look out for driver location signs to help pinpoint your location. If you’re not covered you need to call the Highways Agency for assistance. You can also call a breakdown service or local garage but you would be subject to call-out charges.

For more information, take a look at our guide on what to do when you break down.

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Why choose Confused.com?

We were founded in 2002 as the first comparison site for insurance. Since then, we've helped millions find an insurance deal that's right for them.

Not convinced? Here's a few more reasons to choose us:

  • We’re 100% independent and we aren’t owned by an insurance company. This means the prices we give you are based on the best deals we can find for you, using the details that you give us.
  • We're fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). We follow their strict guidelines to make sure we always put the customer first.

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Frequently asked questions

What if I break down abroad?

Breaking down in Europe will require a specialist European cover breakdown policy. This comes in two forms - annual multi-trip and single trip.

How you’re rescued will depend on the country you’re driving in, but generally they’ll either help and repair your vehicle on the roadside or tow it to a local garage. Check the policy details and driving laws of the country or countries you’ll be visiting, to get a better idea of what to expect.

What details do I need to get a quote?

You'll need to provide the type of vehicle you want covered, its age and some of your personal details.

What do I do if I get a puncture, use the wrong fuel or run out of fuel?

If you drive a newer car that doesn't come with a spare wheel or you have a spare wheel but aren't sure how to fit it, the majority of providers will cover this in their policies. Using the incorrect fuel or running out of fuel is covered by some providers as standard. Each provider will vary in what they offer so check the policy details or contact them to check.

Breakdown cover guides

Red warning triangle placed on the road behind a broken down car

What should you do if your car breaks down?

Being prepared and knowing what to do can be crucial in keeping you and your passengers safe with a broken down car.

Confused.com's breakdown cover is arranged by Comparison Creator who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 832239. Comparison Creator is registered in England & Wales No. 07336373 at Springboard Business Innovation Centre, Llantarnam Park, Cwmbran, NP44 3AW. Confused.com is an intermediary and receives commission from Comparison Creator, which is a percentage of the commission received by Comparison Creator. We pride ourselves on impartiality and independence – therefore we don't promote any one insurance provider over another.